Resources
Sex and the NDIS: the Case That Has Everyone Talking
The Federal Court recently decided it was reasonable and necessary for an NDIS participant to receive funding for sex work. Sara digs into the must-read details of this fascinating ruling.
Autonomous cars could revolutionise transport for disabled people – if we change the way we design
The move towards driverless cars isn’t just a chance for people to relax at the wheel. It’s an opportunity to revolutionise personal transport in a way that offers life-changing benefits to people with disabilities.
Disability rights activist Haben Girma shares positive disabled stories via podcast
A conversation between Harvard Law School’s first deafblind graduate and the world’s first blind newsreader covers everything from advocacy to finding friends and dancing.
Why it is “reasonable and necessary” for the NDIS to support people’s sex lives
One major theme of COVID-19 media reporting has been stories of individuals craving physical contact and struggling with loneliness. But for some people with disability, this isn’t just the byproduct of a pandemic, it’s their everyday existence.
#BeThatPerson campaign
It’s all about social distancing and the challenges for the blind and low vision community. Guide dogs can’t read signs So if you notice someone with a white cane or a guide dog looking a little confused, please don’t just grab them on the arm. Say hi and ask if they need any help. Social distancing is difficult for everyone, so consider the challenges if you can’t see the markings on the floor, the new signs on the wall or the screens that have been installed.
‘We must act now’: Barriers uncovered for young people with disability
The Mission Australia Youth Survey has taken a disability lens to its data for the first time Young people with disability are more likely to report poor mental health and are twice as likely to have been bullied in the past year than young people without disability, according to data analysis from Mission Australia.
Disability Support Toolkit
The Disability Support Toolkit has resources for front line workers supporting people with disability who have been impacted by violence and abuse. The Toolkit is a result of the Disability Pathways Project, which aimed to improve responses for people with disability who have been impacted by sexual assault, domestic and family violence.
Disability advocates say the death of an Adelaide woman with cerebral palsy is proof the system is failing the most vulnerable. Ann Marie Smith was meant to receive around the clock in-home care but was instead left in the same chair for a year – with police describing her death as ‘disgusting and degrading’. How her condition went unnoticed for so long is now part of a criminal investigation.
Ann Marie Smith death prompts demand for answers from federal and state authorities
The Federal Government says it “wants answers” on the death of disability care recipient Ann Marie Smith in what police described as “degrading circumstances”, as pressure mounts on federal and state authorities to explain how her case was overlooked.
The tragic death of Ann-Marie Smith has shocked us all
The essence of human rights is the right of everyone to live a dignified life. A life with shelter, food, access to health care, safety, inclusion in the community and respect. As a community we should value human rights because we value people. People from all backgrounds, living circumstances and abilities. People like Ann-Marie. A police investigation is now underway, and Ann-Marie’s death has been declared a major crime.
NDIS investigating Ann Marie Smith’s death as Anglicare confirms carer was subcontracted
She died on April 6 from severe septic shock, multi-organ failure, severe pressure sores, malnutrition and issues connected with her cerebral palsy after being stuck in a cane chair for 24-hours-a-day for more than a year.
National Pain Survey
Closing date: May 31, 2020
This annual survey measures the experiences of people living with chronic pain in Australia. Your responses will help guide Chronic Pain Australia to make a positive difference to all Australians living with chronic pain. This year’s survey has a particular focus on how people with chronic pain are managing during the COVID-19 period – to learn about your interactions with GPs, Pharmacists, other health professionals in relation to the stigma around chronic pain as well as gain a more general view about what you need to better manage chronic pain.
Voluntary Board Directors x3
Chronic Pain Australia – the voice of people living with chronic pain, is currently seeking three qualified people to sit on its National Board. The Board of Chronic Pain Australia meets once every six weeks via teleconference and has Directors throughout Australia. A key element of this position will be to assist the Executive Director in the creation of donor and philanthropic partnerships in your state and contributing ideas to further broader awareness of Chronic Pain Australia. This position will also contribute to the wider high-level strategic and operational oversight of the organisation.
Advocacy Sector Conversations Forum July series
Due to CONVID-19, the Advocacy Conversations Forum in July is moving online. Because it’s hard to concentrate for extended periods on Zoom, the sessions will be spread across the week rather than one day of back to back sessions. You will need to register separately for each session you wish to attend. Here’s the line-up: … Continued