The Scene is The Spastic Centre's free fortnightly e-newsletter.
It features news, events, issues, links and contacts for people living with cerebral palsy, their families and service providers.
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Information Sessions on Careers for Young People with a Disability
Pathways from School to Vocational Training & Employment
Topics - How do young people gain employment? | Career opportunities | Traineeships | Modifying the workplace | Supports available at University and TAFE |
An information session focusing on pathways to employment and the supports available for post school programs including the State funded Transition to Work (TTW) program and the Commonwealth funded Disability Employment Network (DEN). Presented by Audrey Housbey and Sue Werner from Sydney Employment Development Service, (The Spastic Centre).
Locations: The Spastic Centre
Ryde: Tuesday 8 May - 10am to 12 noon - 3a Smalls Rd
Allambie Heights: Tuesday 15 May, 7pm to 9pm, 189 Allambie Rd
Prairiewood: Tuesday 22 May, 10am to 12noon, 224-244 Restwell Rd
Refreshments will be available. Childcare is available on request – minimum five days notice. Bookings are essential. RSVP to Penny Clarke, Service Development and Communications Department of The Spastic Centre, Phone 02 9975 8227 or email pclarke@tscnsw.org.au.
Please advise Penny if you would like your name on the mailing list for future flyers.
- Alex Xeras works at South Western Sydney TAFE.
Read about Alex’s super custom wheelchair in the
April 2007 issue of I Am magazine.
Parents
Parents
MyTime is a new program of parent groups, which is being rolled out across Australia. It provides local support for mums, dads, grandparents and anyone caring for a young child under school age with a disability or chronic medical condition.
MyTime gives parents the chance to socialise and share ideas with others who understand the rewards and intensity of their role. Parents can meet with people in similar circumstances to have fun, hear from others and find out about available community support. Research-based parenting information will also be available at group meetings.
Each group has a play helper who can lead children in activities such as singing, drawing, playing with toys, blocks or sand so parents can spend time focusing on catching up with others.
The program has commenced in Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania – and will be soon coming to NSW.
Find out more at www.mytime.net.au
Siblings
Your Shout
Your Shout is an Australian website for young people who have a brother or sister with a disability or chronic illness. It is an active online community where kids can share their stories, make comments, find information and have a chat.
The site features an ‘End the Sentence’ activity with prompts such as, ‘When I have my parents to myself, I…’ and ‘It was hilarious when…’, which is a wonderful way for young people to gain ideas and share their experiences on coping strategies. To join Your Shout, click on the 'Sign up' button on the top right of the screen and follow the prompts. The site was created by the Association for Children with a Disability. www.yourshout.org.au
Reach Out – Siblings
Reach Out is a web-based service that inspires young people to help themselves through tough times. The aim of the service is to improve young people’s mental health and well being by providing support information and referrals in a format that appeals to young people.
A new factsheet on the Reach Out website addresses the particular issues for siblings of children and young people with a disability.
Find it at www.reachout.com.au/default.asp?ti=2626
Technology
Switch Adapted Mouse (USB)
A Switch Adapted Mouse provides the simplest and most inexpensive way to access your computer using a switch. People of all ages can use the Switch Adapted Mouse, which still has all the features of a standard mouse as well as a built-in switch jack. Simply plug in a switch and you’ll be able to emulate the left-click action of the mouse cursor on screen.
It features USB connectivity and is ideal for cause and effect software programs requiring a left-click for activation.
For more information visit www.technability.com.au
Sport
Rowers Wanted
Roxanne Vines is an adaptive rowing coach, working with athletes of various abilities. She coaches at Penrith Rowing Club and has represented Australia at the World Rowing Championships, as a coach, at Eton in 2006.
She is looking for young adults with mild CP (category 8) who may interested in one day representing Australia in the sport of rowing – at the 2008 Paralympic Games and onwards. Females are encouraged to apply.
If you are interested, please phone Roxanne on 0423 515 868
or email vinesroxy@hotmail.com
Thought of the Week
From a reader with CP…
Disability is not a brave struggle or ‘courage in the face of adversity.’
Disability is an art. It’s an ingenious way to live.
- Neil Marcus - poet, humorist, writer and actor
Service Providers
Ozquest – Nepal Challenge
Ozquest, a Duke of Edinburgh Scheme project, is seeking volunteers aged 18-30 years who have experience working with people with CP, for an expedition to Nepal in December-January 2007/8. The volunteers would be working in the Fishtail Hospital in Pakhara, sharing skills, knowledge and practice with hospital staff.
For more details, visit the OzQuest website.
Conferences .. Workshops .. Forums (Service Providers)
Cultural Competency
From late April 2007, the Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association (MDAA) will be delivering one-day workshops in rural and remote NSW during 2007 for non-government services working with people with disability. The aim of the workshop is to enhance the cultural competence of people who work with people with disability, with the expected outcome of higher quality service delivery to people from non-English speaking backgrounds with disability and their carers.
Dates: Queanbeyan 30 April 2007 | Albury 1 May 2007 | Griffith 2 May 2007 | Coffs Harbour 10 July 2007 | Lismore 11 July 2007 | Bathurst to be confirmed soon | Dubbo to be confirmed soon | Broken Hill to be confirmed soon .
Cost: Free. Lunch is provided For more information and to register please visit the MDAA website.
Speak Up!
In 2006, Accessible Arts called for written submissions about the gaps and opportunities for people with disability in the arts. The results from these submissions have been compiled into a background paper that is now available on the Accessible Arts website. A simple needs summary has also been developed for a snapshot of results.
Some of the core needs that have been identified so far include:
- Better physical access to venues and events including the need for transport
- More opportunities for training, mentoring and employment for people with a disability in the arts industry
- More opportunities for people with a disability to get involved in local networks
- Stronger relationships between disability and arts organisations
- Improved attitudes to disability issues in the arts
- Improved attitudes to the arts in the disability sector.
Accessible Arts are now inviting people from arts and disability organisations as well as all interested individuals to attend consultations around specific focus areas. The consultations will be held in Sydney, Wollongong and Newcastle.
Find out more about Speak Up on the Accessible Arts website, or contact Alison McLaren on 02 9251 6499, fax 02 9251 6422, email amclaren@aarts.net.au.
PDF (print-friendly version) of this issue of The Scene.
What would you like to see in "The Scene"? Email Robyn Cummins Information Manager at The Spastic Centre if you would like to contribute any ideas, advise of any future events or know of any websites that might be of interest to others.
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.
