9 minute read
Down Write Brilliant Helping children with Down syndrome
Dressing up to go to the ball
By Andrew Oswin
Andrew Oswin at this year's Unforgetaball
I attended the Unforgetaball 2019 at the Hornby Working Men’s Club. It is for families and friends of people with intellectual disabilities. It is about networking with other families and friends, having fun, dancing, singing, and having fun. Everyone all got dressed up all in their finery and had many photo opportunities. We welcomed back a band called, 'Girl From Mars', who once again played and sang for us at the ball. I had many dances with a number of lovely ladies and I got to dance to I Want To Break Free, Updown Funky Monkey, Tonight Is Going To Be A Good Night and one of my favourite songs Mamma Mia. A light supper got provided and the caterers brought the food out to the tables so that everyone could help themselves. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the organisers Linda Te Kaat and Tania Grose for organising the Unforgetaball once again, which is one of the highlights for the year, as well as the decorators and photographers, the Hornby Working Men’s Club Sports Hall Staff for hiring the venue, the band Girl From Mars and a very special thank to everyone who attended. I really enjoyed it!
What an Unforgetaball Night…
By Gabriel Beyer
I went to the Unforgetaball. I picked out the clothes I wanted to wear. I wore some nice shoes with some trousers and a nice shirt. I also wore a tie. When I arrived,I hugged Marinda. I told her she looked gorgeous. There was some dancing with some party music. We also had supper. After that we did some more dancing. Everybody got changed into nice clothes; ladies wearing dresses; men wearing suits and tuxedoes. There was an area where we could put our faces in a frame and get our photo taken. We had a ball last night: an Unforgetaball!
Earning respect in the Wellington dojo
By Debbie Howard
The Down Right Dragons is a karate class for people with Down syndrome. The class is held every Sunday morning at the Wellington Seido, Brooklyn Dojo. It was started in 2008 by Maria Borshevsky, a Black belt in karate and a mum with a child who has Down syndrome, but when she started the class, it was not for her babe in arms but for others who have Down syndrome. Maria went on to have another baby so handed the class over to other Black belt instructors. My son Dan has attended right from the very start. It has been amazing to see his confidence and capability grow over the years. In October last year, he had another grading, achieving his Green Belt. To watch a grading is a very emotional and humbling experience. The dojo is full of energy and amazing vibes. To actually be doing the grading must be an incredible feeling for the participants and Dan takes it very seriously. Dan joins an exercise class for half an hour before his regular Down Right Dragons class, the exercise class is open to anyone who attends other classes in the dojo so he gets to experience working out with a range of people of various ages and abilities, including some amazing Black belts, giving him lots to aspire to. While I am allowed to watch the exercise class, Dan prefers me to not be in the dojo for the main class, when he is learning his Kata. After getting told off by him for talking, saying “mum I'm trying to concentrate here”, it was decided that myself and the other parents would go off for coffee, while the class was on. This has proved to be a great time for all, as we have a chat over a drink and share the ups and downs of our lives.
Seido is a style of karate open to anyone, regardless of age or ability. With an emphasis on personal, individual development, Seido focuses on the capabilities of each person, encouraging everyone to see where their abilities can take them. Seido is what is practiced at the Brooklyn dojo making it a very special place, as are the people that attend and instruct the classes. Seido translates as ‘sincere way’ and has as its cornerstone the three principles of love, respect and obedience. That is exactly what we get at the dojo.
Dragons Daniel Howard gets green belt
Megan scores a try in rugby debut
By Joanna Holden
After four years as "camp mother" keeping the Roncalli College girls' rugby team hydrated, a Timaru 16-year-old with Down syndrome has made her debut on the field. Meghan Phillips burst into tears when her mother told her she would be donning yellow and blue stripes for the final five minutes of an hour-long match against visiting school Prebbleton on Friday. "I'm a wee bit nervous," Meghan said, ahead of the 3pm game. While the Roncalli College Year 12 student was "rugby-mad", she had only ever played the sport with her brother - so she enjoyed her first time practising and warming up with a team. "I like playing rugby with all the girls." Although her team lost, Meghan scored the game's final try - ploughing through half a field of opponents to ground the ball. Meghan also got a shock when she learned her father and brother had travelled from Christchurch to watch her big moment, and sprinted over to them for a reunion after the game. Roncalli girls coach Brad Sandri said Meghan had been getting water to the players and tees to the kickers since starting at the school four years ago, and was "a bit of a general camp mother". "She keeps everyone sorted. They're never thirsty," Sandri said. "She's definitely vocal on the sideline. She's 110 per cent their biggest supporter. You [Meghan] always point out when the referee is in the wrong." Sandri decided to slot Meghan into the team for the end-of-season match because she was "always asking" and he wanted to reward her "passion and commitment to the team". "I just enjoy seeing her smile and being happy. It must be like Christmas," he said. "If I can make it happen for her again, I will." He said Meghan's teammates did not treat her "any different" for her disability. "They give her s..t and she gives as good as she gets. She's funny as." Another rugby fanatic with Down syndrome recently in the spotlight was Zara Barrett, 16-year-old sister of All Blacks stars Beauden, Scott, and Jordie. The Barrett brothers shared their sister's story to raise awareness about the disability, which causes delays in development and learning, and the education trust UpsideDowns.
Copyright: Stuff
The Strive team
By Andrew Oswin
STRIVE works on Advocacy Message for people with Down Syndrome Recently, I attended a STRIVE funshop at the Sudima Airport Hotel in the Garden City of Christchurch. It was held over two days and I got to catch up with my STRIVE friends that I have not seen for a while. We were mainly working on Progressing Research, Advocacy Message and Successive Planning. We have been reviewing the Friendship Research in which we had to interview 45 people with Down syndrome during 2018. We had some really good results and I found it very nail-biting such as sitting on the edge of the chair. We agreed for Zandra and Franco Vaccarino to go around Palmerston North to interview 10 more people to increase this research. At the moment, we are looking forward to putting out an Advocacy Message and to write a report for the Annual General Meeting but we will do this during August in Auckland. This will be a merging funshop with other selfadvocates who are coming from all over New Zealand. All of us got to write a report for Down Write Brilliant which we prepared. Dan te Kaat came to talk to us. He told us that the New Zealand Down Syndrome Association will be updating their website so that there will be a special page for us to let other people know about our history and supporting the New Zealand Down Syndrome Association. Coen Lammers had a discussion with us about what he does for CHAT 21, the quarterly journal, that gets sent all over New Zealand. He told us that it is for people with Down syndrome and their families. Everyone has the right to write their own articles, stories, experiences and interviews which they can put pictures in if they would like to. I like advocating for people with Down syndrome for eleven years since 2008 and being a member of STRIVE for seven years since 2012. I really enjoy being a great asset, leader, advocate, ambassador, role model and mentor to other people with Down syndrome in their communities. I have learned to use my advocacy skills to be a good mentor and role model towards the new selfadvocates who will be the future members of this national organisation. I would like to thank all of the support buddies and the generous support we have had from Zandra and Franco that they have given to us.
Andrew Oswin is the STRIVE Editorial Committee Member, Disability Consumer Consortium and Down Syndrome International Representative
Me & my job
By Joel Forman
Where do you work? McDonalds Sydenham in Christchurch How long have you been there? 2 years How many days a week do you work? Two days, Monday and Tuesday. What hours do you work? I start at 11am til 2pm, so three hours. How do you get to work? I bike or bus to work How did you get the job? Through Roger Walker and Tracy Jane from Skillwise. What are your duties? I clean the bathrooms and trays. I put the dishes away into the sink and I do the vacuuming in the playground and I also sweep the floors and I wipe the tables.
