What is ANSWD?
Who we are
The Australasian Network of Students With Disabilities (ANSWD)
is a student organisation,
advocating, promoting, lobbying and campaigning on disability
issues.
We seek to achieve equality, access, and representation of students with disabilities in the tertiary education sector.
How we were formed
ANSWD was formed at the Pathways 5 Conference in Canberra in early December 2000. Tertiary students with disabilities from each state of Australia and throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, make up our membership.
ANSWD is affiliated with and has representation to the Australian Tertiary Education Network on Disability (ATEND). ATEND is the peak body for regional network groups of service providers and consumers concerned with the education and employment needs of people with disabilities in post-secondary education.
Why ANSWD exists
More than 6% of tertiary students acknowledge that they have a disability, yet most Student Councils/Representative Bodies do not have a Disability Officer.
ANSWD believes it is important there is widespread representation of students with disabilities within the Tertiary sector, in addition to representation on decision-making committees. ANSWD is committed to working towards gaining representation of students with disabilities by students with disabilities because of the complex nature of the issues they face. We feel that in doing so, we can ensure disability issues are not ignored and that the best outcomes are achieved.
What ANSWD represents
To find out what we stand for, please read our Policy Statement.
ANSWD has already successfully represented a number of important issues for students with disabilities at a national level, such as when the Federal Government abandoned changes to the Pension Education Supplement (PES).
How is ANSWD structured?
ANSWD has an Official Charter. We have a structure encompassing Office Bearers, Policy coordinators, Other representatives and Regional organisers.
We thank Craig Andrews for administering the ANSWD website, Timothy Hart for funding the website and the University of Tasmania and Jane Hawkeswood for hosting the ANSWD mailing list.
Affiliations
ANSWD receives requests to fill positions on committees and has representation on the Australian Tertiary Educational Network on Disability (ATEND), Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training, the NDCO South Australian reference group, People With Disability Australia and International Disability Alliance.
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