Annual Report 2010 — 2011
• Diversity Inquiry (DIVINQ) and Unique Sense
DIVINQ is a process designed to encourage creative thinking and
participant-led exploration of values, beliefs and assumptions
about diversity. It aims to fundamentally change the way future
generations respond to human diversity.
• International Guild of Disabled Artists and
Performers (IGODAP)
Membership of IGODAP has continued to grow, with 104 new
members since 1 July. This amounts to a 34% increase, bringing
membership numbers to 306 from 202.
Seeking to add diversity to common sense, DIVINQ’s sister project
“Unique Sense” aspired to build a collection of short multimedia
clips to promote a youth-led dialogue about constructive future
change.
Guild membership was previously split between the old Google
group and the new Ning website. In December, after several
notifications, we closed the Google group in order to create a more
cohesive communication channel.
We promoted DIVINQ workshops in 24 secondary schools across the
Auckland region in June/July, offering to run them either
individually or in collaboration with Unique Sense. Sadly, uptake
was minimal and by year end the only school that showed potential
interest was Epsom Girls Grammar School through the association
of Jeannie Grant, the counselor who championed and co-developed
DIVINQ with us at Mt Roskill Grammar School in 2009.
This year we introduced “IGODAP Up Close”, a regular profile of
members, chosen to reflect the Guild’s diversity of creative media
and backgrounds. Philip ‘Skyped’ with artists in Liverpool as part of
the DaDa (Disability and Deaf Arts) Festival in November.
• Project development
From July to December 2010, Kelly Griffin was brought on board in
the role of Project Development Coordinator, to assist in developing
opportunities for existing projects and identifying opportunities for
new projects that furthered the objectives of Diversityworks Trust.
Kelly was involved in the development of a number of projects,
including Unique Sense, DIVINQ, IGODAP and DPSN.
DPSN Manawanui Peer Pilot
We partnered with Individualised Funding Agency Manawanui in
September, with the aim of creating a space where IF Users could
connect and support each other. The pilot featured online chats,
discussion forums and blogs. Those involved in the pilot also had
access to the DPSN site and opportunity to communicate and
interact with the Peer community.
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