Goulburn-Murray Water’s (GMW) Donald Hughan is among 4.5 per cent of employees across the Victorian water industry who identify as having a disability.
And Donald wants that figure to increase.
The 34-year-old Rochester man has worked his way up the GMW ladder to become the newly appointed Corporate Risk Coordinator.
A career he would have thought impossible when he started as a trainee 16 years ago.
“I have been working in the Executive Business Support team for almost two years and my manager at the time told me I should put my hand up and give it a go and I felt within myself I was ready to step up,” he said.
“I’m excited about the role which is all about co-ordinating our strategic and operational risks to the business and looking at our incident management framework and making sure it aligns and is documented. Another element to this role is insurance and ensuring our policies are renewed and up to date across the whole business, so it’s a pretty big job.
“I think for an organisation, GMW is showing it’s an employer of choice when it comes to supporting people with a disability and wanting to see their staff progress through the business.”
Donald was born with spina bifida, which has caused him to be wheelchair bound as he is paralysed from the waist down.
Since last year, he has been playing a huge part in the development of a four-year action plan that GMW’s All Abilities Network (an employee-led disability inclusion group) is leading.
“We have been creating awareness across the organisation about what disability is,” he said.
“Then we need to create a safe culture so people feel comfortable so they can identify as having a disability.
“Mine is easy because it’s visible but it can be hard for some people to identify as having a disability especially if it’s invisible, like dyslexia and autism because they might think they’re going to be looked at differently.
“The All Abilities Network is helping us internally to change that perception. Just because someone has a disability doesn’t mean they can’t do anything.”
The action plan also proposes a review of GMW infrastructure accessibility for staff, customers and users of recreation facilities.
A number of GMW’s water storages are already equipped with all-ability amenity blocks and barbecues.
When it comes to accessibility, Donald said GMW had come a long way since he started almost two decades ago.
“I started in the Rochester office and they had to install a wheelchair ramp, so I got to go through that process with GMW and they asked me what I needed,” he said.
“Over the years I continue to have that engagement with them, like asking me for advice when they’re doing renovations and the like.
“The culture here has really changed over the years and we are hearing ‘you can do it, you will do it and you’ll be supported’.”
Donald’s advice to people with a disability was to embrace every opportunity, step out of your comfort zone and take on the challenge.
“And if it doesn’t work out, don’t be disheartened. Learn from it and keep improving,” he said.
“I never would have imagined I would be appointed to a leadership role and that has come about because of the support GMW has given me and each and every employee in the organisation.
“The opportunities out there for people with a disability are endless, you just need to make a start.”
As chair for WaterAble - a network for people with disability and their allies in the Victorian water industry - Donald will also be facilitating a number of events over the next 12 months.
“We are making an influence across the water sector and continuing to engage with water industry leaders and organisations to help raise awareness and increase focus on disability inclusion in the industry,” he said.
More information about WaterAble can be found at www.waterable.com.au
You can listen to Donald on the newest episode of Talking Water with GMW podcast by visiting the GMW website, Pod Bean, Apple Podcasts, or Google Podcasts