Centre of Excellence in Disability Inclusion

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Centre of Excellence in Disability Inclusion

The Gordon’s Centre of Excellence in Disability Inclusion will partner with community and industry to deliver inclusive education through innovation, policy advancement, knowledge sharing and capability building, ensuring that TAFE is accessible and enriching to all.

Backed by a $36 million investment from the Victorian Government, the Centre will drive improved access, inclusion, and employment outcomes for students with disability across Victoria’s TAFE network.

With more than 180 stakeholders including students, families, disability advocates, educators, employers and government partners, we are shaping the shared vision for a more inclusive TAFE system. Participants described the work as “trailblazing,” highlighting its potential to influence policy, design, and practice across the state.

With a strong emphasis on co-creation, the Centre will advocate for universally accessible learning environments, empower students with disability to achieve their goals, and promote systemic change through collaboration, innovation and knowledge sharing. 

Central to the Centre’s design is its Co-Creation Team—current and past students with disability who bring their lived experience and expertise to the development of the Centre’s vision, operating model and infrastructure. These voices are guiding every step of the journey.

Why do we need one? 

Victorians with disabilities have the right to education and work1 but discrimination in attitudes, systems and environments create barriers to study and work2.  

Key facts

  • 17% of Victorians live with a disability3  
  • Only 38% of VIC TAFE students with disabilities complete TAFE compared to 47% without disability4  
  • TAFE graduates with disability5 are less likely to be employed after training (62%) than those without disability (81%). 
  • 12.2% unemployment rate for Victorians with disability, compared to 4.5% for other Victorians6  

Our Vision

The Gordon’s Centre of Excellence in Disability Inclusion exemplifies our commitment to addressing systemic barriers faced by Victorians with disability in education and employment.

Meet our Co-Creation Team

Our co-creation team will guide and drive the co-creation process of the Centre of Excellence in Disability Inclusion, for the Vision, Operating Model and Infrastructure building design.

Our Disability Advisory Committee

The Disability Advisory Committee provides important strategic advice, and guidance for the project overall and subject matter expertise in disability.

Join our workshops

A total of 65 people participated in the co-creation process, many of whom were involved in all three rounds.

The opportunity for this to be trailblazing around general accessibility and inclusion, and deepening that understanding.
– Workshop participant

Footnotes:

  1. UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities ratified by Australia in 2008 Right to Education (Article 24) Right to Employment (Article 27)
  2. Victorian Inquiry into Learners with Disability (2022) and the Australian Disability Royal Commission Final Report (2023)
  3. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings 2018.
  4. National Centre for Vocational Education Research - NCVER 
  5. Data from the 2023 VET Student Outcomes collection NCVER 2023
  6. Data from https://www.vic.gov.au/victorian-skills-plan-2023-2024/improving-opportunities-victorians-disability