Zero Project – Voices of Children with Disability

Voices of Pacific children with disability project receives award for innovative practice at Zero Project Conference 2016

A group photo of the 98 recipients of 2016 Zero Awards for innovative practices and policies in inclusive education and ICT, taken at the UN Office in Vienna, Austria — The 98 award recipients at the Zero Project Conference in Vienna, Austria ©Pepo Schuster, austrofocus.at

Last week, we were honoured to receive one of 98 awards from over 40 countries recognising innovative practices and policies in inclusive education and ICT at the 2016 Zero Project Conference at the UN Office in Vienna, Austria. Elena Jenkin accepted the award on behalf of Deakin University from Martin Essl, founder of the Essl Foundation and Jakob Von Uexkull, founder of the World Future Council.

Elena Jenkin from Deakin University holds up the Zero award. On her right side is Martin Essl, founder of the Essl Foundation and on her left is Jakob Von Uexkull, founder of the World Future Council — Deakin University’s Elena Jenkin accepts a Zero Award for Innovative Practices in inclusive education and ICT at the 2016 Zero Project Conference in Vienna Austria from Mr Martin Essl (left) and Mr Jakob Von Uexkull (right)

We are so pleased to have our project included among such inspiring company and to share it with an international audience. More information about our presentation at the Zero Project Conference 2016 can be found here.

The voices of children with disabilities are largely missing in the development agenda, which means that their needs and priorities are not adequately addressed in service delivery and policy design.

Associate Professor Erin Wilson, Deakin University (Zero Project Conference submission, 2016)

Voices of Pacific Children with Disabilities to feature at Zero Project Conference 2016 in Vienna

We are delighted to announce that the Voices of Pacific Children with Disabilities project has been selected as one of 100 Innovative Policies and Innovative Practices concerning Inclusive Education and/or ICTs from around the world to feature at the fifth Zero Project Conference to be held in Vienna, Austria.

The Zero Project Conference on Inclusive Education and ICT is convened by the Essl Foundation, the World Future Council and the European Foundation Centre, and will feature presentations, workshops and panels around the theme of Innovative Policies and Practices for Persons with Disabilities in the areas of inclusive education and ICT.

Voices of Pacific Children with Disabilities project short-listed for Zero Project 2016

The Zero Project, an initiative of the Essl Foundation,
focuses on the rights of people with disability, and provides a platform to share the most innovative solutions to issues facing people with disability globally. The Zero Project’s objective is to work towards a world with zero barriers.

Each year, the annual Zero Project Report presents the most innovative policies and practices, focusing on a theme from the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In 2016, the theme is Inclusive Education and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

The Voices of Pacific Children with Disabilities project is pleased to be named in the shortlist for final selection for the “Innovative Practices of the Zero Project 2016 on education and ICT”. If successful, our work will be included in the Zero Project Report and presented at the Zero Project Conference in Vienna in February 2016.