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Challenge to meet a way forward for community, University

May 02, 2005

UNEChall.jpgThe University of New England and Challenge Armidale have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

UNE’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ingrid Moses, and the General Manager of Challenge Armidale, Mr Kevin Mead, said the document would be the basis for a broadening of the range of interaction between the two organisations.

Professor Moses pointed out that Challenge Armidale is a leader among its sister organisations in the region (operating a Regional Secretariat for Disability Employment Services) and that the MOU could have positive consequences for these other organisations too. “The MOU is thus a significant step towards UNE’s vision of openness to (and engagement with) its communities throughout the region,” Professor Moses said.

“Challenge is moving away from providing a sheltered-workshop environment for people with disabilities towards an integrated community business model,” Mr Mead said. “We have identified UNE as a key partner in this process.”

Challenge is a not-for-profit, non-government, community organisation that provides employment, accommodation and care services for people with an intellectual disability in and around Armidale. The MOU recognises Challenge’s commitment to further integration with the general community in business ventures, employing its clients as well as other people. At present, six Challenge clients are employed on UNE’s campus within the University’s administration and catering units, and Challenge provides paper recycling and mail packaging services to the University. UNE and Challenge are working to expand the latter’s paper recycling service to the UNE campus. The University hopes this will help reduce the amount of material ending up in landfill. Mr Mead said he hoped to also discuss upgrading Challenge’s mail packaging service to the University and introduce an archiving and document storage service.

“Our key objective is the integration of people with disabilities into the workforce,” Mr Mead said. “But we plan to do this in a way that will also provide employment opportunities for able-bodied people.”

The MOU also lights the way to possible academic collaboration between Challenge and the University, with Challenge offering to provide hands-on experience for UNE students in disciplines such as psychology, education, nursing and community health, and scope for collaborative research projects. “We’re currently looking at a joint project on the ageing of carers of disabled people,” Mr Mead said.


For more information phone Jim Pocoe, UNE Community Liaison Officer or
Lydia Roberts on 6773 2779

The photograph displayed here shows Mr Kevin Mead and Professor Ingrid Moses at the time of signing the MOU. Standing behind them is Challenge Armidale's Business Development Officer, Mr Michael Walsh. Please contact Lydia Roberts on (02) 6773 2779 for copies of this photograph.

Posted by Lydia Roberts at May 2, 2005 10:25 AM