The Dylan Alcott Foundation continues to change the lives of young people with disability

Key points:

• Two university students with disability have each received $10,000 dollar Dylan Alcott Foundation scholarships to continue their studies at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
• Five million Australians aged 20 years and over have a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 614,000 Australians with disability as per the latest data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
• Dylan Alcott, the founder of the Dylan Alcott Foundation wants to ensure ‘young people with disability have the support and opportunities to succeed and fully engage in university life’

Many prospective students across Australia have recently received offers for university placements, but some students with disability may experience additional barriers in accessing tertiary education.

Two students from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Jamie Pozdeeva and Amy Roland, have both received $10,000 dollar scholarships from a partnership between RMIT and the Dylan Alcott Foundation. 

The Dylan Alcott Foundation gives ‘young Australians living with disability the opportunity to succeed and write their own life story’ through initiatives such as scholarships, Sport 4 All and The Field for inclusive jobs. 

The Field is an online job search platform for prospective employees with disability to find inclusive workplaces and roles. 

Five million Australians aged 20 years and over have a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 614,000 Australians with disability as per the latest data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 

One of the recent recipients of the scholarship is RMIT student Amy Roland who is studying Laboratory Medicine Honours and lives with hearing impairment.

Ms Roland expressed gratitude to the Dylan Alcott Foundation for making it easier for her to access university with reduced financial pressures.

“Without the scholarship, I would be struggling to make ends meet and possibly unable to complete my studies. It will help cover some expenses so I can focus more on my studies,” she said.

“I’m extremely grateful to receive the scholarship. I eventually want to be a medical scientist in clinical biochemistry, to support the well-being of my community.”

Ms Roland commented on the impact of her hearing impairment on her studies and daily life and how she’s found a positive outcome related to her disability.

“I don’t really see my disability as a barrier — it’s heightened my other senses, which greatly benefits me in my scientific pursuits as attention to detail is crucial,” she said.

Many universities also offer study adjustments to help people with disability complete their studies. Medical conditions, poor mental health, learning difficulties or other disability may impact a student’s ability to study, so these can be discussed in a meeting with a university disability advisor to find a solution.

While the process may differ between universities and organisations, the general process is as follows:

• contact a disability advisor at your university’s disability services; 
• book an appointment with an advisor;
• attend the session to discuss the course requirements and how the university can accommodate your specific needs; and
• access the adjustments as required and within reason.

Different adjustments, which may be referred to as ‘access plans,’ may include:

• extensions for assignments;
• alternative exam formats;
• reduced course load e.g. completing a course part-time; and
• attendance flexibility.

In an interview with the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Dylan Alcott emphasised the value of making tertiary education more accessible for people with disability.

“The university experience offers so much more than just study and qualifications — it’s about being part of a community, meeting new people, sharing ideas and testing your thoughts in a broader context,” he said.

“We’re pumped to be partnering with RMIT, united in our commitment to inclusivity, access and empowerment, ensuring that young people with disability have the support and opportunities to succeed and fully engage in university life.”

Mr Alcott is the founder of the Dylan Alcott Foundation, a Paralympian, a disability advocate and was Australian of the Year 2022.

However, Mr Alcott’s passion for including people with disability extends further than making universities more accessible, as he has also previously spoken at the Jobs and Skills Summit.

Mr Alcott pushed for more disability inclusion and highlighted the numerous benefits of hiring people with disability. 

“[People with disability] want a career. They want a leadership position,” he said.

“I don’t want to scare you, but we want your seats as well. I think we deserve the opportunity to be able to thrive [in] that [position] and make our economy better as a result of that.

“[…] It’s not just about getting us in the front door. It’s about creating a safe workplace once we’re there. Safe from discrimination, safe from unconscious bias, safe from abuse [and] from neglect.

“We all need to work together to ensure that our workplaces are safe for people with disability and one of the best ways to do that is to listen to the lived experience of people with a disability [sic].”

Researchers at Curtin University have recently identified that ‘increasing the number of people with disability who are employed by 10 percent would raise national economic output by $16 billion dollars per year.

What are other ways you think that universities could be made more accessible for people with disability?

Let the team at Talking Disability know on social media. 

For more information related to disability news, subscribe to the FREE weekly newsletter. 

Relevant content:

Wicked’s Marissa Bode says aggressive comments about disability are ‘harmful’

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten says NDIS-funded art therapy available in ‘specific circumstances’

International Day of People with Disability highlights the importance of leadership