Dr Georgia Van Toorn

Co-Designing Disability-Inclusive Disaster Response in the Philippines (Lead)

Funding bodies: Australian Human Rights Institute, UNSW; Disability Innovation Institute, UNSW

May - November 2024

Amount allocated: $20,000

This research project focuses on enhancing disaster response inclusivity for people with disabilities in the Dinagat Islands, Philippines, a region vulnerable to climate disasters. Using a care-based methodology and collaborating with local Filipino disabled people's organisations, it aims to co-design accessible evacuation infrastructures and identify barriers faced by local governments in implementing disability-inclusive policies. The project seeks to empower disabled people and communities by integrating their insights into practical solutions for disaster preparedness and response.

Data Justice Lab Fellowship

Cardiff University, United Kingdom

June - August 2023

Amount allocated: £3000

This project is focused on the public sector's use of automated decision making systems and how these can be influenced, resisted, and reoriented to promote disability justice. The project involves a participatory research workshop that explores how people with disability and their representative organisations understand the potential benefits and risks associated with public sector ADM, and aims to map out new research agendas that draw on and advance civil society responses to its social impacts.

NDIS Workforce Research (CI)

Funding bodies: Health Services Union, Australian Services Union (ASU) and United Workers Union (UWU)

February 2020 – May 2020

Amount allocated: $33,000

This project explores the status of the workforce delivering disability services in the context of the NDIS in early 2020. In partnership with the three unions, the research team will develop a survey and capture information from disability workers about their characteristics, the nature of their work and job quality, their experiences and perceptions of delivering services and supports to people with disability, health and safety, and other workforce issues. The findings will provide a current profile of the disability workforce to provide a basis for evidence-informed policy development and advocacy and inform public debate and directions for further research.