The Scene

Issue 7, 13 April 2006

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Features

Young People … Have Your Say!
Are you a young person aged 18 to 25 who has cerebral palsy? Would you like to share your opinions, your ideas, and your experiences? Or do you know soemone else who might like to share theirs?

A research project is underway which aims to learn about the experiences and goals of emerging adults with cerebral palsy as they make the transition into adulthood, from their own perspective. It is hoped that this knowledge will lead to the development and implementation of appropriate, relevant and effective services and supports in the future; services that meet the needs identified by young people and which help them to achieve their own goals.

Many young people have already taken the opportunity to have their say, and have enjoyed sharing their experience of what it is like to move into adulthood when you have cerebral palsy. They have shared stories about such things as home life, relationships, work or study, leisure and service provision - stories about what life is really like.

This project involves collaboration between The University of Western Sydney (UWS), The Spastic Centre of NSW and The Cerebral Palsy League of Qld. The primary investigator, Nicole Sharp, is a PhD Candidate at UWS, and is also an emerging adult herself.

Nicole is still looking for young people who would like to have their say by participating in interviews and/or complete a package of surveys. Interviews will be confidential and have no set questions; we want you to talk about issues that are important to you. Interviews can be completed in person or by email, depending on what is most convenient for you. The surveys ask about such things as what you think it means to be an adult, your goals for the future, your general health and quality of life.

If you are aged 18 to 25, have cerebral palsy and are interested in participating or would like further information, please contact Nicole Sharp at UWS on 02 4620 3591 or n.sharp@uws.edu.au

School Leavers

School Leaver Expo
Thursday 8 June 2006

Young people with disabilities in Years 10, 11 or 12 can take the opportunity to find out about the services available to them after they leave school at the School Leaver’s Expo to be held in Glebe. Service providers for Transition To Work, Community Participation (formerly known as ATLAS), Disability Employment Agencies (open employment and supported employment) and TAFE Teacher Consultants will be available at Sydney Secondary College, Blackwattle Bay Campus School Hall, Taylor Street, Glebe (park in teachers’ car park opposite the school in Taylor St) on Thursday 8 June from 2pm until 6pm. There is no cost and the venue is wheelchair accessible.

Service Providers from Sydney’s eastern suburbs, city, inner west and surrounding areas will be attending this Expo. It will give young people, parents, carers and teachers the opportunity to learn about possible available options, post school. For Further information contact Sydney Region Support Teachers Transition Jennifer Dash on 02 9555 4152 or Sue Tomasetti on 02 9300 9579.

Sports & Fun

CPSRA Trivia Night
The Cerebral Palsy Sporting and Recreation Association (CPSRA) NSW Inc is holding a trivia night on 27 May 2006 from 6.30pm at the Jasper Road Public School at Baulkham Hills. Money raised will go to help the association run social activities for all members as well as help their champion athletes get to major competitions. The cost is $10 per person with maximum eight people per table. Lots of prizes to be won. BYO drinks and nibbles.

Please support this great organisation. For further information contact Steve Paris on 02 9671 5813.

Achilles Running Club
Achilles is a non-competitive and social running/walking club, which encourages people with physical disabilities to run, walk or wheel. The club meets in Sydney every Sunday at 8.10am at the front steps of the Art Gallery of NSW (opposite the Domain). Runners and walkers can choose their own route through the Royal Botanic Gardens, around Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, the Opera House or the Domain.

For more information visit the Achilles website or email them at achilles_syd@hotmail.com

[ Source: Cerebral Palsy Sporting and Recreation Association NSW Newsletter]

Websites and Podcasts

Ouch!
Ouch is a fringe lifestyle website from the BBC, which aims to reflect the lives of people with disabilities. They describe the site as covering the "personal stuff, minutiae of everyday life and that fantastic dark sense of humour and inevitable cynicism that we disabled people tend to have ... we don't shy away from subjects that other people might be a bit wary of". The Ouch Podcast is a monthly disability talk show hosted by actor Mat Fraser and comedian Liz Carr, both of whom have a disability. You can listen to the podcast on your computer or download onto your iPod or MP3 player.

Please note that it's not everyone's cup of tea (undergraduate humour) and some people may find it offensive, but we are drawing it to your attention in the interests of freedom of information!

You will get an idea of the content from the Podcast page at www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/podcast/

Money

Finance Question and Answer
Questions and answers from a great online forum hosted by financial guru and TV's Sunrise host, David Koch are now available on the Working Carers Support Gateway website. Topics included trusts funds, superannuation and looking after other people’s finances.

Centrelink's Welfare to Work Changes
From 1 July 2006, the Federal government's extensive Welfare to Work changes will take effect, with changes to income support payments for many Centrelink customers, including those on the Disability Support Pension.

To inform customers of the changes, Centrelink will be conducting an extensive mail out campaign to Disability Support Pension customers, who will receive information pertinent to their situation between 27 March and 21 April 2006. As well as the mail out, information on the changes is available on the Centrelink website.

[Source: Disability News Infoxchange Australia]

Equipment

Equipment Questions and Answers
'Need a Lift' was the online forum on the Working Carers Support Network website held in March 2006. Sue Slattery, Occupational Therapist with the NSW Independent Living Centre (ILC), answered questions about equipment and aids including wheelchairs, bed equipment, lifting and transferring equipment, solutions for vision impairment, shopping trolleys, gardening equipment, transfer aids etc.

Find the Q&A on the Working Carers Support Gateway website.

ILC NSW has an excellent website with an extensive product database at www.ngo.net.au/ilcnsw/

True Blue Mobility Shop Dee Why
True Blue Mobility stocks mobility and bathroom products for anyone with a temporary or permanent disability. It sells mobility scooters, power chairs, wheelchairs, tilt chairs, utility chairs, walking frames, walking sticks, crutches, bathroom, toilet products and commodes. The staff will also make home visits.

True Blue Mobility is at 838 Pittwater Rd, Dee Why with street parking and a public bus stop at the door. Hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 5.30pm, Saturday 9am to 4pm and Sunday 10am to 2pm.

For further information phone Dave Blue on 02 9972 0011or 0418 230 492, fax 02 9971 3148 or email daveblue@bigpond.com.au.

[Source: Warringah Disability Information Service]

Social

Social Club for Young Adults with Asperger's
Autism Spectrum Australia (ASPECT) has set up a club for adults aged 18 years and over with Asperger’s or similar communication difficulties. Organised activities and events include guest speakers, movies, ten-pin bowling, games nights and BBQs. There is time to chat, share experiences with other people who are keen to make new friends. A facilitator attends to assist and organise what people want to do. Participants are asked to bring ID with their address on it.

The group meets fortnightly on Mondays from 7 to 9pm. Venues change frequently and cost depends on the event, from $2 BBQ to $7 pizza, $15 ten-pin bowling to $25 AFL.

For further information contact Ben Black, Club mentor, on 0413 990 904 or check the ASPECT website for the January to June calendar.

[Source: Warringah Disability Information Service]

Arts

NSW Cultural Action Plan Submissions
Accessible Arts is undertaking a consultation process with the arts and disability sectors to develop a NSW Cultural Action Plan for People with a Disability. The aim is to review and develop arts and cultural opportunities for people with a disability. Individuals and organisations are invited to provide written submissions (no longer than two pages) that comment on access issues in the arts industry.

Written submissions are due on 31 May 2006. Consultations will begin in 2007.

To submit, or to list your name to become involved in the consultation process, phone Alison McLaren at Accessible Arts on 02 9251 6499, email amclaren@aarts.net.au or post to Accessible Arts, Pier 4, The Wharf, Hickson Rd, Walsh Bay, NSW 2000.

For further information and to view the consultation questions, visit the Accessible Arts website.

Conferences .. Workshops .. Forums (For all)

The Rights Stuff -Tips for Solving Problems and Making Complaints
10 May 2006 - Queanbeyan

The NSW Ombudsman’s Office is conducting a workshop for people who use community services such as disability services, family support, home help, respite, youth services, out-of-home care and accommodation. Family members, unpaid carers, advocates and guardians are welcome too. The workshop will offer ideas and information that is useful when dealing with community services.

It will cover:
- Your rights as consumers of community services
- Tips for dealing more effectively with service providers
- How to resolve issues/problems
- Options for how to make a complaint
- Contacts and resources that can help you
- The NSW Ombudsman’s role in community services.

The workshop will be held on 10 May 2006 at Queanbeyan Conference Centre, 253 Crawford St, Queanbeyan from 10.30am to 2pm. This workshop is free but registration is essential.

For more information call Carolyn Campbell-McLean at the NSW Ombudsman’s Office on 02 9286 1028, freecall 1800 451 524 or ccampbell-mclean@ombo.nsw.gov.au.

Conferences .. Workshops .. Forums (For all)

Resolving Consumer Complaints - A Workshop For Staff Working In Community Services
9 May 2006 - Queanbeyan

This workshop will help staff in community service organisations handle complaints more effectively and confidently. It’s designed for frontline workers and has a strong focus on interpersonal communication strategies and responding to complaints on the ground level.

This workshop covers:
- Rights and responsibilities of staff and consumers under the legislation
- The value of complaints and service quality
- Your own attitudes to complaints and complainants
- Communication skills and strategies for developing better consumer service
- Models for managing and resolving complaints
- How to advocate on behalf of, and support consumers to make complaints
- Developing and using effective complaints systems.

The workshop will be held on 9 May 2006 at Queanbeyan Conference Centre, 253 Crawford St, Queanbeyan from 9.30am to 3.30pm (please arrive at 9.15 for registration). The cost is $95 (incl.GST) per person (including morning tea, lunch, workshop materials).

For more information call Carolyn Campbell-McLean at the NSW Ombudsman’s Office on 02 9286 1028, freecall 1800 451 524 or ccampbell-mclean@ombo.nsw.gov.au.

Brain Injury Australia's (BIA): Inaugural National Conference 2006
31 May - 2 June 2006 – Gold Coast

Brain Injury Australia's (BIA) will be hosting its inaugural National Conference on the Gold Coast in Queensland from 31 May to 2 June 2006. The conference theme of the of 'Insights and Solutions' will offer the opportunity to increase understanding of the problems faced by individuals living with brain injury, to strengthen partnerships, and to increase awareness of services, programs and new approaches in brain injury research.

For further information about the conference or the final date for submission of abstracts please contact ACQ Conference and Event Management on 07 3725 5588 or email bia2006@acqi.org.au

FBT and Salary Packaging Seminars
June & July 2006 – ACT, NSW & Vic

The Charities Tax Advisory Service (CTAS) is holding free FBT, Salary Packaging and General Tax Update seminars for charities and not for profit organisations in June and July 2006 in ACT, NSW and in Mildura (Vic).

The seminars will cover:
- the latest news from the Australian Taxation Office affecting charities
- Salary packaging and FBT - structuring, benefits and pit falls
- GST update

The presenter is John McIntosh, a representative on the Charities Consultative Committee and recognised leading advisor and trainer to some of Australia's largest charitable organisations. Register now to attend the free C-TAS seminar in your area.

For more information and to register visit the CTAS website.

Doing it Better - Learning Disabilities in Education and Employment Forum
24-27 September 2006 - Melbourne

Doing it Better - learning disability in education and employment, is sponsored by Deakin University, LaTrobe University, RMIT and Freedom Scientific. Gavin Reid from the University of Edinburgh is the keynote speaker. This interactive forum will address the issues around learning disabilities as it affects students in the latter years of their secondary schooling, their transition into and experiences within the postsecondary education sector and then in the workplace.

The forum will be held from 24 to 27 September 2006 at Rydges Hotel Melbourne, Exhibition St, Melbourne.

The Forum aims to meet some of the ground swell of concern about the unmet educational and learning requirements of students who are assessed as having a learning disability. Further information can be found on the Deakin University website. Book in early as participation will be limited to 200 registrants.

3rd International Forum On Disability Management
8-11 October 2006 - Brisbane

The Centre of National Research on Disability and Rehabilitation Medicine (CONROD) at The University of Queensland and Griffith University have been invited to host the 3rd International Forum on Disability Management in Brisbane from 8 to 11 October 2006.

The forum will build on initiatives and progress following the first forum ‘Work Retention Strategies in a Global Society’ held in Vancouver 2002 and the second forum ‘Disability Management Works’ held in Maastricht in 2004. Further information on the Forum website.

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Disclaimer
Opinions expressed in items of The Scene are the individual opinions of the respective authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions of The Spastic Centre or the editors. Products and companies featured in The Scene are not necessarily endorsed by The Spastic Centre. The Scene is intended to be informative only and should not be relied on as medical or other technical advice on any matter. The Spastic Centre and editor take no responsibility for the information published in this newsletter or any person's actions in reliance on that information.