Tessa Deak- Arts and Advocacy

17/09/2023

Calling the autistic community of Mount Gambier 📞

The Government is looking to develop a strategy to ensure that autistic people have better access to services and opportunities throughout life.

To achieve this, they want to hear from the autistic community about their experiences and hear their ideas.

When: Thursday 21 September
Where: The Commodore, Mount Gambier

The government will be holding two events:

- National Autism Strategy Community Forum (9:30am – 12:00pm), is open to the autistic community, carers and the wider community who are interested in the Strategy

- Autistic Voices Forum (1:00pm – 2:30pm), is only open to autistic people to provide a safe space to contribute to the development of the National Autism Strategy

Register for the National Autism Strategy Community Forum here: https://events.humanitix.com/national-autism-strategy-mount-gambier-community-forum

Register for the Autistic Voices Forum here: https://events.humanitix.com/mount-gambier-autistic-voices-forum

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[ID: a light blue/green background with a rainbow infinity symbol in the bottom left corner and a lightbulb in the shape of a brain in the bottom right corner. The Purple Orange logo in the top right corner. Text reads: National Autism Strategy Community Forum and Autistic Voices Forum. The Government want to hear from autistic people and their families to help develop a strategy designed to help autistic people across Australia have better opportunities in life. Thursday 21 September. The Commodore, Mount Gambier]

29/08/2023

Registrations for 5 September CLOSE SOON ⏰

Did you know? 1 in 5 individuals in Australia are living with disability.

Are you ready to make a real impact in your organisation? Join us for a transformative experience in the Limestone Coast!

We're thrilled to invite you to one of our FREE in-person Disability Inclusion Training sessions! 🌈

September 5 2023 1:30PM - 4:30PM
Highlander Restaurant
William Macintosh Motor Lodge & Highlander Restaurant
20 Stewart Terrace, Naracoorte SA 5271

September 19 2023 9:30PM - 12:30PM
City Hall - The Riddoch Arts & Cultural Centre
1 Bay Road, Mount Gambier SA 5290

Attendees are not required to attend both sessions as they will contain the same content.

During these 3-hour sessions, you'll dive deep into fostering inclusivity and accessibility.

What makes our program unique? It's crafted and delivered by facilitators who are not just experts but also local residents of Mt Gambier living with disabilities! This means you'll gain invaluable insights from those who truly understand the challenges and triumphs of inclusivity in our community.

Your journey towards a more inclusive future starts right here in the heart of Limestone Coast!

Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/limestone-coast-disability-inclusion-training-1

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[ID: light blue background with two people smiling at the camera at the bottom. The left is wearing an orange top, glasses and has short brown hair. The right is wearing a red top, wears glasses and has long curly light brown hair. Purple Orange and DIT logo at the top. Text reads: Disability inclusion training. Registrations close soon. Tuesday 5 September 1:30 - 4:30pm. Highlander restaurant. 20 Stewart tce, Naracoorte.]

13/08/2023

Two days until applications open for the JFA Noske Christmas Grants 🎄

Do you:
- Want to wow family and friends with Christmas lunch or dinner?
- Buy gifts for friends, family and loved ones?
- Look to decorate your home and celebrate the jolly season with some fancy decorations, lights or other holiday decorations?

Then the Noske grant is there to help make your holiday dreams a reality!

If you’re an individual living with physical disability, acquired brain injury or degenerative neurological condition, live in SA and are over 18, you can apply for a chance to be awarded up to $150 to spend on holiday related purchases!

For more information, head over to the Purple Orange website here: https://www.purpleorange.org.au/what-we-do/our-grants/noske-grant

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[ID: A white marble background with golden Christmas ornaments on the right. A golden snowflake with the number 2 on the left. Purple Orange logo in bottom right corner. Text reads: Noske Grant. If you're an individual living with disability, apply for a chance to be awarded a grant to spend on holiday related purchases]

14/07/2023

As Australians we all have a right to have a say about how the country is run and who by. Politics and voting are important ways for people to have a say.

Sadly, there are also many barriers for people with cognitive disabilities to be able to fully participate in politics and voting.

Inclusion Australia is working with organisations from around Australia and internationally for the Political Inclusion National Summit 2023.

Led by Inclusion Designlab and Melbourne University, this is a free two-day online conference for:

- People with an intellectual disability
- People with a brain injury
- Other people who need support to learn about politics and voting
- Supporters, advocates and researchers.

At the summit:

- People with disability and experts will talk about politics and inclusion.
- We will talk together about good ideas about inclusion and make a plan.

The Summit takes place on 14-15 August 2023.

To get your free tickets or to find out more visit: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/political-inclusion-national-summit-2023-tickets-662203878627

You can also download and share the attached flyers, including in Easy Read: https://www.inclusionaustralia.org.au/political-inclusion-national-summit-2023/

Sharing for attention of Speak Out Association of Tasmania, South Australian Council on Intellectual Disability, VALID, Council for Intellectual Disability Parent to Parent Qld or Developmental Disability WA and Down Syndrome Australia too!

27/06/2023

Love to see it!

A Mount Gambier mum of two children who both live with neurodiversity, is working to bring more sensory sensitive events and activities to the neurodivergent community. 😍📽

Karmyn Smith was inspired by her 5-year-old son Linkin, who lives with autism, to organise a special movie screening of the Disney children’s movie Elemental at Mount Gambier’s Oatmill Cinema.

“Being able to have lower audio is super important and the lower lighting – some children don’t want to be in pitch dark… I feel we really need more things like this in the community,” Karmyn said.

“My whole drive behind this session was to have that village, that sense of understanding that everybody in there is living and breathing the same journey – there isn’t those judgements or stares coming from other parents.

“This is an amazing opportunity for children living with neurodiversity and I hope that it’s the start of many more fun and inclusive activities in our community.”

💡😊 Karmyn said the cinema’s sensory session is a safe supportive space for children young and old to come together with lowered lighting, lowered audio, and the freedom to stim, dance, sing and move as much as they like.

📌 Tickets are on sale today with bookings suggested to secure seating. The event will be held on Sunday, 2nd July at 10:30am.
Sign up to the ABC South East SA newsletter for more local news. https://ab.co/SouthEastSANewsletter

09/04/2023

Pauline Hanson’s One Nation video.

Seeing a video posted on a public platform for the world to see, being so comfortably and outwardly ableist and hateful left me unable to sleep and it took me a few days to find the words to describe how I’m feeling.

I’m not new to politics, I understand the manipulation, the sharing of bent truths, and the undermining of anything and everything.
However, as a disability advocate who spends many hours in their personal and professional life educating non disabled people on disability best practice, it was heart wrenching to see a video so blatantly against everything we are working towards- and remain up for several days despite being condemned by the biggest disability organisations in Australia, being asked to take it down, and to issue and apology.

The disability community are deserving of rights. The rights to live, work, and play just as everyone else does. The right to be supported to live the life we choose.
Yet we’ve been receiving backlash about the NDIS ever since it begun. Constant articles, arguments, and political plays trying to pit the taxpayer against the NDIS because “look how much it’s costing you!”. Rarely do they mention the investment it is- and how much good comes out of it. It’s a huge investment into the economy, considering it sets up more work and workers for the disabled and non-disabled community. It gives more opportunity to spend money and support business and services.

Now we all know it’s far from perfect, in fact it’s theoretically still in its toddler stages. Many people aren’t able to access the NDIS without substantial trouble, and keeping the supports you need can take massive efforts. Many people are left behind by the scheme, though apparently the aim was always to help a specific subset of the disability community, which is why it’s struggling to keep up with the demand of the whole.
It had needed a revision of what is absolutely necessary for our community, and that is currently underway. So count me cautiously hopeful that it may do more, and be better, for my communities.

However, seeing it be labeled a “scam” , aided by several ableist “jokes” was humiliating, degrading, and beyond hurtful.
Here is a huge platform, supposedly priming themselves as leaders of Australia- trying to belittle one of the biggest marginalised groups in the world.
I understand it’s supposed to be satire, but satire should aim up- not down.

Need I remind you how many people experience disability?

Do we need to constantly explain that it can happen to anyone- at any time?
What support would you want for yourself, your parent, your child, your best friend if disability became a huge part of life.
How would you want to be treated?
We’re sick of being treated with disrespect over and over, and people acting or portraying that we’re a burden on society.
The burden is having small minded, backwards thinkers having a big mouth and a big platform.

04/03/2023

Please submit your experiences- a huge overhaul is needed.
I get treated differently each time I fly, some good experiences, but some really dehumanising ones too.
I’ve had to sit for over an hour (sometimes far longer than an hour) waiting for a flight in a transit chair, unable to get myself to a toilet or any shops.
Recently I was charged $70 excess baggage to being my wheelchair home. My legs are not luggage! If their logic was correct and my 14kg manual wheelchair came under my 15kg baggage allowance, I would’ve only been allowed 1kg if clothes to bring with me.
I’ve been treated kindly with respect and dignity, but also pushed, pulled, called a wheelchair and treated like an object.
We deserve better. Time for travel to be accessible and humane for everyone.

Are you someone who uses a wheelchair that has flown on a plane recently? Spinal Cord Injuries Australia would like to hear about your experiences.

Take the air travel survey here: https://customervoice.microsoft.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=Sk55ENGo8kq19WA6t_MAGz79KkcdH2dIqyxerY6xFsRUME9RRlBTODBGNjNGM1pZTk1KS0s5NU1OUS4u

[Image description: Image from below of a plane flying against a blue sky with clouds in it.]

28/02/2023

I have loved being part of this program! ❤️ (heart emoji)
Congratulations to my fellow participants, and to CYDA for the wonderful delivery.

21/02/2023