The 71st Annual General Meeting was held online on Wednesday 27 October, 2021. This was the second year in which the pandemic had impacted our ability to hold the event on site at The Metropolitan Golf Club. While disappointing not to see people in person, the online meeting seemed fitting given much of the 2020/2021 financial year was impacted by lockdowns and restrictions.
The theme of this AGM was Connection – a fitting tribute to the relationships, bonds and engagement with the community formed by OC Connections participants and families, board members, staff, volunteers, partners and members of the community throughout the year.
We thank disability and human rights activitist, Tricia Malowney OAM, for being the guest speaker. Tricia is a disability rights and inclusion advocate working in the health, justice and family violence sectors. Tricia also chairs the OC Connections’ Participant Reference Group, a forum in which participant representatives can discuss important issues, concerns and insights that inform OCC services, programs and policies.
Tricia discussed the importance of connection for people with disability, especially in times such as this and how the disability sector is one sector that has successfully worked together to ensure that people living with disability are supported, heard and feel safe in a time of disruption and uncertainty.
“The disability community said ‘What can we do to support each other?’ because it’s not about an individual organisation. Its about what’s best for people with disabilities, generally, ” said Tricia.
Tricia also commended OCC for bringing in Vaccine Champions to have open conversations with participants to help people to make the decisions that they need, rather than telling people what they have to do around COVID-19 vaccinations.
In celebration of the connections made during the pandemic, a video was presented to guests, which recognised and embraced the resilience, commitment and focus on participant safey over. You can watch the OCC AGM Video here.
The theme of Connection was also reflected in the 2020/2021 OC Connections Annual Report, which was presented to the Board and Members at the AGM.
