Disability Employee Networks (DENs) and other resource groups are active and open to people working in the public sector who have a disability or who want to be a champion for disability awareness and support.
DENs are a place where employees can feel safe to disclose their disability, share knowledge, raise awareness and champion inclusive change.
The different DENs across NSW Government also come together monthly for the DENconnect forum. DENconnect is open to anyone in the public sector and aims to provide a safe, open space to share updates on disability focused activities, networks and initiative’s being developed at an agency level. By connecting employees with disability to each other, a collective shift can be made towards a greater culture of inclusion across the public sector.
Disability Employment Network contacts in the public sector:
| Cluster/Agency | Contact | Contact Email |
|---|---|---|
| Communities and Justice | Rita Cottrell | |
| Customer Service | Co-chairs: Kath Tidd | abilityDCS@customerservice.nsw.gov.au |
| Education | Rizwana Khan Josh Cauchi | den@det.nsw.edu.au |
| Education - TAFE | Jodie Hoger Steve Lyons | enquiries.tafeability@tafensw.edu.au |
| Enterprise, Investment and Trade | Belonging and Inclusion team | |
| Health | Kieren Purnell (all other Health DEN enquiries) | |
| Legal Aid NSW | Rania Saab | |
| Planning and Environment | Co-chairs: Amanda Barber Glenn Cairns | Den@dpie.nsw.gov.au |
| Police | Inclusion & Diversity team | |
| Premier and Cabinet | Elizabeth Zammit | dain@dpc.nsw.gov.au |
| Regional NSW | Naomi Rogers | naomi.rogers@regional.nsw.gov.au |
| Regional NSW | Alex McLerie | alex.mclerie@regional.nsw.gov.au |
| State Library | Olwen Pryke | olwen.pryke@sl.nsw.gov.au |
| Transport and Infrastructure | Mandi Barnao | amanda.barnao@transport.nsw.gov.au |
| Art Gallery of NSW | Claire Eggleston and Joanna Fleming | DEN@ag.nsw.gov.au |
If you do not see your agency or cluster represented in the list above, please contact your HR team to see what is available. To update DEN contact or details please contact us.
DENconnect
Join the monthly DENConnect meetings for cross sector updates on disability employment activity.
DENconnect is proud to be building an inclusive culture where people with disability, their colleagues and allies, support each other to build strong successful careers and showcase how diversity connects us to the communities we serve. It is a safe, open and accessible community to meet, share stories and celebrate different abilities.
Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of every month online. Auslan interpreters are provided at all meetings.
Register your details to receive meetings links and agendas.
Engaging a Disability Employee Network
If you wish to consult with or engage members of a disability employee network, you need to ensure you are designing with people, not for them. It is important to seek feedback from people with different backgrounds, knowledge and abilities.
When you engage with Disability Employee Networks:
- Know the networks are different sizes and have different roles in agencies. It’s best to check with DEN chairs first
- Be flexible. Give plenty of time. Have lots of different ways for people to contribute, based on what suits them best. Be comfortable making adjustments as you go.
Be accessible. Use the accessibility checker and write in plain English (this is better for everyone). For more tips, go to the Accessibility NSW Toolkit.
If you are consulting with a Disability Employee Network, follow these key principles:
- Be transparent with what you are doing, why and when. Share power and decision making.
- Understand and acknowledge the history of previous actions/decisions
- Elevate lived experience, people with lived experience are at the centre.
- Value everyone’s experiences, everyone has something to teach and learn, everyone is curious.
- Create a safe, inclusive and accessible space.
- Test your ideas with diverse users.