Notice Board - News

Disability sector explores options for single umbrella organisation

NZ Federation of Vocational Support Services (VASS),

An Interim Management Group comprising the Chairs of the NZ Federation of Vocational Support Services (VASS), National Residential Intellectual Disability Providers (NRID), SLNZ and the Association for Supported Employment in NZ (ASENZ), supported by the CEOs of IHC and CCS Disability Action, has been formed to oversee a project to determine the feasibility of, and support for, the idea of a single umbrella body for the disability sector.

The reasons for doing so include:

• It makes practical sense to streamline existing operations and make better use of existing resources.
• The NZ Disability Strategy gives disability groups a unifying philosophical platform that has been absent in the past.
• Disability groups will be more effective in their relationship with government if they offer a collective voice.

A paper has been prepared outlining the group's thinking to date and giving organisations and individuals who are members of the existing umbrella groups an opportunity for input. The project group will hold a meeting in Wellington on 4 December to explain the thinking on the project to date and allow organisations an opportunity to obtain information and provide input.

In a related but separate move, discussions are also underway between VASS and ASENZ about merging/developing closer working relations between the two organisations.

The discussion paper about a potential single umbrella group is attached.

Contact person	ew Zealand Federation of Vocational and Support Services, Inc.
Postal address
Phone
Email	fionn@nzvass.org.nz
Website address	http://www.nzvass.org.nz
Submitted by	Ns