Access Arts Inc. defines a Member as any person who has filled out a membership form to join the organisation.

Staff are defined as persons engaged in Office, workshop/project or program, Volunteer or Student placement work at Access Arts Inc.

Definition:

Access Arts defines referral as the process of assisting a person(s), to whom we are unable to offer a service, to link in with organisations that may be able to address their needs.

Purpose:

To ensure that all Staff provide people who are unable to have their artistic needs met by Access Arts Inc. with suitable contacts for other services or organisations.

Policy:

• If Access Arts Inc. can not offer a service to a person experiencing disability or disadvantage, Access Arts will always endeavour to give them an appropriate referral to suitable services and/or organisations appropriate to their location, artistic interests and abilities.

• Staff are to encourage people who are enquiring about arts activities and events in their local community to become Members so that they can be kept informed through our newsletter and mail outs.

• As part of our service to Members, Access Arts newsletters provide referrals to other arts and cultural activities both within and outside Access Arts in our 'What's On' section. Front Desk Staff also ensure that there is a wide selection of information on disability, arts and cultural organisations, projects, workshops and events available to Members at the Front Desk Display.

• Office Staff are available to contact alternative service options for people if Access Arts is not able to provide them with a suitable service.

• Staff must regularly attend forums, conferences and other networking opportunities in order to keep abreast of other services in both the arts and disability sectors.

• If a person making an enquiry chooses not to become a Member, but would still like to be made aware of upcoming events, projects and workshops Staff are to direct them to the Access Arts website (www.accessarts.org.au).

• If a person making an enquiry chooses not to become a Member but has a specific area of interest in the arts they should be referred to the Staff member who looks after that area who will then keep them informed of future events, projects and workshops that may interest them.

Referral Procedure

The Staff Member who answers the enquiry should:

• Ask questions about the person’s interests or needs, in order to establish whether Access Arts is able to assist them.

• Inform the person that Access Arts is unable to assist them at this time if we can not provide the program(s) or service(s) the person requires.

• Give the person referrals to other organisations or link them in with a Staff Member who might have the contacts to appropriate services/ organisations or

• Connect them with the Access Arts Assistant Director who will then provide them with links to other services/organisations.

• Offer to assist the person in contacting the referral organisations or services.

• Suggest that if they become a Member, Access Arts will provide them with continual information on Access Arts programs and workshops (including the Newsletters, brochures and flyers).

• If a person making an enquiry chooses not to become a Member but has a specific area of interest in the arts the Staff member taking the enquiry must refer them to the Staff member who looks after that area (e.g. Visual Arts Coordinator if interested in the Visual Arts). This Staff member is then to record their contact details and follow up with them should a project, workshop or event arises that falls within that person's area of interest.