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AUGUST 2022 InTouch | 3 NEWS ROUNDUP Formed in 2021, the National Disabled Students’ Association (NDSA) is a non-biased national body that represents disabled learners in Aotearoa and aims to challenge the collective barriers they face within the tertiary education space. The National Disabled Students’ Association Going into tertiary education as a disabled person can be a daunting task. In 2018, when I moved to Wellington to study at Victoria University, I didn’t know anyone else like me that I could talk to. While I had the support of the university’s disability services, I thought that I was the only student facing barrier after barrier around the university. It was only when I got involved in the disabled student group on campus that I learnt that the issues I was facing weren’t unique. From inaccessible lecture theaters and stringent exam requirements to inaccessible housing and inadequate healthcare, the experience of being a disabled student in 2022 is difficult. While COVID-19 made some things better for disabled students – thanks to the proliferation of online lecture recordings – it also made it worse for many others. In 2020, a group of disabled students around the country decided we needed a group to discuss these issues, and advocate for change. So, we created the National Disabled Students’ Association. The National Disabled Students’ Association (NDSA) is a representative body for disabled tertiary students around Aotearoa. Our membership is made up of disabled student groups – like the Victoria University of Wellington Disabled Students’ Association – and disabled student leaders in universities and polytechs. While our members do the hard mahi at their local institutions, we work with Government, peak bodies, politicians, and our other student groups to ensure that there is disabled student voice at a national level. We work closely with our partner associations – Te Mana Ākonga (the national Maori students’ association), Tauira Pasifika (the national Pacific students’ association), and the New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations. While we’ve only been in action for the last two years, we’ve been involved in some awesome work. Highlights include the implementation of the Code for Learner Wellbeing and Safety (which seeks to ensure that all tertiary providers support the health and wellbeing of their students), seeing the growth of disabled student groups and leaders around the country, and creating opportunities for disabled learners to have their voice heard by decision makers. However, we still have a lot more work to do. In partnership with the Green Party and other student associations around the country we launched a People’s Inquiry into Student Wellbeing. The results were stark, especially for disabled students. It found that disabled students were more likely than non-disabled students to spend less time attending class and studying as they would like. It showed that about two-thirds of students regularly do not have enough money to buy food, clothing or get the health care that they need. Students with a disability, and Pasifika and Maori students, were most likely to be in a position where they could not afford food, medical or dental care, unexpected expenses, clothing or shoes, or transport. We have a lot of work to do, but we have a lot of capable and passionate students ready to carry the mantle. It’s time that we raise our voices and make sure that those with the power improve the experiences of disabled learners in education. We’re always keen to hear from disabled students keen to get involved, especially in your tertiary institution. Follow us below on Facebook or reach out for a chat! Alice Mander is the NDSA President and is a member of MDANZ’s Central Region branch. www.facebook.com/NationalDisabled StudentsAccociation