TAFE SA Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2025-2029

The TAFE SA Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP) 2025–2029 has been developed in consultation with staff, students and the broader community.

The insights, ideas and feedback shared - particularly from people with lived experience of disability - have helped shape our plan where stakeholder voices are valued, heard and embedded in our work, to guide and drive meaningful actions to improve access and inclusion across TAFE SA.

Background

The TAFE SA Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP) 2025–2029 aligns with the Disability Inclusion Act 2018 (SA), Inclusive SA: South Australia’s State Disability Inclusion Plan 2025–2029, the National Disability Strategy 2021–2031, and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The DAIP has been developed through a collaborative approach, supported by the TAFE SA DAIP Working Group comprising staff and students with lived experience of disability, alongside representatives from across TAFE SA. Building on the outcomes and insights of previous plans, including the 2020–2024 DAIP, this plan strengthens TAFE SA’s commitment to improving access, participation and inclusion, and aligns with State Government priorities and TAFE SA’s strategic objectives.

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Disability Access and Inclusion Plan actions

Domain 1: Inclusive Environments and Communities - Priority Summary
TAFE SA fosters a welcoming and inclusive community that celebrates diversity, values the contributions of people with disability, and ensures accessible environments and services that support full participation for all. This commitment is strengthened through embedding accessibility, universal design, and inclusive engagement across all physical, digital, and social environments, in active partnership with people with disability.
Priority Area Summaries
- Priority Area 1: Active Participation
  TAFE SA enables people with disability to actively participate in learning, work and community life through accessible, inclusive and flexible events, activities and campuses, supported by inclusive planning, expanded participation options, and responsive communication including Auslan interpreting.
- Priority Area 2: Inclusive Communities and Attitudes
  TAFE SA promotes inclusive attitudes and behaviours by building community awareness of disability, including hidden disabilities, and strengthening staff capability to provide respectful, culturally appropriate and effective support through collaboration, professional development, and targeted initiatives that recognise diverse needs.
- Priority Area 3: Universal Design
  TAFE SA embeds universal design across physical and virtual environments to ensure spaces are accessible, adaptable and usable for everyone, supported by ongoing accessibility improvements, inclusive learning environments, and active involvement of people with lived experience in planning and evaluation.
- Priority Area 4: Accessible Vacilities
  TAFE SA progressively improves the accessibility of core facilities to meet current standards and community needs, with a focus on enhancing accessible entrances and amenities across campuses through informed planning, audits and long-term infrastructure development.
- Priority Area 5: Communications and Information
  TAFE SA ensures people with disability can access information in the formats they need, when they need it, through accessible systems, inclusive communication practices, and the consistent use of accessibility technologies across learning platforms, digital environments, and organisational communications.
- Priority Area 6: Transportation
  TAFE SA supports safe and accessible access to campuses and off campus activities by improving physical access, promoting safety planning, and providing clear information and adjustments that enable equitable participation.
- Priority Area 7: Collaboration, Consultation and Innovation
  TAFE SA actively involves people with disability, including the Disability Employee Network, in shaping their experiences, ensuring lived experience informs policies, services and environments through ongoing consultation and engagement.
- Priority Area 8: Housing
  TAFE SA supports access to appropriate accommodation through clear information and referral pathways, strengthening staff capability to connect students with external services.

Domain 2: Education and Employment - Priority Summary
TAFE SA will remove barriers to learning and employment by strengthening staff capability, improving supports for people living with disability across all ages, enabling smooth transitions through education into employment, fostering inclusive workplaces, and using data to drive continuous improvement.
Priority Area Summaries
- Priority Area 1: Targeted Knowledge, Understanding and Support
  TAFE SA will build staff capability to support student success through targeted disability training, including the Disability Standards for Education and monitoring workforce participation across teaching and learning and management roles.
- Priority Area 2: Supports and Resources for Children and Young People
  TAFE SA will help children and young people with disability feel welcome, supported, and ready to learn from the start, through school visits, campus activities, inclusive teaching, access to support services, and training people to build an inclusive education workforce.
- Priority Area 3: Targeted Transitional Supports
  TAFE SA will support people with disability to move confidently through education and into employment by building strong partnerships, providing tailored transition support, and working with employers and industry to create inclusive pathways to work.
- Priority Area 4: Access to Employment Opportunities
  TAFE SA will increase employment opportunities for people with disability by creating targeted programs, building entry pathways, and providing inclusive onboarding, mentoring, and professional development for staff.
- Priority Area 5: Inclusive Working Environments
  TAFE SA will create inclusive, flexible, and supportive workplaces where people with disability can succeed, by embedding inclusive practices, enabling flexible work, supporting adjustments, and using feedback to improve staff experience.
- Priority Area 6: Data and Reporting
  TAFE SA will strengthen how disability data is collected, used and shared to improve decisions, policies and outcomes for people with disability.

Domain 3: Personal and Community Support - Priority Summary
TAFE SA will provide person-centred support that helps people with disability access coordinated, timely and respectful services, recognising their rights, choices and strengths through inclusive, accessible and collaborative approaches.
Priority Area Summaries
- Priority Area 1: Accessibility
  TAFE SA will improve access to community supports by working closely with disability organisations, government agencies and community partners to connect people with disability—including Aboriginal people with disability, people experiencing vulnerability, and women in regional communities—to services, information and inclusive opportunities.
- Priority Area 2: Advocacy and Supports
  TAFE SA will support people with disability to make informed choices, exercise their rights, and access advocacy through clear information, strong referral pathways, and inclusive support networks.
- Priority Area 3: Information Sharing
  TAFE SA will strengthen coordination and information sharing to ensure people with disability receive timely, consistent and effective support.
- Priority Area 4: Family and Carer Support
  TAFE SA will recognise and support the role of families and carers in enabling the success and wellbeing of people with disability by involving them in support planning when requested by the student with informed consent, and provide flexible, inclusive workplace practices for staff with caring responsibilities.
- Priority Area 5: Programs
  TAFE SA will support government-funded programs and services to be inclusive and enable full participation by people with disability by embedding inclusive practices, supporting reasonable adjustments, and working with funding bodies to co-design programs that reflect the needs and experiences of people with disability.

Domain 4: Health and Wellbeing - Priority Summary
TAFE SA will support the health and wellbeing of people with disability by providing inclusive environments, improving access to responsive and culturally appropriate supports, and strengthen connections to coordinated health and mental health services.
Priority Area Summaries
- Priority Area 1: Inclusive Infrastructure
  TAFE SA will ensure health and wellbeing infrastructure, programs and feedback processes are accessible and inclusive for staff and students with disability by embedding accessibility in design, improving facilities, expanding inclusive programs and information, and providing clear mechanisms to raise and respond to health-related accessibility issues.
- Priority Area 2: Targeted Knowledge, Understanding and Support
  TAFE SA will assist people with disability to access inclusive, flexible and responsive healthcare by providing appropriate supports, recognising the role of carers, and partnering with culturally responsive organisations to ensure equitable access for Aboriginal peoples, culturally diverse communities, women, and people with disability who identify as LGBTIQA+.
- Priority Area 3: Supports and Interventions
  TAFE SA will strengthen coordination between disability, health and mental health supports to ensure people with disability can access timely and appropriate assistance through referral and connection to specialised support services.

Domain 5: Safety, Rights and Justice - Priority Summary
TAFE SA will strengthen safety, rights awareness and safeguarding by using inclusive policies and practices, preparing for emergencies, providing access to supports when engaging with justice systems, consulting with people with disability, and offering clear and easy ways to seek help so people feel safe, heard and supported.
Priority Area Summaries
- Priority Area 1: Targeted Knowledge, Understanding and Support
  TAFE SA will ensure people with disability are understood, supported and have their rights upheld through inclusive, rights based practices, by reviewing and strengthening our policies and procedures, increasing awareness of disability rights and supports, and providing accessible, culturally appropriate resources for people with diverse identities, communication needs and lived experiences.
- Priority Area 2: Responding to Emergencies
  TAFE SA will ensure people with disability are safe during emergencies by planning for their needs, implementing Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) where required, informing and preparing relevant staff, and embedding safeguarding approaches in emergency planning across the organisation.
- Priority Area 3: Support and Navigating the Justice System
  TAFE SA will support people with disability access assistance when engaging with the justice system by enabling appropriate referrals to external services, building staff skills to support people with disability when navigating the justice system, and aligning with relevant priorities of the Autism Action Plan.
- Priority Area 4: Consultation and Collaboration
  TAFE SA will ensure people with disability are involved in shaping policies, programs and services that affect their safety and rights by providing accessible ways to give feedback, supporting regular engagement through the People with Disability staff network, and providing opportunities for both identified and anonymous feedback to inform continuous improvement.
- Priority Area 5: Safeguarding
  TAFE SA will strengthen safeguarding systems so people with disability can access safe, inclusive and responsive supports by building staff capability, and providing multiple clear and accessible ways to address concerns using a variety of formats including online in person and interpreter supported options.

TAFE SA Autism Strategy Action Plan 2025 – 2029

The TAFE SA Autism Strategy Action Plan 2025–2029 has been developed in consultation with staff, students, and the broader community, with a strong emphasis on the voices of autistic people and those with lived experience of autism.

Their insights, ideas and feedback have been central in shaping a plan that centres stakeholder perspectives and guides meaningful action to improve access, inclusion and participation for autistic students and staff across TAFE SA.

Background

The TAFE SA Autism Strategy Action Plan operates in line with the National Autism Strategy 2025 – 2031, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and builds on the SA Autism Strategy 2024 – 2029.

The TAFE SA Autism Strategy Action Plan outlines our commitment to strengthening inclusion and supporting meaningful participation in education and training. It promotes equitable employment opportunities and encourages broader community engagement for Autistic students and staff across TAFE SA.

View Autism Strategy Action Plan View Easy Read Version