The Geelong Awards for People With a Disability have been launched for a second year.
Simone Stevens knows just how much it means to be nominated for the Geelong Awards for People With a Disability.
A champion campaigner for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), Stevens was a finalist in the volunteering category in the inaugural awards last year, and said she believes the awards provide overdue recognition for those with a disability.
“Famous people get recognised a lot more than those of us who have challenges in life.
“People with disabilities get overlooked but I want to change this and these awards can assist with this.
“Radio stations and local newspapers need to keep talking about disability issues, [through promotion of] the awards and the Having a Say Conference, as well as the NDIS.”
Nominations for the Geelong Awards for People with a Disability 2016 opened on 10 November following an official launch of the event at City Hall.
The awards celebrate the invaluable contributions of people with a disability across six categories – Volunteering, Sport and Recreation, Leadership and Advocacy, Achievement, Arts and Outstanding Employee.
Karingal has again partnered with the City of Greater Geelong for the awards, which will double as the opening of the VALID (Victorian Advocacy League for Individuals with Disability) Having a Say Conference.
New Karingal CEO Mike McKinstry said he is proud to support the second year of the awards.
“The awards recognise the amazing contributions that people with a disability make in our community.”
Councillor Kylie Fisher said, “last year’s awards were an outstanding success and this year is set to be even bigger and better, it’s a terrific initiative.”
The Geelong Awards for People with a Disability are supported by VALID, Barwon Disability Resource Council (BDRC), K-Rock, Bay FM, Adcell, Chanel 31 and Geelong Advertiser Award winners will be announced at a ceremony on Tuesday 9 February 2016.
