Melbourne Polytechnic

A fine place to teach.

Loved the teachers, they where very understanding of my medical needs and disability accommodations. The building is fairly accessible but the front double doors are very heavy and hard to open, even when I had more arm mobility I struggled, the cafeteria is up a steep ramp, the carpeting makes it hard to self propel in a wheelchair, the toilet doors where heavy, the garden out the back had many steps to get to the courtyard and you have to go around to the elevator to get there in/with a mobility aid, the desks where often the wrong height for wheelchair users, the DVLC kitchen area was cramped and hard to turn in or access the hot water without standing up, the fridges also opened in a way that trapped me in, especially if there where other people there, there was no peanut restrictions so cross contamination may happen, the only disabled parking spaces where a loading bay which was technically not supposed to be used as that, a disabled parking space near the gated entrance which had dangerous and winding pathing that was impossible to self propel up, or a disabled parking space at an entrance that was locked via key card, no deodorant/perfume restrictions which caused asthma in myself often, the gated entrance was also up a sloped road which may be hard to navigate for the disabled and mobility aid users. Though the disabled toilet was a good size with a roll under sink and full body mirror, outward swinging doors, not big enough to change an adult in though. There was also quiet areas and couches/seats to sit an rest on an a counselor that was there most days. The staff also generally where accepting of my preferred name and pronouns.

i am never one to complain about service because normally this place is a very good and a safe environment to be in however, i was once in need for help and i was greeted by a white lady with a dark shortish (bob) hair, she is a teacher i think and i felt disrespected with the way she was communicating with me she wasn’t understanding of my feelings nor body language whenever i would discuss something she would almost rush to speak over me and i just overall wasn’t happy with the way she went about it, it felt as if she was more arguing with me then she was helping, i felt uncomfortable and overwhelmed