One of the areas I am excited about is Scope’s Communication and Inclusion Resource Centre (CIRC). Being a former member of Victoria Police, and now working in the family violence sector, I am always keen to ensure that people with disabilities are able to access justice.

For many years, I, and others, have been asking, “How do you report a crime if you are unable to speak, or if others are unable to listen?”

As a Non-Executive Director, and as a woman with a disability, it has given me much satisfaction and pleasure to watch officers at Box Hill Police Station be trained by Scope to communicate effectively with people with communication difficulties, and the recent award of the Scope Communication Access Symbol to Box Hill Station’s Watch House – the first in Australia to receive the nationally recognised merit.

The Communication Access Symbol was awarded following the completion of a two-year program funded by the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and we look forward to potential state-wide roll-out of the training program and research study findings, and more symbols awarded.

Speaking recently to a specialist family violence police officer based in Box Hill, Victoria, I was informed that there is an increased sense of pride in the wearing of the Communication Access Symbol badge, and in fact, increased determination to earn the right to wear it.

By wearing the badge, other members of Victoria Police are asking what it is, and asking how they can get one? Well, not without doing the work. It has to be earned.

As the first Disability Liaison Officer at Victoria Police in the 1990s, you can only imagine how proud I feel to be associated with two organisations who are working to ensure that all Victorians are able to access their human rights and be empowered through the process.

Tricia Malowney
Director

Image: Past Scope Director Karen Cleave, Scope staff member and customer Irene Kwong, and Scope Director Tricia Malowney at the 2019 Scope AGM.