FEATURE
NDIS FEATURE
COVER FEATURE
Revolutionary Radio
NDIS 101: Support Coordination
Jumping to new heights
Inform is Independence Australia’s crossdisability magazine. We encourage readers to submit suitable content for consideration by Independence Australia. All correspondence of this nature should be directed to: inform@iagroup.org.au While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, Independence Australia assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions of any consequences of reliance in this publication. The opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the views of Independence Australia. Medical information included is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice.
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contents ISSUE #28
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A running start In this issue of Inform we celebrate the change-makers and risk-takers who have helped to form the world as we know it. In our feature story we visit the athletics track and talk to Caytlyn Sharp, a T20 professional athlete from Western Victoria. In her story we see the importance of determination and passion as she prepares for the upcoming INAS Global Games in Brisbane.
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Jumping to new heights
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NDIS 101: Support Coordination
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Also in this issue we chat with Alex, an NDIS Support Coordinator. In this article Alex explains the intricacies of the Support Coordination service and provides us with advice on how to make the most of the service if you have received funding for it. Support Coordination is a great gateway into the NDIS, so if you have recently received funding for it this article is a must read!
Taking to the trails
Inform has also moved online, with our website InformOnline.org.au launching recently. InformOnline is your one place for disability information – with articles and contributors from all over the country. To find out more visit www.informonline.org.au
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The Inform team is committed to bringing you quality, informative content wherever you are in Australia, so we encourage you to get in touch with us if you have a story of independence to share. You can reach the team at inform@iagroup.org.au
Alison Crowe
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Spring News
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Lights, Camera and Accessible Action Revolutionary Radio
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Driving and the NDIS
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Inform Online
Managing Editor: Alison Crowe Deputy Editor: Kirby Fenwick Design: Mark Lovatt Cover Story Photography: Meredith O'Shea
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Jumping to new heights It’s an overcast Tuesday afternoon in Warrnambool, a regional city perched on the south-western coast of Victoria. At Brauerander Park, the local athletics facility, the air is cool and the grey clouds overhead are threatening rain. But none of that bothers Caytlyn Sharp. The seventeen-yearold from Terang is focused, her attention turned to her coach as they discuss minor improvements to her technique: ways she can jump further and run faster.
Pics: Meredith O'Shea
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or Caytlyn, the track is home. A place where she feels comfortable. A place she feels free. But it wasn’t always like that. While today she has a collection of Australian records under her belt, Caytlyn’s entry into the world of athletics was anything but smooth. ‘It wasn't a great start,’ Caytlyn’s mum Cindy recalls, explaining that when Caytlyn’s older siblings decided they wanted to try athletics she had no choice but to follow. ‘Her first athletics experience at Camperdown Little Athletics was running the 100 metres. She screamed the whole way.’ ‘And basically, we dragged her to athletics. Literally. I had to lift her into the car for the first probably 10 weeks of the 14-week season. And towards the end, we could get her in, but she still didn’t want to be there.’ ‘And then we had the end of year presentations, and she actually got an improvement medal,’ Cindy said. That first medal was a turning point for Caytlyn, who credits it as the moment she fell in love with athletics. ‘First of all, yeah, I hated it. And I didn't want to go and screamed and just didn't want to be there. But then after a year or so of
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doing it, I won a medal at a presentation night and I fell in love with it. And I was like, I got a medal! And I kept going back and just kept wanting to do better and keep winning medals and I ended up loving it,’ Caytlyn said. Cindy agrees, smiling at the memory. 'Once she saw the medal [she said] I want to go back Mum, I want to do this again.' Caytlyn has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and an Intellectual Disability (ID). She was diagnosed nearly ten years ago and competes in the T20 classification. The combination of ASD and ID poses some challenges for the young athlete, with noisy crowds cheering and clapping and unfamiliar tracks among them. But Cindy believes athletics has had a positive impact on Caytlyn. ‘She basically found her thing.’ ‘It was the first time [I’d] actually seen her focus and her meltdowns went from probably every day, and you know, very extreme meltdowns to maybe two, three times a week. And then down to maybe once a week,’ Cindy said. Still, challenges remain. ‘A child with ASD can look like any other child in a classroom, on a sporting field,’
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‘When I get out there, I just feel so free. And like nothing else matters.’
Cindy said. ‘And it can be really frustrating for her as well.’ ‘At competitions a lot of the officials think because I do have a disability, a learning disability, that [they] have to treat me like I’m a little kid and I don’t understand anything but, when it comes to athletics, I probably understand more than what they do,’ Caytlyn said. Despite her rocky entry into the world of athletics, Caytlyn’s potential was spotted early. The Terang College student was named in the Australian Squad for the 2017 World Athletics Championships run by the International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments at only 14. She travelled to Thailand with the team, something Cindy says was ‘pretty scary’ for her as a parent. But Caytlyn triumphed, coming home a World Champion after winning gold in the High Jump and Bronze in the Triple Jump and the 4 x 100m Relay. Now that she’s found her thing, Caytlyn has big dreams. And a big training schedule to match. Although that too came with a rocky beginning.
‘[At] first it was like, oh this is horrible. But then it started getting more fun,’ Caytlyn said. ‘I just started to enjoy it and think this is what’s going to help me improve so it’s all worth it.’ Today, when the teenager talks about her training schedule or the cities she has visited in the last twelve months for competitions—Sydney, Cairns, Adelaide, Darwin—a grin spreads across her face. ‘When I get out there, I just feel so free. And like nothing else matters.’ Coach Jeremy Dixon, himself a former world class sprinter, works with Caytlyn three to four times a week and describes her as a pleasure to coach. ‘She's very determined, I think she really switches on when it comes to training and athletics. She listens which is fantastic. And she's not afraid to give me a few comments back as well,’ Jeremy says, laughing. Cindy credits the coach-athlete relationship Caytlyn and Jeremy share as instrumental in her daughter’s success.
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Below: Caytlyn with her coach, former sprinter, Jeremy Dixon
‘She’s just coming along in leaps and bounds with Jeremy, coming along in leaps and bounds in distances’ best again. And I’m also looking forward to competing in the long jump as well. I’m hoping to get a big [personal best] there as well and just try to get closer to the Paralympics,’ Caytlyn said.
‘She’s just coming along in leaps and bounds with Jeremy, coming along in leaps and bounds in distances,’ Cindy said. Jeremy is confident that Caytlyn has more success coming her way. At the Arafura Games in Darwin earlier this year, she broke her own under 18 long jump record. ‘She still jumped from miles behind the board so there's certainly more to come and you can already see the confidence from some of those successes after all the training really sort of lift her energy and passion for the future which is great,’ he said. While not her favourite event, long jump has become Caytlyn’s focus as her preferred event, high jump, is not among those offered to T20 athletes at the Paralympics. But before any conversations about the Paralympics are had, Caytlyn is focussed on the upcoming INAS Global Games in Brisbane. ‘I love competing at those levels and just get very excited about it.’ ‘I’m mainly looking forward to competing in the high jump again and hopefully winning it back-to-back or just at least get a personal
Despite her busy training and competition schedule, Caytlyn still finds time to encourage other young people to take up sport, whether through her role as an INAS Ambassador or her work training younger kids at her local Little Athletics Club. She wants to inspire others, especially women, to get involved in sport. ‘I love trying to encourage people to get into the sport. It's just what I love to do as well, because I know how happy it makes me feel. So as long as it can make another person happy, then I'm happy.’
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NDIS 101:
Support Coordination We’ve all done it: made up an excuse or convinced ourselves
With more than 80,000 supports for the first time of a reason not to people go out. accessing Maybe it was a colleague’s party, through the NDIS, theschoolmates role of support coordination is especially a drink with old or coffee with Aunt Mavis. And important. whatcome exactly support coordination? What can your maybeBut you’ve upiswith creative reasons, telling yourself ‘it might rain’, ‘they won’t if I skip and the perennial support coordinator do for you?notice And how can it’, your support coordinator classic: goplan? next time’. help you to get the most out of ‘I’ll your a habit one, memorable InformIt’s spoke withworth Alex,breaking. a supportFor coordinator who hasexperiences worked in the don’t just knock at your front door. But more than that, getting role for almost two years, to get the answers to those questions and out can encourage other people to venture out too. And this much more. can only be good. Being visible in our communities does more for disability awareness than you might think.
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How can your Support Coordinator assist you? While they aren’t advocates or decision makers, there is plenty that your support coordinator can do to assist you. What is Support Coordination? Support Coordination is a new role within the NDIS. And while the scope of the role is quite broad, Alex says that support coordination is about building your capacity and helping you see the possibilities and opportunities available to you. The role of support coordination in your plan will depend on your situation and what your individual needs and wants are. The task of your support coordinator is to assist you to explore and determine what your goals are or might be, what services or supports you might need to achieve them and how you can access those services or supports. Support coordination can be particularly useful when you first get your plan and need help working out what those services and supports are and how to get them implemented. But Alex says that the role of support coordination is about more than just NDIS related supports. Your support coordinator can also help you access mainstream and community supports and support you in your interactions with other government systems. ‘It’s like Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, once those needs at the bottom of that pyramid are met, then people have the ability to start thinking about other things,’ she said. ‘It's not just, oh I'm having an issue with my provider that comes in every day, to help me with self-care, can you help me with that, it's also: I want to go on holiday.’ In addition, your support coordinator can work with you to support your informal support networks. Because if your support networks are better supported then you can be better supported.
Support coordination could be considered holistic capacity building. From navigating a crisis to planning a holiday, your support coordinator can act as research tool providing you with knowledge and facilitating access to skills building that you can then use to engage with the people in your life, whether that’s your support workers or your family. ‘Sometimes people just need someone to walk through things with them. And sometimes we might be that right person the first time or the second time, then it's about planning together to work out how you can be supported. What can we put in place for next time? Or is there a support or service we can engage to help you build these skills?’ Alex said. ‘The capacity building part of our role is always there. But I guess you turn it up at certain times, and then you turn it down at other times. It's very dynamic.’ ‘It's definitely about reducing barriers. What are the gaps in your supports? What's the current situation? These are your goals, where are we at now? And then mapping out some of the main barriers, and then it's about putting in an action plan of how you're going to work together to reduce those barriers.’ Alex points to something as seemingly simple as joining a local community group. ‘So, what would you need to get there? Or what are the barriers? And those barriers might be: "I can't get there" or "I don't get up in time" or "a shift doesn't start in time to help me get up, so I can get to this group". So, it's literally about going right back to what is it that's getting in the way and then slowly breaking down those barriers.’
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How to get the most out of Support Coordination While it takes time to build relationships, Alex has some advice for how you can get the most of support coordination. ‘I think it starts right from the beginning with understanding what support coordination is and how vital it is to assist you to achieve your goals,’ Alex said. Part of that is knowing that you can choose your own support coordinator, and that before you choose, you can ask them questions. Alex likens it to interviewing. ‘[NDIS] participants are consumers. And it’s like engaging any sort of service. For example, if I was looking to engage someone, a nanny or something like that, you would sit down with them and you would you do some screening. You'd ask them questions. It's the same, participants have the same choice. People have control over who provides their support to them.’ In those initial conversations, Alex suggests discussing what your goals are and asking how the support coordinator could help you achieve those goals. ‘Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don't be afraid to ask your support coordinators those hairy questions. There are no silly questions,’ Alex said. In addition, don’t shy away from expressing your needs, from telling your support coordinator what’s working for you and what’s not working. Alex says that can help your support coordinator to have a better understanding of how to work with you to best achieve your goals. ‘Sharing how you communicate; how do you best receive information? How do you learn?’ ‘Some people need information mailed out to them. Some people can read emails, and it's fine. Some people need a text. Everyone has got different communication styles. So being really clear with any service providers about how you need your information.’ Although the role of a support coordinator can be complex, Alex says she’s excited
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about the ‘innovative power of the role’ and what it can mean to people with disabilities exercising choice and control. ‘Working with participants, helping them maximise what's in their plans, and thinking of it in new ways. And being really creative about how to get what it is that they want and achieve those goals. ‘I think that it's comforting to know that eventually, if we work really well with people and actually really deliver on that capacity building aspect of our role that eventually those people will be exercising those choices and will feel in control.’
‘I think it starts right from the beginning with understanding what support coordination is and how vital it is to assist you to achieve your goals’ Questions to ask potential Support Coordinators Once you’ve received funding for support coordination, the next step is choosing a support coordinator. Alex has some advice for the kinds of questions you can ask a support coordinator to determine if they are a good fit for you. • • • • • • • •
How long have you been a support coordinator? What sort of experience do you have? How many participants are you working with right now? What kinds of complexities do these participants have? What hours do you work? Do you attend workshops/professional development? What’s your reporting style like? These are my goals; how would you help me?
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Taking to the trails Anthony Bartl remembers the moment clearly. He was in the Grampians National Park, north-west of Melbourne in Victoria, when he came to a clearing in the forest and found himself taken aback by what he saw. ‘There was this whole family of kangaroos, so there were joeys, their parents, it was just a pretty awesome, awe-inspiring sight. I'd never seen anything like it. The kangaroos just sat there, and they weren't perturbed by the sight of me being in a TrailRider,’ Anthony said.
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fter an accident left him a quadriplegic, Anthony’s access to the natural wonders of the Australian bush shrunk. He credits the TrailRider with giving him some of that access back. ‘[It] takes me back to before the accident. I used to go for long walks with my family before my accident. Yeah, it's just like being back there and amongst the people again and not feeling excluded because I'm in a wheelchair,’ he said. ‘You can lift it across riverbeds and [take it to] inhospitable terrain. I love that fact, that you can access a lot more places that are usually inaccessible in a wheelchair.’ ‘I'm a real lover of the bush and the outdoors so to be able to get more amongst that it was just a wonderful feeling and experience.’ ‘It's just liberating. It's just a fantastic feeling and sensation.’ Today there are TrailRiders at parks across the country. And that is thanks to the advocacy of one man: David Stratton. David had seen the innovative design in action while holidaying in Canada. When he returned home to Victoria, he contacted Parks Victoria immediately. ‘He was the real instigator and motivator,’ said Shauna Jones, Senior Manager of Health & Community Activation at Parks Victoria. ‘He came back to Parks Victoria and said, I've seen this fantastic apparatus that allowed me to get out into the mountains and go reconnect with nature in a way that I used to as a boy. And he set about really advocating very strongly to Parks Victoria to consider buying these TrailRiders, a number of them, to try and open up parks to people with mobility issues.’ David’s persistence paid off and Parks Victoria purchased a number of TrailRiders.
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‘I'd say to not have any fear and to give it a go even though you might have reservations’ Below: Thanks to the advocacy of David Stratton, there are now TrailRiders across the the country.
Today, Shauna says the TrailRiders are in ‘pretty much constant use’ with a steady and upward trajectory of usage. ‘We have them down on the Mornington Peninsula and in the Grampians and up in the Dandenongs. We have one in Listerfield Park, which is a metropolitan park out in southeast Melbourne. We have one down at Wilson's Prom. So, they are in positions that are in fantastic either locally accessible parks or national or state parks that are actually well used,’ Shauna said. ‘And what we also try to make sure of is that there are other amenities which are going to support the visit so that [includes] disability access toilets, car parking, some of those sorts of things that actually just help the individual and their carer and their families to actually get to the site where they can actually use it.’ In addition to providing the TrailRiders free of charge, Parks Victoria also provide volunteers who are trained to operate the TrailRider. The ‘sherpas’ as they are affectionately known, can assist in manoeuvring the TrailRider throughout the park. The TrailRider is just one way that Parks Victoria is working to make their parks more accessible. From social scripts for people with sensory disabilities to inclusive playscapes and accessible boat ramps and canoe launchers, accessibility and universal design is something that is a ‘driving mantra’ for the organisation, Shauna said.
‘I would absolutely encourage everyone to give [the TrailRider] a go. And bring friends or family with them so that everybody can join in because it's going to broaden their horizons, going to take them further than just an afternoon at a picnic table in a park. It's going to get them out in nature, on the trails, like everybody else,’ Shauna said. It is sentiment echoed by Anthony, who encourages people to ‘give it a go’. ‘I'd say to not have any fear and to give it a go even though you might have reservations,’ he said. ‘Just to give it a go and [don’t] be put off by a new experience. If you don’t try it, you'll never know what places it could take you and how it will feel.’
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Where you can find TrailRiders ACT Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, Canberra E: info@tidbinbilla.com.au New South Wales Kamay Botany Bay National Park Dorrigo National Park Kosciuszko National Park E: parks.accessibility@environment.nsw. gov.au Victoria Buchan Caves Reserve P: (03) 8627 4700 Grampians National Park P: (03) 8427 2058 Dandenong Ranges National Park P: (03) 9755 2888 Wilsons Promontory National Park P: (03) 8427 2122 Colac Otway Shire (Manual TrailRider) E: gorvic@colacotway.vic.gov.au Hepburn Shire (Manual TrailRider) E: events@hepburn.vic.gov.au Loddon Shire (Motorised TrailRider) E: loddonvisitorinformation@loddon.vic. gov.au Moorabool Shire (Manual TrailRider) E: info@moorabool.vic.gov.au Mt Beauty Visitor Information Centre (Manual TrailRider) P: 1800 111 885 Surf Coast Shire (Manual TrailRider) E: surfcoastsrc@surfcoast.vic.gov.au Warburton Visitor Information Centre (Motorised TrailRider) E: info@visitwarburton.com.au Tasmania Cradle Mountain Park E: cradle@parks.tas.gov.au
From little things big things grow When a skiing accident left Canadian teenager Sam Sullivan a quadriplegic in 1979, he was determined to continue the active life he’d always led. Despite playing wheelchair basketball and rugby, Sam really missed getting out in nature and feeling the ‘sun on his face and the wind in his hair’. Knowing he couldn’t be the only person with a disability feeling like this, he founded the British Columbia Mobility Opportunities Society (BCMOS) in 1988. The society’s mission was to facilitate access to the parks and trails in the Vancouver area. But Sam wanted to do more than that. In the early years of the society, he worked on the idea of a battery-powered cart that could get him out on the trails, but the design was riddled with problems. It wasn’t until the mid-90s when Sam caught up with Paul Cermak, a retired engineer who had helped Sam previously with some home modifications that the idea really took off. Over coffee, the pair devised the idea for a ‘one-wheeled access device’. The first plans for what would become the TrailRider were drawn on the back of a napkin. By 1995, BCMOS had begun building TrailRiders. From an idea, to a sketch on a napkin, to Paul Cermak’s garage, to Everest Base Camp: the Trail Rider has come a long way. Some twenty years after the initial idea, Trail Riders can be found in parks around the world and at places as majestic and previously inaccessible as Mt Kilimanjaro, the floor of the Grand Canyon and Machu Picchu.
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Dylan Alcott wants to remove the barriers faced by people with disabilities.
Elly Desmarchelier is sharing her story of discrimination with the Remove the Barrier campaign to inspire change.
Tennis champ breaking down barriers He may be a Wimbledon champion, but that doesn’t mean Dylan Alcott hasn’t experienced unconscious bias and discrimination. And it’s exactly this that he is determined to dismantle as he works to breakdown the barriers that people with disability face in the workforce with the new campaign Remove the Barrier. ‘One of the hardest things to overcome is actually the barriers that you can’t see,’ Alcott told Triple J’s Hack. Find more information about Remove the Barrier at removethebarrier.com
‘Those invisible barriers are things like unconscious bias and discrimination.’ ‘You can’t see unconscious bias, but I promise you, as someone who’s faced it, you can feel it,’ he said. Dylan points to things like the assumption that people with disability are broken, or less capable because of their disability and a lack of expectation as just some of the bias faced by people with disability. The campaign features the stories of 15 people with disability and the barriers they have faced finding work.
Twenty-six-year-old Elly Desmarchelier, a communications professional with cerebral palsy, is often the ‘first one at the table who’s ever been in a wheelchair’. ‘I’ve often come across these really outdated, kind of odd ways of thinking about disability,’ Elly said. ‘And a lot of that comes from just never having anyone else in the workplace that is disabled.’ Despite her considerable experience, Elly has still faced discrimination and bias in the workplace and during interviews. But she’s committed to making change. ‘If we’re going to create workplaces that are inclusive and creative and productive and reflect the best parts of our society, you are gonna have to look for different people. And that means people with disabilities, it means women, it means people of colour and I just really hope that there are leaders out there who go ‘OK. You didn’t take the same path I took to get there, but that’s OK. And we’re gonna make your path work for this business because I can see that you’re gonna add to it.’
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Health Services Funded In a positive development for NDIS participants, daily health services including swallowing therapy, catheter cleaning and wound dressings will soon be funded via the NDIS. The news comes after a ruling by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal that the NDIA should fund necessary swallowing supports for a 34-year-old man with dysphagia and cerebral palsy. Following the ruling, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed that the NDIS should fund daily health services that are needed because of disability. It’s estimated that up to 60,000 people with conditions such as dysphagia, diabetes and epilepsy will be entitled to funding.
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Accessible formats NDIS correspondence will now be available in a greater range of accessible formats thanks to the advocacy of Blind Citizens Australia. Large font, audio, e-text and braille formats will be available to NDIS participants over the coming months as the NDIA moves away from a manual system to an automated system that will recognise the preferred communication format of NDIS participants. 'This is a tremendously important step forward for people who are blind or vision impaired. Blindness is often referred to as an information-based disability. Access to information is often the only thing that prevents a person who is blind or vison impaired from carrying out tasks and activities that they otherwise could,’ said Rikki Chaplin, Acting CEO of Blind Citizens Australia. ‘To be able to easily read your NDIS plan is vital if you’re going to be able to take full advantage of the supports in your plan,’ Chaplin said. NDIS participants will need to update their preferred format via the contact centre or the portal.
Specialised support National Disability Services have launched a pilot project that will recruit support workers with specialised skills for specific roles. In reporting the news, Pro Bono News highlighted the case of drummer Bryan Casey, who hadn’t performed for nine years after a brain tumour affected his mobility. To get back on stage, Bryan needed the support of someone with specialised experience working with drum equipment. The pilot project connected Bryan with Marco, and the pair have worked together to get Bryan back performing.
Virtual resource for women and girls
National Disability Services Workforce Impact Collective cochair, Wendy Prowse, told Pro Bono that there couldn’t be a ‘one size fits all approach to support work’.
Women and girls with disability around the country are leading the design and development of a new virtual information source from Women with Disabilities Australia. The Virtual Centre website will ‘provide accessible and inclusive information and resources across four areas: leadership and opportunities; decisions and choices; sexuality, women’s health and family; and safety from all forms of violence’.
‘Recruiting personalised support that is based on shared interests between a person with a disability and the individual who will be supporting them is allowing people like Bryan to really pursue their goals,’ Ms Prowse said.
No date has been released for the launch of the Virtual centre, however more information can be found at www.wwda.org.au
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Lights, Camera, Accessible Action Founded in 2009, Bus Stop Films is a not-for-profit organisation creating award-winning films that feature people with disability behind and in front of the camera. The organisation also offers educational opportunities and advocates for the employment of people with disabilities in the film industry. Inform caught up with Bus Stop Films CEO, Tracey CorbinMatchett and student, Shay Bell to find out more about the organisation and inclusivity in the film industry.
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desire to connect people and a passion for film and inclusion are just a few of the things that drive Tracey Corbin-Matchett. Married to her best friend and raising three children, two of whom live with disability, Tracey made the switch to the film and TV industry five years ago after working in social housing and domestic violence services. Shaped by her childhood and her experiences growing up in public housing, Tracey wants to change the way the world supports vulnerable people. But film is not her only passion. Sport also features largely in her life. A director of Deaf Sports Australia, Tracey, who is hard of hearing, loves the way sport, like film, can bring people together.
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What and who are Bus Stop Films? Bus Stop Films is a pioneering, not for profit organisation based in Sydney. We are dedicated to building the confidence, English skills and work ready skills of people with an intellectual disability and others from marginalised communities, through giving them access to a ‘film school experience’. We use filmmaking and the film industry to raise the profile of people with disability on both sides of the camera. We educate through our award-winning Accessible Film Studies Program, we create amazing films which win many awards and screen at festivals all around the world and we advocate for authentic casting and open employment pathways for people living with disability in the film and TV industry. We deliver our programs in Sydney through AFTRS, in Parramatta through Information and Cultural Exchange and in Mongolia through the Arts Council of Mongolia. In 2020, we are expanding to Canberra in partnership with Screen Canberra and returning to Wollongong in a soon to be announced partnership.
Our program is so unique, there is no one else delivering a structured professional level film school program to people with disabilities.
Why are programs like those delivered by Bus Stop Films and work produced by Bus Stop Films so important? Our program is so unique, there is no one else delivering a structured professional level film school program to people with disabilities. There are a lot of craftbased programs, but the importance of our program is that it offers students professional work opportunities to make a film with industry mentors and gain experience on professional productions. This year we have had students work on the production of a comedy series The Other Guys with Aquarius Films and MasterChef with Endemol Shine and a suite of commercial projects with our partner organisation Taste Creative and much more. Additionally, the films we make are high quality entertainment, they are not traditional “student films”. We show that inclusive filmmaking does not inhibit production costs or quality and that through film, we can show the world the capacity and capability of people living with disability. We use film to show what people living with disability can achieve if they are given the opportunity to.
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hay Bell attended a free workshop held by Bus Stop Films when they launched their western Sydney program last year and the rest, as they say in the movies, is history. The year 12 student, who cites musicals Mamma Mia and Grease as his favourite films, joined the organisation’s Parramatta program this year and has fast become a valued member of the class. Tracey describes Shay as a ‘brilliant student, very switched on and knowledgeable about filmmaking, especially the technology’. Sport is also on Shay’s agenda. The nineteen-year-old plays basketball and soccer and regularly attends rugby and soccer games. But it’s theatre he sees his future in. How did you become involved with Bus Stop Films? I became involved in Bus Stop Films by going to a trial class last year and attending the red carpet event at Event Cinemas George Street put on by Bus Stop Films.
What sort of work do you do with Bus Stop Films? At Bus Stop Films this year we are making a virtual reality film. We recently learned about mise en scène, analysing different films like Presto, The Lion King, The Wizard of Oz, Toy Story 2, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and The Hobbit. We have also been learning about different types of shots like extreme wide shot, wide shot, extreme close up, a two-shot, over-the-shoulder-shot, point-of-view-shot, medium close up, close up and a mid shot. We have been analysing the shots in films like Star Wars I. We have also been learning about camera angles and the different types. For example, eye level, high angle, low angle and dutch tilt. We watched Batman Forever to analyse the shots and camera angles. We have recently started learning about what happens in preproduction, production and post-production. What do you enjoy about working with film? I enjoy learning how to use the camera and editing. What do you hope to do after you finish high school? After completing my Year 12, I hope to work as a backstage crew member doing sound and lighting at live theatre productions. What would be your advice to anyone thinking about studying or working in the film industry? I would recommend to anyone thinking about studying or working in the film industry to expect to have a lot of fun but also be prepared for quite a lot of theory work that you have to do. It’s not all practical work.
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Revolutionary Radio Tune your radio dial to 1197AM on a Monday morning in Melbourne and you’ll hear readings from The Age and The Herald Sun on The Morning Paper Round. Swing back at 1pm for Afternoon Live and two hours of ‘light, bright and entertaining readings’ and if you’re looking for something a little more serious, try The Conversation at 5pm, a current affairs and news show that features readings from The Conversation website. These programs can be found on Vision Australia Radio, a radio service for people with a print disability with a monthly audience of more than 700,000 people.
Five million Australians have a print disability. From learning and literacy disabilities like dyslexia to physical disabilities including arthritis, spinal disability, multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy to vision impairments, the audience for radio services like Vision Australia Radio is as diverse as it is large. The origins of today’s Vision Australia Radio services can be found in programs broadcast on radio stations in the 1970s in Melbourne. One of those shows was A Blind Affair. With a dual goal of providing information and resources for people with vision impairments as well as educating the wider public about the lived experience of people with a vision impairment, A Blind Affair was the precursor to the establishment of specialised radio services for people with a print disability in 1978. For Conrad Browne, the manager of Vision Australia Radio, the revolutionary roots of the radio services broadcast by Vision Australia in Victoria, South Australia and
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Western Australia are matched by their contemporary innovation. ‘It was a quite an interesting way of using the community radio network to deliver this service publicly. In a way, it was really revolutionary, because you were using something that reaches a lot of people in a way that was truly accessible. Everyone had a radio in their home,’ he said. ‘As time has gone on, a lot of changes have occurred within the space. But still, to this day, we primarily deliver readings of newspapers, books, and magazines alongside specialist programming,’ Conrad said. ‘It's a really interesting format for radio as well. It literally is relaying information. There's no editorialising, there's no commentary. It's a skill. And it's a really interesting way of delivering that information. But using radio to do it just makes a lot of sense,’ Conrad said. Vision Australia Radio broadcasts shows covering news and current affairs alongside specialist programming about topics as wide-ranging as film, finance, health, gardening, politics, pop culture and sport. More recently, the organisation has worked to engage people within the blind, low vision and print disability community to share their stories and lived experience, shifting them from the audience and into the studio. ’We're branching out into what I think of as really traditional community radio, which is having more programming being delivered by our community of interest,’ Conrad said. With more than 800 volunteers across the country and an audience of more than 700,000 monthly listeners, the Vision Australia Radio network includes 15 AM radio services in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, seven services in regional Victoria and five digital radio services available online or on digital radio. You can support the work of Vision Australia Radio at www.varadio.org
Vision Australia Radio Shows Afternoon Live A ‘daily breath of fresh air’, Afternoon Live features entertaining readings from newspapers and magazines and can be heard from 1pm-3pm, Monday to Friday. Computalk Airing on Mondays at 3pm, Computalk discusses new technology and gadgets, providing advice on computers. The show is hosted by Tony Egan and is repeated on Saturdays at 4pm. The Uncertainty Principle Reading articles from New Scientist, Scientific American, Australasian Science and Cosmos, The Uncertainty Principle explores all areas of science. The program airs on Tuesdays at 6pm and is repeated on Thursdays at 8pm. Cover to Cover If you love short stories, you’ll love Cover to Cover. Airing on Fridays at 8pm and replayed on Sundays at 1:30pm, Cover to Cover sees host Tim McQueen deliver readings from books and short stories. On This Day A short, sharp jump back in time, On This Day is hosted by Nick Green and covers interesting, intriguing and historical events in politics, sport, science, crime, among other topics that happened on the day in question. Talking Law As the name suggests, Talking Law looks at what is happening in the courts and features both commentary and analysis. The program airs on Sunday at 2pm and is repeated on Monday at 8pm.
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NDIS Feature
Driving and the NDIS The ability to drive can mean independence and freedom. But what if you have a physical or cognitive disability? Thanks to developments in technology and driver education there are now fewer barriers to getting behind the wheel. If getting your licence and taking to the open road is one of your goals, read on to find out how you might make that happen.
For Antonio, getting back behind the wheel gave him freedom and independence.
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‘Driving has given me the freedom to go where I want when I want.’ Antonio Vecchio was nineteen when a car accident left him a quadriplegic. Forced to relearn how to drive, Antonio describes a process involving rehabilitation, physiotherapists and occupational therapists, but he says it was worth it for the freedom driving gives him. ‘I was in rehabilitation and through the goal planning meeting we spoke about the possibility of driving and the process involved,’ Antonio said. ‘I started with working with a physio to get the skills to get in and out of the car and get my wheelchair in and out of the car. I had the driving lessons whilst in rehabilitation to get used to driving with hand controls and to assess what type of controls and accessories I would need to be able to drive.’ For Antonio, getting back behind the wheel means he doesn’t need to rely on friends or family or pay for taxis. Driving and the NDIS Making driving one of your goals is the first step towards getting behind the wheel. And the NDIS can help you achieve your goal with funding through Capital and Capacity Building support provided your disability is likely to affect your ability to drive or to learn to drive. The NDIS may provide funding for vehicle modifications, access to allied health services like physiotherapists and occupational therapists and driver education and training. According to Austroads Medical standards for licensing, an important early step towards getting your licence is a medical review. It’s something most driver licensing authorities will require and can be completed by your doctor. Next, depending on the outcome of your medical review, the driver licensing authority will likely request a practical driver assessment. This assessment is designed to assess the
impact of your disability on your driving skills. These assessments are generally conducted by occupational therapists who are trained in driver assessment. What does a practical driver assessment cover? Depending on your disability, the assessment can include: • Determining the need for vehicle modifications • Your ability to control the vehicle • Your functional status including physical strength, reaction time and cognitive function • Your understanding and application of road laws • Your lifestyle and your requirement for driving If you haven't held a licence before, the assessment will look at things like your cognitive or physical barriers and any necessary vehicle modifications. It will also establish your current skill level and create an individualised plan working with you and a driving instructor. Your doctor and allied health professionals can’t make the final decision about whether you can get your licence, that responsibility rests with the driver licensing authority in your state. And there are a variety of options available to you, from a full, unconditional licence to a conditional licence. Conditional licences may include vehicle modifications, restrictions on night-time driving or driving when temperatures exceed set limits or area restrictions. Occupational therapist Erin Burns says if driving is important to you, it’s worth pursuing even if the process seems daunting. ‘Not being able to drive is a significant barrier to accessing the community and engaging in the activities of daily life and often results in social isolation and disengagement,’ she said.
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‘Obtaining a driver’s licence enables independence with transportation, and a you're then able to participate in community activities that you want and need to do.’ It’s a sentiment echoed by Antonio who encourages anyone with a disability thinking about getting behind the wheel to start the process early. ‘Speak with people who have the same level of injury [or disability] that you do to see how they drive and the set up that they use. Also, do your research on types of cars and hand controls,’ he said. ‘Driving has given me the freedom to go where I want when I want.’ ‘Also, a sense of independence that I may not feel if I was dependent on other people.’ Modified for action As technology develops, the types of vehicle modifications available increase. From additional mirrors to steering wheel spinner knobs, reversing cameras, hand controls and foot pedal modifications to wheelchair hoist systems and swivel seats, the list is long and getting longer. Your occupational therapist or driving assessor can provide you with plenty of information about what’s available and what will work for your specific needs. Tips for driving success: • Chat to your medical team and see how they can help you. • Get comfortable as a passenger. Sit in the front seat and navigate to familiar places, pointing out hazards, road signs and traffic light changes. • Allow extra time for driver training, from lessons to studying the road rules. • Breakdown the big goal of getting your licence into smaller goals. • Consider using a driving simulator to get familiar with driving related skills in a low risk environment. • Get your friends and family involved, tell them that you want to get your licence and see how they can support you.
A pioneer for accessible driving Early iterations of the types of modern vehicle modifications that allow many people with disabilities the freedom to drive today have their roots in post-World War II Australian and the advocacy of Melbourne woman, Ilma Lever. Lever, who was two-years-old when she contracted polio in 1913, was encouraged by her father to advocate for vehicle modifications that would allow people with disabilities to drive. Early adaptations involving broom sticks and wire were far from safe and so Ilma set about contacting motor vehicle manufacturers and gathering information from around Australia and internationally. In 1954, Ilma was a founding member of the Victorian Disabled Motorists Association, now known as Disabled Motorists Australia. The organisation was spearheaded by Ilma’s tenacity and commitment. Soon after forming the VDMA, Ilma approached Mr Sid Ross, a New Zealander who had invented the Ross Hand Controls. He crossed the Tasman and fitted the first Ross Hand Controls to an Australian vehicle at the Lever family home in Coburg. Today, Ilma’s advocacy is commemorated via the Ilma Lever Gardens which were established in the 1980s by Disabled Motorists Australia.
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NDIS 101: Service agreements
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Write for Inform! Do you have a story to tell or an experience to share about disability? We're looking for people with disabilities and those who support them to submit their writing to be published on the Inform website. Pitch us your story, suggest an interview idea or maybe you’ve got some advice or tips that might be helpful for Inform readers. We want to hear from you! Get in touch by emailing us at inform@independenceaustralia.com
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Living with incontinence: how to make it easier to manage Living with incontinence can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be uncomfortable.
For a lot of people, incontinence goes unspoken. It’s a topic that’s too often shied away from, kept under wraps and considered a little taboo. But for people experiencing it or caring for someone who is, incontinence is just part of the everyday. Incontinence can have a big impact on the way you live your life. If it’s not being managed effectively, you may find that you’re constantly having to adapt your life to fit in with incontinence. This might mean avoiding being in public places for longer periods of time or constantly having to take trips to the bathroom to change pads and clothes. Needless to say, this can be time-consuming and
even frustrating – which, in turn, can impact your wellbeing and that of those around you. So, finding a way to effectively manage incontinence is vital to improving the quality of your everyday life. Incontinence doesn’t have to be uncomfortable or even inconvenient, and that’s where MoliCare comes in. MoliCare continence products have been medically tested to provide the ultimate comfort and skin protection – because quality care should be a non-negotiable.
Here are just a few ways MoliCare’s continence range will give you greater peace of mind: Highly absorbent
Skin protection
With a 3-layer absorbent core, MoliCare napkins lock fluid into the centre, leaving skin dry – meaning less leakage and less washing!
Our unique Curly Fibre technology sets our products apart for maintaining healthy pH levels and reducing the risk of skin irritation.*
Comfortable fit With different styles, sizes and absorbency levels – there’s a perfect fit for all incontinence needs, making for a more comfortable everyday. And best of all, MoliCare’s absorbent products are eligible for funding by the NDIS where they’re considered reasonable and necessary. *Bliss et al. Absorbent Briefs Containing Curly Fibre Lower (Acidify) Skin pH Reducing Risk of Incontinence Associated Skin Damage in Older Nursing Home Residents; 2016
Finding the right fit for you MoliCare’s extensive range of continence products ensures there’s a right fit for your needs. With various styles, sizes and absorbency levels, MoliCare products offer maximum comfort, discretion and skin protection. There are a few considerations to make when you’re selecting your product: style, size and absorbency.
Here’s a handy guide to help you find the best fit:
Style There are different styles to suit different levels of mobility. Full mobility: All styles in the MoliCare range are suitable, so your selection is just based on personal preference. Restricted mobility with cognitive difficulties: MoliCare Premium Mobile pull up is best for you – it looks and feels like normal underwear. Assisted, inactive or limited mobility: MoliCare Premium Slip will be most suitable as it’s all-in-one for ease of use.
Size Using the correct size will ensure maximum comfort and leakage protection. To determine what size you should be wearing, measure the largest width between the waist and hips. Then, select the product size based on the size guide on the product packaging. Otherwise, leakage may occur if the product is too large or too small. Note: Sizing should not be confused with absorbency and can vary from style to style.
Absorbency Selecting the right absorbency gives you the level of protection you need. Light Incontinence Drips and dribbles e.g. 1⁄2 cup up to 1 cup Moderate Incontinence More than a dribble but not complete loss of control e.g. up to 2 cups Heavy Incontinence Complete bladder loss e.g. over 2 cups Severe Incontinence Complete bladder loss of a very severe nature.
Want to try MoliCare for FREE? Independence Australia offers a range of free MoliCare samples to try in the comfort of your own home. To order call 1300 788 855
Independence Australia is a: NDIS approved provider TAC service provider DHHS service provider
Our services include: In-home care Accommodation Psychology and counselling Case management Support Coordination Information Health care products and equipment
1300 704 456 service.enquiry@iagroup.org.au www.independenceaustralia.com.au independenceaust @independenceaus