Businesses, organisations and individuals will be able to better engage with Queenslanders with disability thanks to a new initiative of the Queenslanders with Disability Network.
QDeNgage will provide consultancy, engagement, training and speakers for Queensland businesses and organisations.
Minister for Disability Services Coralee O'Rourke today (28 May) launched the new initiative alongside QDN CEO Paige Armstrong.
"Thanks to QDeNgage, Queensland businesses and organisations will be able to improve their engagement with people with disability," Mrs O'Rourke said.
"This new initiative will help businesses and organisations undertake disability inclusion health checks, conduct disability inclusion training for staff, and host customer and consumer engagement sessions with people with disability.
"Through QDeNgage engagement consultants will work with business, services, researchers and Government to plan, design, deliver and evaluate services, products, environments and policies to deliver on quality, accessibility, affordability, inclusion and innovation.
"The aim of this work is to make businesses, products and services more inclusive and accessible for Queenslanders with disability."
QDN CEO Paige Armstrong said QDeNgage consultants had a diverse range of skills, knowledge and abilities.
"Consultants can assist organisations to design, deliver and evaluate their services, products, and policies to include the perspective of people with a disability," she said.
"A lot of organisations are seeing the real value in engaging a QDeNgage Consultant and we are looking forward to working with businesses, organisations and Government agencies who want to give themselves this market edge."
QDN chairperson Nigel Webb said by involving people with disability from the beginning, businesses and organisations could design products and services the meet the needs of customers.
"QDeNgage can help you connect with 20% of the population who identify as people with a disability and grow your market share and deliver inclusive services and products," he said.
"One in five Queenslanders identify as having a disability and want to be customers and consumers of all that business, industry and the community has to offer."
Mrs O'Rourke said supporting initiatives like QDeNgage was an example of the Palaszczuk Government's commitment to creating thriving communities.
"We want to create thriving communities where Queenslanders, regardless of their ability, can be included and participate in their communities, be resilient and enjoy social and economic wellbeing," she said.
