Esther Harris

Esther Harris has been a disability advocate for more than 20 years, beginning with her work with the State School Parent Organisation, now known as Parents Victoria. It was from there that her passionate interest and commitment to the rights of  all children in education grew. She now leads STAR Victoria, an independent community organisation  which  advocates with and for people with intellectual disability and their families across all areas of life. Much of its work relates to education, in particular advocating for and supporting the inclusion of students with a disability in mainstream schools across government, Catholic and independent systems. The approach recognises that education is a critical pathway to lifelong social, economic and community inclusion and that schools play a fundamental role in helping to realise student aspirations and  their life goals. Esther is also currently a board member of Disability Advocacy Victoria , the peak body for  independent disability advocacy  in Victoria.

Session

Rights Retrospective

Time: 3:30am - 5:30am

Location: The Hall

Facilitated by: Sarah Barton, Film Producer

This special multi-media event marks the 30th anniversary of funded disability advocacy in Victoria. We will be reminded of the campaigns and personalities that have been telling the story of disability advocacy, how integral these were in building a rich history, and how this strong foundation is what we build on to create a future where rights are respected for all.