Supporting the Disability Sector Together - ahead of Sydney's biggest disability & NDIS related event!

Sydney’s International Convention Centre Sydney - ICC Sydney leading the way for inclusive events ahead of Australia’s biggest Disability and NDIS Expo ever seen June 16-17.

When Australia’s leading event space teams up with people living with disability and the community to ensure accessible events and venues are a priority we see great things happen in this country. 

The ICC Sydney’s new Accessible and Inclusive Events Guide has launched this month and I had the honour of being involved in the review and announcement of this great step forward for accessible events in Australia. 

You can find the announcement and press release here for more detail about this fantastic initiative coinciding with Australia’s largest Disability Connection Expo June 16-and 17 2023 at the ICC Sydney https://www.iccsydney.com.au/media/news/articles/events-for-everyone-icc-sydney-powers-inclusivity

As a proud person living with disability, an advocate involved with many initiatives around the country, I am excited to see the leading event space for Australia get real and show how things can be done. So much talk occurs about accessibility and its importance. It is not just ramps and door frames. When a venue puts out their plan to make their spaces accessible it shows authentic commitment to making this happen. It shows they are willing to say – look at what we are doing and let's get it right! 

As one of the co-founder’s of the Disability Connection Expo which kicks off at ICC Sydney June 16 and 17, I  met up with the CEO of ICC Sydney, Mr Geoff Donaghy and discussed this latest initiative and how beneficial this will be to the 4.4 million Australians living with a disability. I am excited because this sort of thing  isn’t just for people accessing one venue but leading the way showing other events spaces how things can be done. 

CEO of ICC Sydney and Group Director – Convention Centres, ASM Global (APAC), Geoff Donaghy said the venue’s passionate team, new toolkit for clients and accessible environment supports an inclusive experience for all visitors to the Sydney Disability Connection Expo and beyond.

“At ICC Sydney, our ambition to be More Than A Venue carries through to our diversity, accessibility and inclusion approach. Every visitor has the right to feel respected and valued, and we recognise the powerful role our customer service plays in this.

“Our aspiration to create the most accessible and inclusive environment for events means that every visitor feels welcome and can participate — and our new Accessible and Inclusive Events Guide, corporate culture and state of the art amenities support organisers of events such as the Sydney Disability Connection Expo to deliver this,” Mr Donaghy said.

This week we heard Mr Bill Shorten and Kurt Fearnley talk about change throughout Australia, not just on the shoulders of NDIS and Federal Governments, but at state and local levels for the 4.4 Million Australia’s living with disability. With the majority of people living with disability not requiring access to the NDIS National Disability Insurance Scheme it shows how much must be done outside of NDIS and in all services, tiers of Government and organisations.

From an inventory of physical accessibility features at the venue, to advice on creating a welcoming experience for people of all abilities, the guide delivers on ICC Sydney’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and exemplifies its broader mission to provide accessible, equitable and inclusive events, delivered by its diverse and experienced workforce.

See you at ICC Sydney soon June 16-17 for Australia biggest Disability and NDIS related Connection Expo ever.

https://www.developingauscommunities.com.au/sydney-expo-2023