Content components Below are key achievements from the first 2 years (2024–2025) of the Boroondara Disability Access and Inclusion Plan, organised across 5 strategic themes.The actions demonstrate our commitment to an inclusive community where people with disability can participate in community life, have equal opportunities and feel proud of who they are. Hays Paddock Playground renewal Brenton Ponza news banner Theme 1: Celebration and belongingStrategic Objective: People with disability feel accepted by the community and can feel proud of their identity. Expand all Collapse all Action 1 Engage people with disability to hold a minimum of two community activities annually to recognise dates of significance. 2024 Highlights: As part of World Autism Understanding Month (WAUD) in April, The Future is Interest-spective exhibition showcased Autistic artists and included artist-led tours. This exhibition was delivered in partnership with Aspect (Autism Spectrum Australia). Community activities for WAUD were developed in consultation with the Community Disability Advisory Committee.2025 Highlights: International Day of People with Disability celebrations included a Dance for Neurobalance session, a Guide Dog Storytime, a performance by Eliza Hull, an AMAZE Storytime and promotion of Council’s involvement in the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program. Action 2 Develop and deliver a communication campaign that increases understanding and addresses ableism. 2025 Highlight: Consulted with the Community Disability Advisory Committee to design anti-ableism feature. Featured community member profile of Brenton Ponza through the Boroondara Bulletin, website feature and social media. Action 3 Increase knowledge within Council by incorporating best practice access and inclusion principles. 262 front-of-house staff completed Hidden Disabilities Sunflower training across customer service, libraries, maternal and child health centres, Youth Hub, Arts Centre, and Kew Court House. Council officially launched as Sunflower-friendly organisation in November 2025.Staff feedback: "Wonderful opportunity to extend support... visual reminder to keep inclusion at the centre." Expand all Collapse all Theme 2: Access and safetyStrategic Objective: Boroondara's places and spaces are safe and easy to access and use for people with disability. Expand all Collapse all Action 4 Major capital works incorporate accessibility standards and universal design principles. The Highfield Park Pavilion redevelopment is due for completion in early 2026. The redevelopment prioritises accessibility through a range of inclusive design features. These include an internal lift and stair connection between levels, a ramp, accessible car parking, an externally accessible public toilet, and unisex change rooms with accessible toilets and showers. The facility will also feature improved lighting, clearly marked pedestrian pathways, shaded viewing areas, additional seating and drinking fountains. These enhancements work together to ensure safety, comfort and inclusive use for the whole community.Canterbury Community Precinct project includes a redeveloped main building and refurbished former Bowls Pavilion, with a strong focus on improving accessibility within and between buildings. Upgraded spaces for the maternal and child health centre, kindergarten and toy library are complemented by the addition of a Changing Places facility to support disability access.Hays Paddock Playground renewal was completed in 2024 and included accessible timber structures, sand/water play zones, sensory musical elements, swings for all abilities, extensive rubber surfacing, gathering spaces with shade and communication boards and key sign signage.Lived experience testing of playgrounds was conducted with disability organisation Ability Works and special education Belmore School students at Grovedale and South Surrey Parks. Action 5 Improve accessibility on paths, parks, streets through accessible parking, tactile indicators, infrastructure. Infrastructure: Completed footpath connections at Hays Paddock, Inglesby Road, Camberwell Kendall Street, Canterbury and Stradbroke Park.Accessibility improvements completed in 2024–2025:4 new bus shelters installed12 accessible parking spaces upgraded2 accessible drinking fountains installed1 accessible BBQ installed19 accessible picnic tables installed50 accessible seats installed Expand all Collapse all Theme 3: Inclusive communityStrategic Objective: Boroondara is inclusive and people with disability can participate in social and community life. Expand all Collapse all Action 6 Encourage grant applications for programs and activities for people with disability. Between 2024 and 2025 11 grants totaling $58,844 awarded to community groups supporting disability inclusion. Groups funded included Dance for Neurobalance, Blind Sports and Recreation, Giant Steps, Mind Australia and Boroondara Stroke Support Group. Action 7 Increase participation in families, youth, active ageing, libraries, sports, recreation, arts programs. Delivered through a range of inclusive programs that support children, young people, adults, and seniors with disability, 2024 and 2025 program highlights included:ADHD Unfiltered – a large-scale expert talk delivered in partnership with 5 Councils on 1 April 2025, attracting 700 registrations and receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback.Abilities Unleashed Day – delivered with Disability Sports Australia on 18 Sept 2024 and showcased a variety of adaptive sports and recreation opportunities for people with disability.Quiet Hour at Hawthorn Town Hall – a weekly low-sensory gallery session supported by access to sensory headphones, enabling people with sensory sensitivities to engage with the arts.Healing Garden – a community-built artwork delivered at Town Hall Gallery between 5 February to 26 April , 2025, supported people living with Parkinson’s and dementia. The program received strong positive feedback from participants and support workers for its calming and inclusive approach.The Seniors Film Festival in October 2025 delivered accessible screenings with wheelchair access, open captions, companion seating and personalised support, enabling older adults and people with disability to participate.Libraries introduced sensory support items during storytimes and embedded basic Auslan to support inclusive participation. Action 8 Ensure Council website accessibility complies with WCAG guidelines. We ensured ongoing compliance with web accessibility standards in content publishing and digital delivery. Features include accessible PDFs, alternative text on images, plain language content, structured headings and responsive design for all devices. Expand all Collapse all Theme 4: Employment and volunteer opportunitiesStrategic Objective: There are employment and volunteer opportunities for people with disability in Boroondara. Expand all Collapse all Action 9 Build knowledge and skills within Council to be a more accessible and inclusive workplace. Staff training included presentations delivered by disability advocates Carly Findlay, Clem Bastow and Emily Unity. Training modules delivered included Disability Confidence and Awareness Training, Active Bystander training, Leader Unconscious Bias training, Diversity and Inclusion modules and Hidden Disabilities Sunflower training.Council participated in the Inclusive Futures Expo, an event connecting jobseekers with a disability to employers to find meaningful employment. This Expo took place at Hawthorn Arts Centre and promoted Council as inclusive employer. A recruitment process review is underway to strengthen accessibility. Action 10 Promote benefits of accessibility and inclusion to volunteer organisations. Training sessions for volunteer organisations included Mental health panel Q&A (July 2024), Disability Confidence Training (August 2024), Creating Autism-Friendly Volunteer Program (April 2025), and Disability and Inclusion training for leaders (May 2025). Action 11 Facilitate disability inclusive employment pilot program placing people with disability in local employment. Developed and delivered the Boroondara Inclusive Employment Program in partnership with Villa Maria Catholic Homes, Central Victoria Group Apprenticeship Scheme Employment, Alamein Neighbourhood and Learning , and Kew Neighbourhood Learning Centre. Designed to employ local people with disability in local businesses, the pilot project:reached 100 plus local businessesdelivered Disability Confidence training to Council teams and local businesses4 workplace training outcomes for people with disability2 successful employment outcomes of people with disability with local businessesWork is underway to incorporate learnings from the pilot. Action 12 Review Council's procurement policy to enhance social procurement opportunities. Consultation with Community Disability Advisory Committee (November 2025) to identify suppliers employing people with disability. Further stakeholder engagement planned. Expand all Collapse all Theme 5: Participation in decision-makingStrategic Objective: People with disability have opportunities to participate in decision-making that affects their lives Action 13 Identify pilot project to co-design with people with disability to inform Council's co-design approach. Three co-design workshops were held in May to June 2025, with 8 Autistic young people (ages 16 to 24) participating to design connection-building events in Council spaces for Autistic people. Participants developed 5 event ideas.A Special Interest Trivia Night was one of the co-design event ideas. Held on 13 September 2025 at Hawthorn Arts Centre, 43 attendees participated.Feedback was overwhelmingly positive: “Calm and magnificent”, "rare to find a place where Council actively seeks lived experience”, “100% would do this again”. Action 14 Advocate to governments and peak bodies on issues impacting people with disability. Advocacy and engagement activities: Participated in Municipal Association Victoria engagement session for National Autism Strategy. Council staff provided feedback from the Community Disability Advisory Committee on the Disability Discrimination Act Review. Provided Committee an overview of Australian and Victorian government responses to Disability Royal Commission. Promoted National Autism Strategy consultation and Victoria Police Community Sentiment Survey to Committee members. Action 15 Develop detailed evaluation plan with Community Disability Advisory Committee input. Status: Complete. Draft evaluation plan workshopped with Community Disability Advisory Committee. Final version distributed March 2024 to measure Plan success and track progress across all strategic themes. Expand all Collapse all
