OUR PEOPLE Patrick Eadington My name is Patrick Eadington. I have Cerebral Palsy, which is a disability I acquired from birth. I have lived independently since 2002 – I could never be fully independent if I didn’t receive support from Veranto and other support services. Each person with a disability has very different needs and requirements when it comes to personal support, in order for them to live independently. Support workers assist me in maintaining my independence with a number of tasks for 26 hours per week. My mother taught me to eat, talk, walk, dress myself, answer and receive phone messages and to take responsibility for my own actions. To challenge my own physical and mental limitations by pushing the boundaries through actively participating in outdoor adventure activities. My parents refused to cocoon me throughout my life, teaching me to become as independent as possible whilst actively encouraging me to challenge my physical disability to the point where nothing is impossible. I first went to the Crippled Children’s School in Sydney during the early and mid 1980’s. My mum and I moved to Hobart during 1988 where I attended Douglas Parker before attending Snug Primary School temporarily.
By the end of the two weeks I was determined to wangle my way into mainstream school, once I had had a taste of it. In addition, my grade five teacher saw my potential intellectually, academically and socially which made an overwhelming and compelling case for me to begin proper academic schooling at the age of thirteen. When I started Snug Primary as a student with a physical disability, I was intellectually, academically, socially, emotionally and personally undeveloped for a 13 year old; therefore, everything was against me. Transferring from ‘special school’ directly into mainstream schooling really made the person I am today. That is where I had to learn survival skills very quickly i.e. stand up for
myself, take responsibility for my own actions and the ability to set personal goals in order to take control of my own life. I entered Kingston High School in 1990 where I was their first student with a disability. As a person with a disability, I was constantly fighting against social perceptions, stigmas, attitudes and ignorance that made me feel like a social outcast. High school and college is a very crucial time during the teenage years as it is the fundamental foundation for students to map out which subjects they want to take, that will ultimately lead them to the right career pathway they wish to follow. Students have all the support and encouragement from their teachers and career councillors, in order to steer them
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