tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40158171002501844752024-03-21T19:55:14.743-07:00Doodles and DribblesDebbie Chilton's Creative World - Doodles and Dribbles are the creative colours and words of Debbie Chilton as she seeks to assist the community to embrace diversity through her art and advocacy.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger341125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015817100250184475.post-58695055094223259492022-11-29T23:36:00.001-08:002022-11-30T00:06:40.157-08:00Business Matters <br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY9hpuxH_Fq_rZi5RPp98g12KMs0IlEf56gUvF7nZioapx9POHX8g2BF23ki4hSA2Muio0wmMBswGgJ5GoYmHuI_hhCkLgjQVN2Qt_428uaSQ--Cg765rmezzUG1u5MB__bSwZBjm9sB4_49vvMunwFN7weY5zUq6dE8xhC9CeywfwoENYJvXq_J8VQw/s4000/IMG20221119095154.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY9hpuxH_Fq_rZi5RPp98g12KMs0IlEf56gUvF7nZioapx9POHX8g2BF23ki4hSA2Muio0wmMBswGgJ5GoYmHuI_hhCkLgjQVN2Qt_428uaSQ--Cg765rmezzUG1u5MB__bSwZBjm9sB4_49vvMunwFN7weY5zUq6dE8xhC9CeywfwoENYJvXq_J8VQw/s320/IMG20221119095154.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">It's been a while since I last wrote a blog post. So, I thought remind my readers and tell my readers, who I am and a little about my business. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">My micro-business combines my passions, creative writing and publishing; visual art, I love working with a number of different mediums and advocacy. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkR3a-2GODPFUdVxKeqvTvLND2p79nlT9CbKS9Vd_exc5uCnL-v88JQ0tZbUb8j63KPk5T8PVzSK_GU_WSmA0VB-X6gMAn1ex6QCxY4gv0hJWyUh9mwyS_oUm0g_CDfqitVJiUTA35Nh_xvquGsx_0S2u2KFXyuOXHD2mU_UKdxTgjs5HSq_ZVkmzRw/s2048/187450563_160195919450305_6251718270338632539_n.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1686" data-original-width="2048" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkR3a-2GODPFUdVxKeqvTvLND2p79nlT9CbKS9Vd_exc5uCnL-v88JQ0tZbUb8j63KPk5T8PVzSK_GU_WSmA0VB-X6gMAn1ex6QCxY4gv0hJWyUh9mwyS_oUm0g_CDfqitVJiUTA35Nh_xvquGsx_0S2u2KFXyuOXHD2mU_UKdxTgjs5HSq_ZVkmzRw/s320/187450563_160195919450305_6251718270338632539_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">As an artist I am passionate about sharing my knowledge and skills with others; I enjoy teaching, making art with others, seeing others grow and using my artistic talent's to advocate for the needs and rights of disabled people. I count myself as privilege being a person of white colour and well educated (not that any of that matters). Although I only have a physical disability often people assume I have a intellectual disability or perhaps the just unsure of how to interact with someone with a speech disorder. My art has been exhibited in many galleries and art competitions. Including Drawing Point Gallery - Arttime in Brisbane St Ipswich, Ipswich Community Gallery; Bonnah Regional Art Gallery, Greaser Gallery in Fortitude Vallery, Several exhibits with Art From the Margins, and Off The Wall Gallery in Newtown Sydney. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">One of the most important things about being in business. If people don't know who I am, then their not going to buy my artwork. My professional memberships have included: <a href="https://www.artsconnectipswich.com.au/">Ipswich Arts Connect</a>; <a href="https://accessarts.org.au/">Access Arts</a>; </span><a href="https://accessarts.org.au/"><span style="font-size: large;">Arts Access Australia</span></a>; <a href="https://www.aspiregallery.com.au/"><span style="font-size: large;">Aspire Gallery</span></a>; <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFE8mgMHMULpojkQElS370zrnagcGI_IDocfcmuDeRas3eO1uenhiFgfT7q2fMfALSQpG6FZJ_6dgUo5_jOjLVexnkAkSbNZhG7zg0YDAr1GlQuIz-dYkoJHUVFzwiciqNt5kwViFWeniLM-ARU7hsl5RBvPHclvUzbJxtgJnz3WkS1UfzcHoU2eQ4WQ/s1178/Sign.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="884" data-original-width="1178" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFE8mgMHMULpojkQElS370zrnagcGI_IDocfcmuDeRas3eO1uenhiFgfT7q2fMfALSQpG6FZJ_6dgUo5_jOjLVexnkAkSbNZhG7zg0YDAr1GlQuIz-dYkoJHUVFzwiciqNt5kwViFWeniLM-ARU7hsl5RBvPHclvUzbJxtgJnz3WkS1UfzcHoU2eQ4WQ/s320/Sign.jpg" width="320" /></a>Society of Women Writer, Queensland Writer's Center; Ipswich Women in Business and Creative Ipswich. and now . . . Be Your Own Boss! Be your own boos, commence in 2020 and was to be a one event. Two years later, </span><span style="font-size: large;">we're still meeting growing and sharing our skills. BYOB is now a network of miro-business owners living with disabilities and we're ready to be joined by new business owners in 2023. For more information you can contact the Ipswich or Gold Coasts Carer's Queensland Officers. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Don't ask me for business advice, my brain is way to creative and full of ideas of things to create. My goals is not to make money but be part of a vibrate creative arts & cultural community in Ipswich and see other people with disabilities reach the full potentials. Employers have missed out on some pretty amazing talent, please continue to watch us grow as business owners and artists.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Current my hand painted or printed cards are available at Artsmith's Arttime and Dingley Dell Art Gallery has a selection of my work.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />s</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015817100250184475.post-18989417019053604022022-04-27T05:43:00.001-07:002022-04-27T06:45:42.006-07:00Does Every Australia Count<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0adKdGuic-piTLNjaJ0qjcB8HYAuC3ESpxM7PpJp_jI9B8c1JZgzUSGtkceye95UwtzTNFzJ2QXdUwJVLaa3o8MSGjGqjKGwmOnYL6k4wSIzQcJLZSeRlYue95-0oh0NPY_Y7RiTDWRTugK5dRb6fssVEmul6v2XIAldN_Is8nhX3fmT6j2ZQaa6SJQ/s960/don;t%20quit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0adKdGuic-piTLNjaJ0qjcB8HYAuC3ESpxM7PpJp_jI9B8c1JZgzUSGtkceye95UwtzTNFzJ2QXdUwJVLaa3o8MSGjGqjKGwmOnYL6k4wSIzQcJLZSeRlYue95-0oh0NPY_Y7RiTDWRTugK5dRb6fssVEmul6v2XIAldN_Is8nhX3fmT6j2ZQaa6SJQ/s320/don;t%20quit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><i>I had a dream where everyone in Australia was equal and everyone had the right to reach for that stars and have determination over their own destiny. </i>Presently for many minority groups in Australia this is not the case. As I reflect on the eve of another Every Australian Counts National Day of Action, I want to crawl into a ball and cry. </p><p>Today there are too many reminders that we as disable people are not value. I reflect this is also true of elderly Australians who built this country, but are mistreated, abused, taken advantage of, as other wait for them to die. While caregivers are put on a petals for the generous care given to others. I want to acknowledge in some cases this is genuinely deserve. </p><p>However in a free and demotic society, there shouldn't be a need for us and them terminology. We sing. '<i>we are one and free.'</i>. How I wish this was true. </p><p>Not all Australians have equal access to accommodation, medical care, education, nourishment, legal representation. Too many people with disabilities still have no voice, live in isolation, inadequate care, live or work in settings that put them in dangerous situations.</p><p>I remember speaking at the opening of the NDIS office, <i>I had a dream that one day that disable people were not seen or referred too as less fortunate. </i>Sadly the language in this federal election campaign highlights my dream has not been achieved. Many like myself hoped the NDIS would usher in a new era in support and services for people with disabilities in Australia.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9GTU7DsUzaeEo26NbAYXWBDDZBejn1dwcf3-1RQcU8Mf8w7z9iqjXJhsv-Ms1rFW0HmpXZANU0mCLkkagbFSc5OlDHiQUnEqM3DRssKNj2_aUXgRM3clQmH6JVBZEgF1ScfRywW7veieSx2N9scL4o5Vho8JbxU_IdcS5sj34pHvQYV68S4-V91qfoQ/s2048/ndis%20opening%204%20fb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1150" data-original-width="2048" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9GTU7DsUzaeEo26NbAYXWBDDZBejn1dwcf3-1RQcU8Mf8w7z9iqjXJhsv-Ms1rFW0HmpXZANU0mCLkkagbFSc5OlDHiQUnEqM3DRssKNj2_aUXgRM3clQmH6JVBZEgF1ScfRywW7veieSx2N9scL4o5Vho8JbxU_IdcS5sj34pHvQYV68S4-V91qfoQ/s320/ndis%20opening%204%20fb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>If anything political language tells us we are weak, we are less and we are unaffordable. I felt very proud when Dylan Ascort was named Australian of the year and yet I chock when support workers call me inspirational because I simply seek a better life for myself and others.</p><p>Today, I feel cheated. I feel like my NDIS plan is a bank account for others to exploit. <i>Its Ok its money. Just pay the invoices'.' </i> However it becomes my money once my budget us expended and I am forced to<i> </i>pay for services and equipment, out of my wages and pension because companies and individuals put their greed before my welfare. </p><p>Today some asked to be paid $40 per hour to play scrabble. Because that person see my greatest need is for company. Well at present my reality is pay the going rate or remain not supported. This person wants to engage with me for five hours, I then need to find time to work at $38 per our; make sure my personal, business, and invoices are paid; ensure my budget is on tack, Prepare my own dinner because my workers son has COVID and I have not energy to deal with someone who sees me as the person who pays their bills.</p><p>Today I feel totally worthless. That another human wants $40 per hour, so they feel better, so they can eat. Today I must choose to let her go or receive less support, Today, I decide her assistance, good will or charity is not with it. Today I don't know if I have support Friday or Monday.</p><p>Today maybe the risk of contracting COVID and dying is worth the risk of feeling devalued and having my spirt crushed and my soul destroyed.</p><p>Today, I don't want to fight to make the NDIS work. I pray tomorrow the urge to fight for secured funding for all disable people will return. </p><p>Tomorrow's tip to the government and the NDIA put a stop to services that treat us like of plans are a bank account and they can make withdrawals at anytime .</p><p><b>Come on Australia we are better than this.</b><br /><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015817100250184475.post-23324815406042886982021-04-10T19:45:00.001-07:002021-04-10T19:45:49.672-07:00Finding Belonging Through Artbooks SD 480p<iframe style="background-image:url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/aUyUWmgGUXc/hqdefault.jpg)" width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/aUyUWmgGUXc" frameborder="0"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015817100250184475.post-91306798440167535752020-09-23T23:37:00.001-07:002020-09-23T23:37:18.444-07:00The power of sharing stories <p></p><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sharing Stories</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijwzyQQTKfRyDhXraJWxvw9druFVItMMhozGOEI4xub3nKkWgotreRnJpotqpX4nJ2YMZ97Z4HngZAxaAFfCHvZir_5qhq9_HvS07peVVgaID8eHIX5XexmzsD9SZoWIWC_w_BJqpdTjFb/s297/book+cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="297" data-original-width="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijwzyQQTKfRyDhXraJWxvw9druFVItMMhozGOEI4xub3nKkWgotreRnJpotqpX4nJ2YMZ97Z4HngZAxaAFfCHvZir_5qhq9_HvS07peVVgaID8eHIX5XexmzsD9SZoWIWC_w_BJqpdTjFb/s0/book+cover.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Image: a multi-coloured A3 size artbook the cover is over layer </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>with a coral pink print on a sea c</b><b>olour background,</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>with a hand-sized felt spider hanging from a bright </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>red button. The red button about the size of a 50 cent piece</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>is accompanied by 3 other identical buttons.</b></div><br /><p></p><p>Storytelling is what artists do best, whether it be written, spoken or through images. Storytelling follows a tradition of the First Nations People over thousands you years. Handed down through oral tradition music and dance. Using art to tell our individual and collective stories evokes an emotional response. These responses demand action. </p><p>All of us have been impacted by COVID-19 and we have had to change the way to do things in order to protect others and save lives. Working and learning online has become the new norm. This new norm continues to pose challenges for the deaf and disabled arts community. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigxxysyDj5SavlmwUkAwQmp3QfBWJD0OH6TxUqnNED5Gv__-wK3RgL8K2LiUKe64xrkllcfO-4V13JO-aNT_nFaKGn1_G06SwL1iDd1clRXrwRJl5mz1YkzBiythG-u79AFZL-qGsmtTre/s585/profile+photo+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="439" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigxxysyDj5SavlmwUkAwQmp3QfBWJD0OH6TxUqnNED5Gv__-wK3RgL8K2LiUKe64xrkllcfO-4V13JO-aNT_nFaKGn1_G06SwL1iDd1clRXrwRJl5mz1YkzBiythG-u79AFZL-qGsmtTre/s320/profile+photo+2.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Image: Artists standing with a life size stuffed scarecrow; in jeans and a blue and white check shirt. Likewise the female artist is dressed in blue tight and a white shirt dotted with tiny purple flowers. Her long hair is tied in a tight ponytail and she is wearing triose glasses. </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>One way I share my story is by participating in an Artists in Residency Program at local Kindergartens. One way to share my story is 'to live it'! Powerful storytelling needs to active</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>As artists the way we create and present work has impacted our incomes. Art in some from fills every areas of our lives, yet at the start of COVID the arts we almost wiped aside, While life without art is almost unimaginable, economic support for the arts sector had to be lobbed for. Most artists work on contract and gigs. By definition we are rarely employed for a period of 12 months. <div><br /></div><div>Visual artist like every other business lost physical space in the marked place as galleries and major exhibitions were cancelled. It is why many artist live me invested in upskilling to find new ways to get their work scene. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhipCFs4VZ4dxNnyLATqMWzX3Em4z2aT-jV-uCmVB2lM3GUtC15lDM6nAUj50isB4T_f9rReleCebgat31z3j_Yo0NU4YOne4wElfNaClOd6fX-OYYsT525-udYewyB_cOsYWX8615MpUoI/s480/create+space.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhipCFs4VZ4dxNnyLATqMWzX3Em4z2aT-jV-uCmVB2lM3GUtC15lDM6nAUj50isB4T_f9rReleCebgat31z3j_Yo0NU4YOne4wElfNaClOd6fX-OYYsT525-udYewyB_cOsYWX8615MpUoI/s320/create+space.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><p>While kindy was cancelled and one by one competitions and group exhibition were also cancelled. I was able to present an artwork online through a gallery I work with in Brisbane and participate in webinars online to explore new ways to present and promote my work,</p><p>Unlike the majority of artists I was successful in applying for funding for both a digital project and physical project for the next 12 months. While many artists seek specific funding for artists living with disabilities, I am able to successfully compete for mainstream funding. I believe this makes my story even more powerful. I work in the mainstream artists community, while advocating for the development of inclusive art spaces. </p><p>This was a discussion held at this weeks Meeting Place. Creating social change in the arts community demands we find powerful ways to tell our stories. Social change in the arts and disability sector requires advocating in two ways:-</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Advocating for changes in accessibility to the arts and the community in general. Many deaf and disable artists feel unsupported and undervalued. On average and artist living with disability earns 40% as their peers. Characters and therefore performs with disabilities are underrepresented and when a character is disabled roles are still offered to able-bodied people. Under representation in theatre, film and television remains for all those who are disadvantaged. These statistics increase the difficulties in telling our stories in a genuine and powerful way. Stella Young often spoke of disability prawn, where disable people were labelled as inspirational for something as simple as having a job. We still struggle to loosen the chains of tokenism. Yet we also struggle as disabled people to have our needs meet. Both forms of advocacy are required because the general perception we are less. </li><li>Advocating for the arts in general; COVID 19 has provided a stark illustration of how the arts is valued in terms of the Australian economy the arts was dismasted by the impact of COVID. Most artists are engaged on contracts and not eligible for job keeper or job seeker. Their was not assistance for the industry until the industry advocated for a lifeline. Though the arts employ more people than the sporting world it was the world that tugged at the hearts of governments and general public. The arts is one of the last industries to be opened up in a COVID plan. Many are unware of what a world looks like without arts. Television, movies, theater, music events and venues, dance companies and art galleries all closed for business and COVID still makes it difficult for some companies to operate. Once again in times of economic struggle support for the arts us warned. </li></ol>Disable artists are in a constant battle on all fronts. Both sectors are seen by politicians as optional extras and for many years the Liberal Government referred to the NDIS as a scheme that Australia couldn't afford, yet even with the scheme fully operationally it was able to bring back the budget in to surplus. People struggled to comprehend the value disabled people added to the economy. Little has been said about how or why the scheme was delivered millions of dollars underbudget and this was a key factor in the budget returning to surplus. </div><div><br /></div><div>The sharing of stories is how many majority groups have created change. Including slavery, women, rights of First Nations Peoples, LAGBT and more. Stories is what gives social issue a face, however that face needs to present the facts as they are. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent.fbne5-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/116900385_3143155982434845_724682851942226965_o.jpg?_nc_cat=104&_nc_sid=9267fe&_nc_ohc=Ye_4pTmC8TwAX8iGxSB&_nc_ht=scontent.fbne5-1.fna&oh=d98861e27c9ff0de09bf5fe2ff41061d&oe=5F9091CC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://scontent.fbne5-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/116900385_3143155982434845_724682851942226965_o.jpg?_nc_cat=104&_nc_sid=9267fe&_nc_ohc=Ye_4pTmC8TwAX8iGxSB&_nc_ht=scontent.fbne5-1.fna&oh=d98861e27c9ff0de09bf5fe2ff41061d&oe=5F9091CC" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <br /><p></p><p>Telling my own story can play a powerful role in creating social change. At the core of my heart practice is the fight for an inclusive arts cultural. I like to see myself as a pioneer, as I seek to work in the mainstream arts community. My work is rarely addressing disability issues and work closely with the Drawing Point Gallery in Ipswich and Aspire Gallery in Brisbane, I also am part of the Brisbane Rotary International Art Spectular each year and can hold my own in the open art market.</p><p>Creating art is the most powerful way I can tell my story to create social change and yet I have to struggle to ensure it is visual in the art landscape of Australia. I urge all deaf and disable people to tell their stories, in the most powerfully. But to do it authentically, don't let people hail you as a hero. Let them see your daily struggles and your pain. Tell it like it is. </p><p>Thank you to Arts Access Australia for letting me tell my story at the <a href="https://www.meetingplaceforum.org/program/#:~:text=In%202020%2C%20the%20Meeting%20Place%20program%20will%20be,for%20live%20viewing%20or%20on-demand%2C%20where%20content%20allows." target="_blank">2020 Meeting Place</a></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015817100250184475.post-17413415535148616622020-08-29T20:03:00.001-07:002020-08-29T20:03:30.667-07:00Access issues in the digital world <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPr3S6wVKVFNNFXCOjkd88SPAeKYzXN-DIC6N9kdkHK_YQ7fJlg6r2QARju3yjZmcEbEHY04ROLp5cExVmR2HcaHzN-vs5psi5xEkIM4sxMzhzi0oNJsd4aLXVyWMksocBnF5-4tvyuEMo/s480/118513465_317472296240083_6154248506810552034_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPr3S6wVKVFNNFXCOjkd88SPAeKYzXN-DIC6N9kdkHK_YQ7fJlg6r2QARju3yjZmcEbEHY04ROLp5cExVmR2HcaHzN-vs5psi5xEkIM4sxMzhzi0oNJsd4aLXVyWMksocBnF5-4tvyuEMo/s0/118513465_317472296240083_6154248506810552034_n.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>image description: </b>9 screen shots of a women of European decent, taken from ZOOM recording. The images are taken from different segments of a visual arts workshops on introduction to art books. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was introduce to the concept of inclusive art practices in 2013, when I attended the first <a href="https://www.meetingplaceforum.org/product/registrations" target="_blank">Meeting Place</a> in Hobart hosted by <a href="https://artsaccessaustralia.org" rel="nofollow">Arts Access Australia</a> The world of 'live captioning' and audio description were terms soon being incorporated into my vocabary as I embarked on a seven year journey.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In a few weeks I will be presenting at 2020 Meeting Place, where being discussed is the topic of <i>CREATE SPACES.</i> What does that mean for me and what will that look like for a world facing a paramedic. Travel restrictions mean we cannot 'meet' in a physical space.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Working on <a href="https://www.meetingplaceforum.org/artists-presenters/debbie-chilton/" rel="nofollow">My Presentation</a> has been an interesting process, having never presented digitally before, or need to arrange accessible technology to accompany my presentation.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5v120H7AS1KROwsz9pIgNqfsAhmZDXQnz7aP3cIkh4e_mfUAPZxP45jycpRnWJzsHXKihMi-NQQUBAKrEjkYdvspR-XoUU8v2h9GYF4M1wn8yL8wfTBEv73uPZ3MENMOnC_0ASokS3dS4/s1904/Chilton+Profile+Photo+2020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1601" data-original-width="1904" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5v120H7AS1KROwsz9pIgNqfsAhmZDXQnz7aP3cIkh4e_mfUAPZxP45jycpRnWJzsHXKihMi-NQQUBAKrEjkYdvspR-XoUU8v2h9GYF4M1wn8yL8wfTBEv73uPZ3MENMOnC_0ASokS3dS4/w410-h344/Chilton+Profile+Photo+2020.jpg" width="410" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>image description: Lady of European descent sitting in a manual wheelchair. She wars her hair in a single braded point tail and is wearing glasses on her face. </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i>"Create Space"</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>"This is the space where the images in my mind meet the reality of the space </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>in which I am creating."</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Debs-Digital-Den-111734940624078" rel="nofollow">Debs Digital Den</a> </i>occurs when I take my creative practice into the online world. <br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i>This project throws up new challengers everyday. Just like in my own life I am overcoming the challengers one by one</i></b></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015817100250184475.post-55488199620446160762020-08-24T22:41:00.003-07:002020-08-24T22:41:43.409-07:00Challenges of going digital<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii96ofeQQ3BWr1ikR_mVa_ORp-d2pDhe4VVmcGNehZh4sNTirfUXir-AgjteKz9AORkJ9SJf4UQwgXUZ8OKaq0S7azJIChN4K0hleZjW2ib3-LV3KU1QIKAGWfNLkPPozplOcqY3kwcsX1/s1280/DEN+COVER+B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii96ofeQQ3BWr1ikR_mVa_ORp-d2pDhe4VVmcGNehZh4sNTirfUXir-AgjteKz9AORkJ9SJf4UQwgXUZ8OKaq0S7azJIChN4K0hleZjW2ib3-LV3KU1QIKAGWfNLkPPozplOcqY3kwcsX1/w512-h288/DEN+COVER+B.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There have been a few challengers in <b><i>building my online presence.</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Firstly new platforms to learn to navigate - for my workshops I have been learning to use zoom and photography tips at the same time. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-UzRudZE_XGpkaX3Sp2BqTl20MAmdNiVDsCOjIa88INgUbuBwEaPaRUjDEE9mdfKaznbKzsyL7iWpEEt-YUq3fwbta8K8SAHoHZpmwKyjVOnOMSybSeZ3bVcFCxju8usckRFgLipyFX4g/s959/117888314_10158785207081385_2254305393781928145_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="959" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-UzRudZE_XGpkaX3Sp2BqTl20MAmdNiVDsCOjIa88INgUbuBwEaPaRUjDEE9mdfKaznbKzsyL7iWpEEt-YUq3fwbta8K8SAHoHZpmwKyjVOnOMSybSeZ3bVcFCxju8usckRFgLipyFX4g/w512-h385/117888314_10158785207081385_2254305393781928145_o.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Teaching on ZOOM!</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWMGaQhyF_85BAV1dG7EQ_tH0MskGjskOR9VQSnqprC8rjk8kzCMu2G08cqBZfoRYePqO2_rrTrNnlIh1tPlQlT6Cx2O8EpTWdlZWfHj5DvbY3nDwGmiFYi4PYpfZDlV2l96sBoGATFUT4/s960/118121243_10158785205646385_6760847622666039863_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWMGaQhyF_85BAV1dG7EQ_tH0MskGjskOR9VQSnqprC8rjk8kzCMu2G08cqBZfoRYePqO2_rrTrNnlIh1tPlQlT6Cx2O8EpTWdlZWfHj5DvbY3nDwGmiFYi4PYpfZDlV2l96sBoGATFUT4/w512-h384/118121243_10158785205646385_6760847622666039863_o.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Technical Studio Set Up - Camera angles and lighting </i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i> </i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-pj2dm-yt51XkNqTpjAayWaRJF-sxIToaAKgMqwaQTvq2uF7fuyVAilEk30NPQv74PHsj6e7yIHjhmhrDGKFyAsa0_jyQT3TZRiuS1kxkJUw6Qz7qtPqAFFX5ZzswPXEL87FyUKH96XJ/s1280/artwork+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-pj2dm-yt51XkNqTpjAayWaRJF-sxIToaAKgMqwaQTvq2uF7fuyVAilEk30NPQv74PHsj6e7yIHjhmhrDGKFyAsa0_jyQT3TZRiuS1kxkJUw6Qz7qtPqAFFX5ZzswPXEL87FyUKH96XJ/w512-h288/artwork+3.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <b><i>Researching and navigating virtual art galleries and choosing the right platform for my artwork.</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7G9b0sUHG-qGSaaSoh-PUoTP184vfIPwdBnx9YokgjMH3yJcGpLGCCAtlCtAWoBHMYgJZIgK4RQTzws8FHlLP_E6w7i-T_8iQWW3CfMWgBoMjC4noPA3fU_6lJlSK3N3PS0OHm_Kh6SRh/s863/my+dog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="863" height="349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7G9b0sUHG-qGSaaSoh-PUoTP184vfIPwdBnx9YokgjMH3yJcGpLGCCAtlCtAWoBHMYgJZIgK4RQTzws8FHlLP_E6w7i-T_8iQWW3CfMWgBoMjC4noPA3fU_6lJlSK3N3PS0OHm_Kh6SRh/w512-h349/my+dog.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>The right communication for the different people I am working with.</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikVswCuABOaQ5z4USHy88OFI2mtoLGkbQhVGHVC_DSMHCRTNiZhAoZVmPXBHOznTKVHgmN-8hJjWqNbMZVPE6ktWZUZsJcEwl-B0Rh5ruiSPqn4489Esen3kdbIumypYxW-clLrDQGZ8Uo/s960/117640614_10158780110576385_5201131118594530706_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikVswCuABOaQ5z4USHy88OFI2mtoLGkbQhVGHVC_DSMHCRTNiZhAoZVmPXBHOznTKVHgmN-8hJjWqNbMZVPE6ktWZUZsJcEwl-B0Rh5ruiSPqn4489Esen3kdbIumypYxW-clLrDQGZ8Uo/w512-h384/117640614_10158780110576385_5201131118594530706_n.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><b><br /></b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Technology and Access Needs for Deaf and Disable Artists</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Stay Turned to see how I meet these challengers!</b></div><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015817100250184475.post-44918359295994804932020-08-23T18:53:00.001-07:002020-08-23T18:56:30.607-07:00Going Digital<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgna_wSqHmRc9dV1Ht8P-lsvSj8IhG-KvGt4b-xkFEIgjjprII6UkS5v-nkPC38ntLkBUUHSPBVToxzSN5PJDrjmdzwJq2J2uiDsjOdLISLUdeMFWPXNcZkJrxqrs9G-gWSg42KbFKSGRlp/s1280/DEN+COVER+B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgna_wSqHmRc9dV1Ht8P-lsvSj8IhG-KvGt4b-xkFEIgjjprII6UkS5v-nkPC38ntLkBUUHSPBVToxzSN5PJDrjmdzwJq2J2uiDsjOdLISLUdeMFWPXNcZkJrxqrs9G-gWSg42KbFKSGRlp/w512-h288/DEN+COVER+B.jpg" width="512" /></a></div> <p></p><p>During the pandemic our lives have changed and most of use have been studying, training or working online. Digital platforms have become the new way to check in with family and friends. ZOOM, facebook rooms and google meeting, is where we're likely to me these days, rather than at a local shopping center. </p><p>While were home 'saving lives' the state and federal government want to keep the economy going and hopefully growing again soon. The Queensland Government had some arts grants available as part of its recovery and I successfully applied for one to build my digital skills and presence online. </p><p>My project is called Deb's Digital Den - most of the action has been happening on FACEBOOK AND ZOOM.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibAJ6TbHKbLLfm6ZndxF9je8OJhSOZdfLuE_XmtGOkEg2JOAX97evPFpPsSY_GHjK9gqD7fuqodo3dWt1BgdSVRt_dc-b09f5ICIE1sEAcOUOfvlcue2Zk7RI_T2htCSoZJqYQLwuL-3u2/s959/117888314_10158785207081385_2254305393781928145_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="959" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibAJ6TbHKbLLfm6ZndxF9je8OJhSOZdfLuE_XmtGOkEg2JOAX97evPFpPsSY_GHjK9gqD7fuqodo3dWt1BgdSVRt_dc-b09f5ICIE1sEAcOUOfvlcue2Zk7RI_T2htCSoZJqYQLwuL-3u2/w512-h385/117888314_10158785207081385_2254305393781928145_o.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>The objectives of the project art too:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Showcase my artwork online</li><li>Prepare resources for early childhood educators</li><li>Present to Artists Living with disabilities</li></ul><div>To date I have been using ZOOM to develop my presentation skills and workshop content.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcibw4h3N0ZTiQp7xLgTuOCWcJWzi7L5b6UKNud1Z0nJJpvrOe7RnTzqrlVvIxvJ5PMY8nzepHpK0IrH358qCGJyY9WCm8Bbou22hqboK8LnZBqvIxULsigXb7OaIi1c2GmomaxT2D3661/s1280/Intro+to+artbooks.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcibw4h3N0ZTiQp7xLgTuOCWcJWzi7L5b6UKNud1Z0nJJpvrOe7RnTzqrlVvIxvJ5PMY8nzepHpK0IrH358qCGJyY9WCm8Bbou22hqboK8LnZBqvIxULsigXb7OaIi1c2GmomaxT2D3661/w512-h288/Intro+to+artbooks.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I have also finished drafting some resources for early childhood educators </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-4tEIb8HbqVzxZJyklCg-UArpZ1JjumJgyylL1oJ9UGVhl7Aj7I6w8hT_WwsucJBhNgdu3QDzZmZ0xy-PhwukCQab6UnoUnEaevBTT9eQv5MvyVE6h_OtZqX7Ja8NZVIbnTW9vR1hlmKy/s543/workshops.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="543" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-4tEIb8HbqVzxZJyklCg-UArpZ1JjumJgyylL1oJ9UGVhl7Aj7I6w8hT_WwsucJBhNgdu3QDzZmZ0xy-PhwukCQab6UnoUnEaevBTT9eQv5MvyVE6h_OtZqX7Ja8NZVIbnTW9vR1hlmKy/s0/workshops.PNG" /></a></div> </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Please drop me a line if you'd like more information. </b></div><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015817100250184475.post-51646929305764197842019-12-22T22:00:00.001-08:002019-12-22T22:00:48.617-08:002019 Reflections<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><i><span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">Merry Christmas</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">from me to you.</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This year I have deliberately set out to be actively thank-you. Social media is full of negativity and judgment. So it was my goal to post something to be thankful for each day, so I too wouldn't be drawn into this negativity. Everyday I found much to be thankful for. I live in a country where living in proverty may mean you have a home and a car. I am grateful hold objects close tomy heart and in so many ways as a disable person my life is blessed and all my medical needs are meet. This would not be the case if I lived in India or the US. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My position of privilege was brought home to me, during my recent trip to Canberra. I was very blessed to receive a Arts Access Australia Travel Grant along with a RADF grant to attend the 2019 Meeting Place. One of the themes of the conference was<i> Disability Pride</i>, something I have struggled with given I have visible disabilities. These disabilities that can be seen by others, strangely enough, are not the imparements that disable me the most. Rather it is my hidden imparements that are the most disabling. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My benine brain tumor I now refer to as "Alice", causes more havoc than anyone realizes. I finally have found the right medication, diet and lifestyle to live a very active life. I am very thankful for the appointed meeting with a doctor in the emergency department in a Sydney hospital who named my condition as 'Todds Syndrome', I have not been back to the ED for that since that day. I now managed to keep myself well hydrated and my seizures confined to night time or time of illness. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">The discussion on disability pride was a difficult topic to get my head around. However, as a result of attending the meeting place I now see the need for a collective identity as artists to ensure we have access to participation in the arts, professional opportunities and representation at leadership level. Only artist identifying as disable can know the true struggle we face as artists living with disabilities. Just as indigenous Australians have found their voice, we need to find our voice. The landscape and the language in the arts and disability community varies, as a Queensland I struggle, at times I feel unaccepted as a professional artists. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Few Queenslanders are serious about empowering people with servre to profound disables or mental health issues to live and actively participate in community life. At best we are seen as passive participants and at worst a trouble maker. Good thing I love being in trouble. The question remains 'how to opens people eyes' to see the true protental of disable Queenslanders. I am having work accepted by major competitions, proving disability even when motor function is affected is no barrier. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I am privilege to have a voice and be well educated in a number of disciplines. I has a good grasp of my rights and although difficult at times I can speak and will speak my mind. People with disabilities must not be limited to art for well being or disability support provides as a means to participating to the arts. I am yet to discover how to open this road block. To protect people with disabilities from criticism and failure is to deny them choice, empowerment and a chance to shine by creating artwork that competes at the same level as their able body peers. </span><span style="font-size: large;">If I chose to follow others working in the field to move interstate where I am seen as an artist in my own right? Who is going to keep stirring the pot and making waves in Queensland. I have not choice but continue to show Queenslanders what is possible when an individual's art practice becomes inclusive of all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My improvement in health is one of the things I been most thankful</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ULRN6_DNog3QBhmjZWLH1YJzn5CB1Kx5yIOMV-8Nj3g8oQoL-MYAMowmqewI5apn57gCuohsLG8QgLxyL4MMSe284w6R7braPuGEDevZ49QLsrGdXFKsyuFeS31OoCqx6TKvm6_XMAEi/s1600/IMG20191205130323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ULRN6_DNog3QBhmjZWLH1YJzn5CB1Kx5yIOMV-8Nj3g8oQoL-MYAMowmqewI5apn57gCuohsLG8QgLxyL4MMSe284w6R7braPuGEDevZ49QLsrGdXFKsyuFeS31OoCqx6TKvm6_XMAEi/s320/IMG20191205130323.jpg" width="160" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">for during 2019. I was able coped with a full program while in Canberra seizure free. This has not happened previously when I travelled. Usually the stress of travel brings on seizures. I still struggle with the mental health effects of Alice, but I now know when I need to withdraw to deal with her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I take pride in the many artworks, exhibitions and art programs I have delivered this year. Especially a polite program for a Artist In Residence Program for Community Kindergarten's which has been a real adventure. The programs aims to validate the 'arts', Through the message that the production of art is work and needs to be valued by society. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0iQcEO3fvBaE44o46imYSmD9HYEFz0ceshcT1v2kf8Z9Nws-n5E9MBUcj21ciPJNupCwKoRbVeYa1qg6pPGnXrQw0P54hAVQ6RSmQUIAlXqO1SX6AmnXvIgktpBaA2nM9KHsA4KhMyiJS/s1600/IMG20190501112301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0iQcEO3fvBaE44o46imYSmD9HYEFz0ceshcT1v2kf8Z9Nws-n5E9MBUcj21ciPJNupCwKoRbVeYa1qg6pPGnXrQw0P54hAVQ6RSmQUIAlXqO1SX6AmnXvIgktpBaA2nM9KHsA4KhMyiJS/s320/IMG20190501112301.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This year I was joined by fellow visual artists Mieke Den Otter. We both undertook residency in two kindy's. Roderick Street Community Kindergarten and Ipswich Community Kindergarten, thanks to some funding from Brisbane Multcultural Arts Centre and the RISN program. We also did a bit of fundraising but in a culture that does not value the powerful role arts plays in society this has been difficult. We were thankful to be given a boost from a private donation, from The Write Flourish during term three that assisted with the purchase of art supplies.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqgrCQqyEr3b8YIwBdQlSnoMsQ0KtrSaAxQrsA7SOr9gcNC7FXeCMXcmlL5jKWA4rw4TxG8LLTRbDctx-losOXb1L75xiKzqltLWd0jEl9qJj9sgp_rvKvMqAS4-c6BQ32GyVuxRYrTsIW/s1600/67537195_1086756504851072_679918392680906752_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqgrCQqyEr3b8YIwBdQlSnoMsQ0KtrSaAxQrsA7SOr9gcNC7FXeCMXcmlL5jKWA4rw4TxG8LLTRbDctx-losOXb1L75xiKzqltLWd0jEl9qJj9sgp_rvKvMqAS4-c6BQ32GyVuxRYrTsIW/s320/67537195_1086756504851072_679918392680906752_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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Collaboration work with Mieke</div>
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'Journey Through The Play Ground</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We both found collaborating together very challenging at times. As artists we can be focused on our own art practise and how we work. Rather than taking the opportunity to learn from each other. The lesson from art is that there are various ways to achieve the same result. In 2020 we are hoping to find funding to diversified in to inviting other art forms. We have a writer and musician keen to join our team. If you like to support our program in anyway please contact me. Whether your an artists, a community kindy who like a visit from artists, or able to assist with fundraising please let me know. The stronger the support we can demonstrate the more likelihood funding applications are to be successful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This year has seen a huge injection into the arts thanks to BEMAC, Creative Ipswich and recent changes made to the way the RADF is structured. As a committee members we a committed to putting the word out that we're looking to support innovated ideas and support their development. The next round opens of the 2nd February and any committee member along with Josie Berry, Ipswich City Council grant officer are willing to assist with this process. The early you start developing your concept and budget the more likely your chances of success. One tip - Read the application guidelines carefully, as changes have been made and contact Josie Berry before commencing your application. Again I happy to chat and have coffee with anyone interested in applying. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjilpvn2Q-Rir5QR36N73ffeknDZGqoS4zSdNcdNtH-J4R_pHASl_pIwa2-MC9pRpNoIMIIEeKIybyjJ0dVYOKBceYkZpmLRud-O_96WFY9NSvytwXcfDMB_NOz6Eg0Hq8EBkgsPsp-ZBE9/s1600/75557458_726023604542710_6017482050527821824_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="384" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjilpvn2Q-Rir5QR36N73ffeknDZGqoS4zSdNcdNtH-J4R_pHASl_pIwa2-MC9pRpNoIMIIEeKIybyjJ0dVYOKBceYkZpmLRud-O_96WFY9NSvytwXcfDMB_NOz6Eg0Hq8EBkgsPsp-ZBE9/s320/75557458_726023604542710_6017482050527821824_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
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The Development of Public Art</div>
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is an activity RADF is keen to support</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Both Creative Ipswich and BEMAC have been instrumental in connecting creatives in the Ipswich Region. Through taking a collaborative approach we want to lift the profile of Ipswich in a positive way and its great to see some street art emerging. The Creative Ipswich writers and illustrators group have also recently published a collaborative work. BEMAC will be hosting workshops in 2020 to build the business skills of artists. With a host of collaborations taking place its an exciting time to be an artist in Ipswich. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgD9QlPEO72JISv4911UIiSts-P_OePFl6ZINlyqqbIY9vLOl9vj1f5AeKBrWp930cNHzbrBNz590EVjGOHbDvOHx5acuBqVt8A2MPk6AD6WFZ-K-B-1y97CSdzNVvYr60lEXNolBqLS9/s1600/77404432_1263285317189271_5938712410448723968_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgD9QlPEO72JISv4911UIiSts-P_OePFl6ZINlyqqbIY9vLOl9vj1f5AeKBrWp930cNHzbrBNz590EVjGOHbDvOHx5acuBqVt8A2MPk6AD6WFZ-K-B-1y97CSdzNVvYr60lEXNolBqLS9/s320/77404432_1263285317189271_5938712410448723968_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">The artwork market continues to be a difficult place to sell work with the economy continue to slow. This year I have focused on growing an audience outside the Ipswich region. I hosted my first solo art exhibition in Brisbane and currently have a work in a pop art exhibition, in a gallery in Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane the exhibition runs to January 17, 2020 and is being hosted by Arts From the Margins.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRyFbXimozITQRVIHUvsSVeru0jNR86cRfZ0EihNw4iALjiLwn3hrJw75igIbgmH6xg46fy-U4j8TDsfT9ZkccCnwH8o_2logeHcS4xpWDJcpMux3pg3AGkG3bpB5U3zXxQdBd3hI3FBHA/s1600/car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="646" data-original-width="646" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRyFbXimozITQRVIHUvsSVeru0jNR86cRfZ0EihNw4iALjiLwn3hrJw75igIbgmH6xg46fy-U4j8TDsfT9ZkccCnwH8o_2logeHcS4xpWDJcpMux3pg3AGkG3bpB5U3zXxQdBd3hI3FBHA/s320/car.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">I have also continued to be involved with Aspire Gallery in Paddtoning in Brisbane. My printmaking skills are very appreciated by the patron's and management at this gallery. During the year I have combine this skill with steam punk themed artwork, this work with form the body of the work for my next solo exhibition to be held at the Drawing Point Gallery at the end of July.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyuYKPnO1DbNOTtKpeXaitvoeyn2k_ttH6-bgu4_xcxAARXazZFWxiywL8air-iKehpHCSz48qnFT5KeLIV_7o4-fvtuBGMkCsTvmS-G0zX5n8LJiI7HhADTE9d0WQuOnJUq7l3SeZuCf9/s1600/IMG20190930111817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyuYKPnO1DbNOTtKpeXaitvoeyn2k_ttH6-bgu4_xcxAARXazZFWxiywL8air-iKehpHCSz48qnFT5KeLIV_7o4-fvtuBGMkCsTvmS-G0zX5n8LJiI7HhADTE9d0WQuOnJUq7l3SeZuCf9/s320/IMG20190930111817.jpg" width="160" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">With the assistance of my OT and Team Deb (my support team) I've actually worked less this year and been much more focused. I've had three weekends away in Brisbane, a few days on the Gold Coast and enjoyed a number of day trips including a stay home holiday with 5 day trips which worked really well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Through participation in the NDIS, I have continued to direct my own supports. I now engage staff either through individual contracts or Hire Up. This year has brought much needed stability to Team Deb, making lift generally more pleasant. To have a team of workers who genuinely support my choices and NDIS goals is a really blessing. They are always keen to support my art and recreation activities. Together we have laughed, made mistakes, celebrated birthdays, weddings and Christmas. Ashes has continued to be a source of entertainment for us all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh26hBbe0X8mHyPY9kBMi9KtN1Ao1tchh36IqKDuSoAbu_yVa4uEfzEuvI0TQ5bE1s7L0UtbyPdewsdJD7_1Tf5d8IoX64JLYmNu65FKlXzUXO1wfzgYhTDXKwwgjU0PauwuGUAzoHj6pvt/s1600/72787913_699988100495906_4908527864137121792_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh26hBbe0X8mHyPY9kBMi9KtN1Ao1tchh36IqKDuSoAbu_yVa4uEfzEuvI0TQ5bE1s7L0UtbyPdewsdJD7_1Tf5d8IoX64JLYmNu65FKlXzUXO1wfzgYhTDXKwwgjU0PauwuGUAzoHj6pvt/s320/72787913_699988100495906_4908527864137121792_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I am thankful to be so blessed in 2019 and look forward </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">May your 2020 be filled with love and laughter</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015817100250184475.post-3940685968503015832019-12-07T17:11:00.006-08:002019-12-11T15:38:47.318-08:00The Meeting Place Journey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1xmOCI8MOkWBl0N0KXPU_HKfJ12yC7S5bpmqKX4MOycs428oFw-lnvlH5ViSNjcdnb7tEEixmDEQ6j_x-GZulXQcf48YOEUbKwWm3qBwIJYFTTi9nm25U5qzobgC8d0E-e9Qi2tukxNsK/s1600/76762510_2528811063869343_1477240768664961024_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1xmOCI8MOkWBl0N0KXPU_HKfJ12yC7S5bpmqKX4MOycs428oFw-lnvlH5ViSNjcdnb7tEEixmDEQ6j_x-GZulXQcf48YOEUbKwWm3qBwIJYFTTi9nm25U5qzobgC8d0E-e9Qi2tukxNsK/s320/76762510_2528811063869343_1477240768664961024_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was privileged to receive a travel grant to attend Meeting Place 2019. This is where those engaged in the arts and disabilities sector, gather to talk on the land of The First Australians. During the gathering of 'our mob' we focused on disability leadership, identity and pride. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Leadership is not dependent on being in a leadership position and is usually identified by others in your community. We explored the qualities of a leader and endeavoured to identify them. </span></div>
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Passion</div>
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Good Community involvement</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And others were identified. We looked at disability leadership and why it is vital to shaping our future in the arts. We recognised there was much we could learn from 'The First Australians' and their leadership models. How to build leaders who identify as disabled or leaders with disability was an important discussion had during the Meeting Place.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyF51YWao6-GhdWTUe0r36NbIDTEfedfZKYuGkv6BztaqRYW2Y3Cgi5mjMIncjd8g4cSQVXvKTDvuamVnbyYnR_0anhDFRCld8HhPUf3VZsiQFnNnN4N2PqDHHuls2GBV6e5hmY25Ck1w/s1600/78750867_2647850488597278_5285226973084254208_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyF51YWao6-GhdWTUe0r36NbIDTEfedfZKYuGkv6BztaqRYW2Y3Cgi5mjMIncjd8g4cSQVXvKTDvuamVnbyYnR_0anhDFRCld8HhPUf3VZsiQFnNnN4N2PqDHHuls2GBV6e5hmY25Ck1w/s320/78750867_2647850488597278_5285226973084254208_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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Meeting Place travel grant recipients </div>
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vow to continue the conversation.</div>
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Our leadership development in the disability and arts was closely linked to identifying as having a disability, being disabled or deaf. Again in the arts and disability culture there is a change in the language being used. The terms around the 'disabled' and 'deaf' vary from state to state. A shift in language is vital as we come to terms with both our individual and collective identity. In the same way Our First Peoples have evolved their identity and pride.</div>
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To shake the negativity, shame and dis-empowerment of being disabled, we need to claim it as our identity to grow strong leadership. To see a shift in perspectives and equality we need an identification that shouts pride and strength, ensuring we are paid equal pay and are given the recognition we deserve. We have moved from passive participation to activism, just as Our First Australians have done.</div>
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Stella Young (comedian) was identified as a leader on whom we can draw from. Stella often referred to 'disability pawn'. Being patted on the back for <span style="background-color: yellow;">living </span>a life identical to our peers. She would argue that getting out of bed to go to work each day makes us leaders not inspirational. Taking to the stage or gallery floor should make us equals. We are growing tired of demanding a real presence, in the art world. </div>
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Just as identity is crucial to leadership, so is pride in our identity of being disabled vital to claiming our collective identity. Individual artists still struggle with whether or not to identity as having a disability. As someone living with a very visible disability I often feel I don't have a choice not to identify. My leadership is about pride and working in the mainstream arts community.<br />
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<i><b> I am proud to shine as an artist living with disability, but I do not want the label of disabled artist.</b></i> </div>
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My pride is in presenting my best work at all times and producing competitive projects and artwork. I am proud to sell my art in the same galleries as other artists. I still struggle with my own identity and this for me is reflective in the urgent need to not only empower disabled and deaf artists but all people with disabilities.<br />
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I still witness visual artists with disabilities not being paid for their work under the banner of 'participation in the community' or 'art for well being'. It is time to recognise the 'work' of many 'participants' accessing respite and day activity centers. All work belongs to the creator. Art supplies are paid for by grants, fundraising or fees paid to the service providers. The excuse about artwork being sold to buy new art supplies, is exploitative.<br />
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Few visual artists in Queensland are encouraged to exhibit in mainstream galleries and competitions. This is the way we artists earn an income and gain recognition in the industry. To actively defend the right to protect disabled artists from failure is a denial of choice and a chance to succeed. These decisions are often made by non artists, who know little of the value of the artwork produced in their studios.<br />
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Even I as an independent artist have been question about my choice to make in roads into the Brisbane market. My choices are made to further my career, increase my audience and potential income. Generally speaking currently my work sells better in Brisbane. I am not going to let the values of those who choose to disable themselves create barriers for my own work. My personal growth as an artist and leadership opportunities are dependent on working outside the 'box' that society has determined. My pride tells me I can be so much more than the limits of 'these boxes'.</div>
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The conversation in Queensland is very different to the dialogue occurring at national and international levels. We are still debating the value of art produced by disabled artists and whether to allow them to take a risk of being rejected and failing. Australian artist and curator Dan Savage brought an international exhibition called F.L.U.X to coincide with the Meeting Place. All international artists in the exhibition identify as being disabled or deaf. This language is reflective of the inclusive nature of the UK arts sector and is vital for artists with disability in Australia to claim our identity.<br />
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My own agenda for attending the Meeting Place was to experience best practise in making my art practise inclusive of all Ipswich residents and to lead by example. Dan Savage lead a conversation around using technology to increase both artistic value and access to exhibitions. I was privileged to share the floor with Dan and other emerging artists on a panel to discuss the journeys of our art practises. I am keen to use Dan as a reference point as I work on my 2020 exhibition.<br />
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In my own art practise I too lag behind the national conversation, and this is often reflected in regional arts. In attending the Meeting Place I have found, 'my mob' and made key links to artists with a Brisbane based practise. So I will be making even more trips to Brisbane in 2020. I have never been one to limit my opportunities and failure is just part of life and an opportunity to learn from my mistakes.</div>
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"Exhibiting outside Ipswich is an important leadership move . . ."<br />
The current exhibition 'Art goes Pop!'<br />
Hosted by Arts From The Margins was partly inspired<br />
by my own work. Pop art isn't an easy style to master but printmaking lends itself to pop art so well."<br />
<i>The exhibition runs to January 17 2020.</i></div>
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To assist with the development of leaders in the disability arts sector the Australian Council for the Arts hosted the first Disability Arts Awards and Access Arts Australia announced its first leadership awards. These are the leaders and emerging leaders in the disability lead arts sector.</div>
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Our conversation over the next 12 months will focus on how to nurture our future leaders and what language will enable us to proudly claim our identity as artists who are deaf or living with disability. </div>
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<b>Note:</b> The deaf community identifies as its own community alongside a community identifying with disabilities. The development of their own culture and language stands them apart from others found in 'our mob'.</div>
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<i>I'd like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land and elders past, present and emerging and I look forward to learning more from your culture in building my own disability pride. </i></div>
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<i>Thank you to the Ipswich City Council through your partnership with Arts Queensland for investing in my leadership development, through meeting my access costs to attend the Meeting Place.. </i></div>
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<i><b>The Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) is a partnership between the Queensland Government and the Ipswich City Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.</b></i></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015817100250184475.post-70121239245541401682019-11-07T20:42:00.003-08:002019-11-07T20:42:55.712-08:00Dreaming Big<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">As a professional artist my daily goal is to sell my artwork. My identified goal was to host a solo exhibition outside the Ipswich Region. This goal was achieved in Feburary with Transformations at Greaser Gallery in Fortitude Valley. However I have had different goals involving my art practice in 2019.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After an unsuccessful grant application by Roderick St Kindergarten I took the reins for securing funding for an Artist in Residence Program. Two artists took part in the program this year. Firstly at Roderick St and then at Milford St Kindergartens. The message of this program 'Art work is work' is about children attending kindergarden seeing artists at work, producing work and participating in creative play. The conversation widens to parents, Facebook and the general community. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Funding for community projects is very difficult to come by and the local ecomony is really struggling however, I am hopeful that some type of residencey program can happen in 2020. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My <span style="font-size: medium;">hope is to produce an art exhibition around the development of the Artist in Resident Program. But the year isn't over yet. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This year I have widened the area in which I have exhibited my work to include Esk, Marburg, Boonah and the Tweed. I will have exhibited in 4 Brisbane galleries and taken part in Rotary and Lion's art competitions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The motivation for my participation in the visual arts community is to assist with the inclusion of artists with disabilities into the community, each gallery I work with is a opportunity to highlight the barriers for artists living with disabilities, but also the quality of work these artists produce.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This aim lead me to apply for a postition on the Regional Arts Development Fund committee and to improve accessibility to grants for artists living with disadvantages. Ipswich has a high number of residents who struggle with literacy skills so we have changed the application process. Applicants can now submit a half page expression of interest (or its equivalent) for evaulation and if they can demonstrate the project is viable they can then tackle the online application. <a href="https://www.ipswich.qld.gov.au/community/grants_sponsorships/community-grants/radf?fbclid=IwAR0zynI_TAGJPT_uNLJNkPaU2B_fvM6zncoEOt7rCY2JmF0zS1Ox6jU9Sh8">Applications</a> close this Sunday 10th November at Midnight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">On Saturday I am hosting, with other artists, Ipswich City Council, BEMAC and local business to assist networking and local knowledge to support the growth of artists in the region. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My own business plan extends beyond art sales. As a self-managed artist you should have a business plan. My goal for the next 10 years is to have artwork purchased by the Australian Art Bank, so only exhibiting in country towns isn't going to work for me. In 2017 the Australian Art Bank purchased its first art collection by an Australian artist with disabilities. On average artists with disabilities earn 42% less than their peers. Raising awareness with art directors and galleries along the way is just a step towards achieving equality. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As part of my 2020 planning I successfully applied for a travel grant to attend the 2019 Meeting Place - a national forum on arts and disability. I have previously attended this formun twice and it has played a key role in my ability to run visual arts community programs. You can read about the othe applicants on the <a href="https://artsaccessaustralia.org/meeting-place-2019-travel-grant-recipients-announced/">Arts Access Australia Website</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This grant was made possible by the Meeting Place sponsors; Australian Arts Council and Creative Partnerships. While this covers most of my expenses I still needed to cover the expenses of my support worker. Today I learned a RADF quick response application was successful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>The Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) is a partnership between Queensland Government and Ipswich City Council to support local arts and culture in Regional Queensland. </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'd also like to thank BEMAC for their ongoing support of the development of an Artists In Residency Program in the Ipswich region, I am very much looking forward to 2020 and an increase in the number of people with disabilities participating in the arts. </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015817100250184475.post-55562492630321994192019-10-02T23:15:00.002-07:002019-10-04T03:25:56.377-07:002019 World CP Day 'An Ordinary Life'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><i>WORLD CP DAY
OCTOBER 6TH</i></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Like so many disabilities Cerebral Palsy is
misunderstood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The movements of someone
with CP are consistent with someone who suffers a brain injury or stroke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These impairments are a result of damage to
the brain due to loss of oxygen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>CP is a
lifelong disability, marked by loss of brain function in the early years. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It may surprise you that Cerebral Palsy is a
physical disability that in a small percentage of individuals is accompanied by
an intellectual impairment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>CP covers a
wide range of loss in body functions, and thus the appearance of individuals is
determined by which area of the brain cell function is lost. </span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I AM 1 IN 1 BILLION </span></i></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwGEeCrDfOvsvdJp3CfOuBlOfzXBC8QGT3zH9tKBCRhT8T8DistqfWXOqIRmR_mB5pbP1qthObdiXAbSrMjSfgShhhqP8A3GISS6Yqq-BqdcXwAsOzwkKS9msqUBS8PXy16ZUOqw3QL5hP/s1600/IMG20190727143920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwGEeCrDfOvsvdJp3CfOuBlOfzXBC8QGT3zH9tKBCRhT8T8DistqfWXOqIRmR_mB5pbP1qthObdiXAbSrMjSfgShhhqP8A3GISS6Yqq-BqdcXwAsOzwkKS9msqUBS8PXy16ZUOqw3QL5hP/s320/IMG20190727143920.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">World CP Day seeks to build community knowledge
on the true facts around one of the worlds most common disabilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I AM ONE IN 1 BILLION people who are
diagnosed with CP.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I am so much more
than my diagnoses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Loss in brain
function can affect the entire body or be restricted to one side of the body;
or the upper or lower body.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I am a quadriplegic with some loss in function to
all areas of my body and my speech is also impaired, fortunately my hearing,
sight and intellectual function escaped impairment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>World CP Day is marked by individuals and
families sharing their individual journeys and then connecting on social media
to give the world a better picture of CP. On October 6 I will be in IPSWICH,
QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA and this in my story. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I AM HERE AND THIS IS MY STORY</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i>DEBBIE CHILTON</i></b></div>
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<b><i>ARTISTS, POET AND WRITER</i></b></div>
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<b><i>IPSWICH, QUEENSAND, AUSTRALIA</i></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In so many ways I live an ordinary life, yet it
is also extraordinary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the age of
eight I attended a local school and went on to graduate from university. After
that I worked as a youth worker, until illness interrupted my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prior to this I would say I was aware of my disability,
but it didn’t impact my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Uni life
had somewhat separated from society and I was just another student on campus.
Living, partying and sometimes studying, thus was my ordinary life. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">What I refer to as my extraordinary life began
when I commenced publishing my poetry and was a freelance writer for a Sydney
based publishing company. During this period, I was involved in church ministry
and the Ipswich Poetry Feast, and other committees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this time my disability appeared to be ‘a
problem’. As an accomplished public speaker, I was taken back when people
started to raise opposition to me speaking in public and suggested that it
wasn’t appropriate. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The consensus was that the pearls of wisdom in
my written work, were lost when I spoke them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For me this was a societal problem not my disability.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
speech is no different to struggling to speak to someone for whom English is
the second language, as a society we have lost patience with others and everyone
is in a hurry to be somewhere, including me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was myself confused and confronted by a disability I have lived with
for 35 years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After self-publishing a children’s book, a life
of book launches, festivals and workshop presentations terrified me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By then I also had a seizures due to a brain
tumor. Even for me climbing the hurdles of my disability and writing was not
worth the rewards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow publishing a
book that flopped ticked for me that bucket list item.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet I have half-a-dozen incomplete manuscripts
sitting in the bottom drawer. <i>Well . . . Never say never! </i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">For many years I worked unpaid in the
disability sector, in Australia people with disabilities face discrimination in
employment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I understand my own
predicament (living with uncontrolled seizures), I don’t understand the lack of
willingness of employers to employ people with disabilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am extraordinary in relation to accepting
work without payment, and a community you will never value my training, skills
or experience. </span></div>
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<b><i>Transformations Art Exhibition </i></b></div>
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<b><i>Gresser Gallery Brisbane</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Opening Night</i></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><b></b><i></i><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In 2013 I discovered my true passion as an
artist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘Let me talk art . . .’ people
said I would come alive. It never occurred to my support service to usher me
into a support art studio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They fully
encouraged me to work as an independent artist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Naturally there was opposition and protest I could not compete against
able bodied peers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am extraordinary as
I backed my ability to be a professional artist and found when my work was
presented with other professionals some people chose to buy my work. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I will never make a living selling artwork, but
I have found myself and my community, in which I am a peer and very much a
leader. I now live in a community that values my life experience and skills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am now being paid when I am engaged as an
arts community leader. I would like to think I am extraordinary because of my resilience
and determination to live the lifestyle of my artistic peers. </span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We do not get to choose the cards we
are dealt, only how we play them.</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I hope I am playing extraordinarily
well.</span></i></b></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015817100250184475.post-64873050434504417892019-05-31T18:20:00.001-07:002019-05-31T19:10:55.411-07:00A lesson in empowerment<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Many people in the disability sector are still struggling with what it means for participants to have choice and control over their supports. Our natural instinct, especially women to protect those we see as vulnerable. While a percentage of participants will remain in that boat, the NDIS changes the game and the role of support staff has shifted to the right. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The NDIS should be empowering all Australians with disabilities, together with family members and informal supports to make informed decisions, not just those who are able to navigate the complex NDIS system. People regardless of their 'perceived abilities' should have a choice over `how they spend their days?'. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Even knowing I am a highly intelligent, independent women some service providers and support workers, assume they know what I need, better than myself. To be honest, I am capable of putting far too many activities into my day. I do not need well meaning workers to add to my chaos. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Devising activities for clients to participate in, is a role I hope will be dropped from the support workers role in the future. Where a person has a support coordinator, guidance on choices is their role, but ultimately the participants and their families should be choosing activities for participation. These choices should be balance with their NDIS goals. If workers are encouraging activities that are not part of the participants plan, for example coffee at a local cafe, then this is dis-empowerment. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Don't get me wrong I'll take any excuse to have a Chai Latte, but as director of my supports I will let my team know when and where that will be, subjected to short notice. Sometimes the world just drives me to needing 'a Chai in a cafe'. I am more like the average Australian than you realise. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">That's the message I want to send to all prospective support workers, not just those I engage in Team Deb. All supports must be client centred. If you're not happy with the activities your client chooses, then you might need to find a client that likes to do the things you enjoy doing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is what the company I work for offers. Hire Up desires to match participants and workers who have similar interests. Participants and families can select team members that enjoy the same activities as them. As the owner of a small creative business, much of my time is spent producing work to sell. I struggle to connect with support workers, who do not enjoy creating art and craft. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There has been a movement from the medical care model, for a number of years. Under this model people with disabilities received 'care' and 'paid carers' were in a decision making role. Under the NDIS model, it is the participants and/or family members who make decisions about community participation and the daily activities they choose to engage in. The term 'paid carer' is outdated, it comes from a time when the state government was responsible for the care and protection of people with disabilities. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Large scale care facilities are no longer operating and even disabilities services in Queensland have ceased. Participants today are more likely to remain part of the family unit, where the primary care is provided, thus the word 'carer' should not be used for people in a paid position.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We have been using the term support worker for over 15 years, this demonstrates societies reluctance to change. We do not need to do <u>everything</u> for people with disabilities, unless they are profoundly disabled and totally dependent on others to have their needs met. Empowerment is supporting participants to do things for themselves. Doing everything for those living with disabilities has led to deskilling with people becoming dependent on others. This dependence has allowed wide spread abuse of people with disability.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is why 'choice' is the centrepiece of support under the NDIS. All supports accessed under the NDIS should be chosen by the participants or family members, not just who provides these supports. As an additional safety measure NDIS has changed the way support plans are written, so any support must be aligned with the participants goals and the steps identified by them to achieve their goals. Hopefully this ends the support workers ability to choose activities for their participants. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>If Sally chooses to see a movie every Tuesday, that is her choice, however if one Tuesday she decides there is a sale at 'Spotlight' and decides to go there instead, that is ok too. But deciding that Sally should be learning to cook instead of seeing a movie is not ok. </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;">Goals such as learning new skills are now decided at the NDIS planning level, once a participant and/or family member has chosen a service provider and engaged a support worker, then the workers role and the activities a participant does has been predetermined and no longer the support workers role. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;">Traditional support service still require a large amount of paperwork to ensure quality services are provided. However individual support workers should no longer be planning the participants day. Especially if people are self-directing their own supports. Duty of care should no longer extend to being responsible for all the 'care' needs that was once required. There is no reason someone who self-directs can not write their own session reports to feedback to the NDIS. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;">These are the changes most of the disability sector are struggling with. When workers come to a company like Hire Up and apart from incident reports, participants and their families are writing everything including the support plan, workers struggle to understand their role. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;">Service like Hire Up and other online platforms offer options that were missing in the traditional disability sector. Just as any support service cannot meet the support needs of every person with a disability, it is also true for platforms like Hire Up or even contracting staff with their own ABN. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;">If your support delivery style is based on traditional models of care, it is unlikely that providing supports for companies like Hire Up will suit them. Just as clients can now choose the companies and staff they want to support them, workers can choose companies and/or clients who like the type of service delivery they provide. Under no circumstances should it be acceptable a support person positioned in someones home proceed to challenge a participants choices and plan their day. For participants to experience this, is dis-empowerment.</span></span><br />
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One of my NDIS goals is to extend my visual arts practise.</div>
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Currently I am gaining inspiration through my Artist's Residency</div>
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in a kindy. My support workers support me in this role.</div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;">We all need to adapt to the changing of the NDIS landscape where the role of the support worker is to empower participants and families to work toward the NDIS goals outlined in their plan. I look forward to seeing changes in the way workers empower their clients. </span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015817100250184475.post-27480874176469709972019-05-17T05:28:00.002-07:002019-05-17T05:28:49.876-07:00The Value of Art<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Creating Pots</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I am currently one of two artists in residence at Roderick Street Community Kindergarten. My residency is not about teaching the kids but sending a message to the community that artwork is work! I sense there is a general consensus that the work of artists is generally undervalued by society and our economic contribution is not seen. In the main we are viewed as the dropouts. Yet it is perfectly acceptable to be a professional sports person. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Most artists need a 'day job' of second source of income, the majority supplement their income by teaching. Sales of artwork do not put food on the table. Having original artwork in own homes is a luxury few of us can afford. Those who can afford art have a limited amount of space on their walls. Until society changes its values this is unlikely to change. </span></div>
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working at kindy</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For me any significant change occurs with changing attitudes of the young. I remember my father reasoning I could not take art as a school subject, because it would not get me a 'job'. The notion that art is not work is one I want to challenge during my current residency. If the children see Mieke (my partner in crime) and myself working at kindy then these children and their parents will view us as contributing members of society. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Winston Churchill was questioned about his funding of the arts during the war. He answered, `if we do not value the arts (creative practice) then what are we fighting for?'</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Artwork is one way of recording history and showing us what is valuable to the human spirit. It expressed faith and emotion. It inspires everything from what we ware, to advertising and architecture. Yet its producers remain undervalue and rearly is anyone encouraged to become an artists at a young age. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Artwork is work!</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I want to build a society that values its creators! The entertainers, dancers, clowns, performers, singers, musicians, writers, actions, directors, painters, crafts people, sculptures, designers, <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">architecture</span> and all who bring beauty into the world; to be valued and paid as the professionals they are. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">To do this the arts need to be funded and investments made in the future generations 'who will colour our world.' I am just as passionate about art as I am about advocating for people living with disabilities. I would love to build a legacy in Ipswich were the arts are valued for their own worth. Opportunities for residencies is one way to achieve this. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You can invest in my vision by contributing to fundraising for the Roderick Street Kindy Artist In Residency Program. Just as the children have seen Mieke and myself at work - I would love to see a musician or a performer visit the kindy in the future. If you want to help build my vision drop me and <a href="mailto:chilton1968@bigpond.com">email</a>.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015817100250184475.post-42823735504129639592019-05-10T02:31:00.000-07:002019-05-10T03:01:10.306-07:00Artist's Journey and the NDIS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today I began my 8 week Artist in Residency, My journey as an artist began in 2012. After a serious illness I thought I'd step back and reline my choices in life. Art was something I always loved and my support provider thought I could potently sell my art. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">'Like no way! I am just Doodling.' I protested. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The activities coordinator exclaimed that, 'No one doodles like that! That is art.' </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;">So determined to slow down I went home and made some 'art'. However somewhere along the line got roped in to applying for a Leadership Program. A program that changed the direction of my life. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The National Disability Insurance Scheme was still being debated and lobbied for: the system of how people with disabilities were supported and cared for needed change. Many people living with disabilities believed that change needed to driven by people's lives who were directly impacted by disabilities. The central change needed to be a change from being seen as a 'patient' to a person in our own right. The motto 'Every Australian Counts' was adopted and in 2016 the Australian Government and the Queensland Government signed an agreement to co-fund the NDIS. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">During my leadership development training I was keen to develop professional opportunities for artist living with disabilities. I had worked in the industry for many years and never expected the opposition that occurred to my chosen objectives. In principle everyone agreed the reality was a consensus, 'I should be content to let people just enjoy art, not lead them up the garden path, that would end in failure.' There is still a belief people with disabilities need to be protected from failure. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This was not the message I was hearing from individuals with disabilities, nor was it the focus of my the Leadership Program. During the Leaders For Tomorrow Program, we leaders with disabilities, were challenged to find a route by which our goals could be achieved and not to accept any road blocks, the word 'fail' was not used.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My leadership journey became about my two passions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Fast forward to today and my advocacy and artwork have become inseparable. </span></div>
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'Yes today the children at kindy, wanted to know what I was doing? And then offered advice on what the scarecrow should look like. But also wanted to know 'why I talked funny?'.</div>
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They nicely told me they couldn't understand me. I suggested because my brain didn't work the same as their brains, they would need to listen more carefully.</div>
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And they did! And together we made 'Rainbow'!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-pkiTsRRXOytSlVv6gJWmfdPbgIh-zD_v-Hz0qoXfwF7NtDexlG-U9ItVIaQucUuNaHMDhV2A-gBNXs0Qk-NtJaHL-ouaW8h4UJw0J7OU3QhdYXBCSS_mHyJpbgSu56rmU_Z9LO9Ew3L/s1600/60008626_610700319430933_174123587702095872_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="585" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-pkiTsRRXOytSlVv6gJWmfdPbgIh-zD_v-Hz0qoXfwF7NtDexlG-U9ItVIaQucUuNaHMDhV2A-gBNXs0Qk-NtJaHL-ouaW8h4UJw0J7OU3QhdYXBCSS_mHyJpbgSu56rmU_Z9LO9Ew3L/s320/60008626_610700319430933_174123587702095872_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I became a NDIS participant in 2017 and this week I sat down with my planner or Local Area Coordinator to develop my 3rd NDIS participant plan. Many of my followers know the struggles I had finding my path through the NDIS and finding the right supports to assist me to build my visual art practice. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Yes! There has been many tears along the way. However in the main I have been able to make the NDIS work for me. This week after almost two years, my powerchair was finally ordered. I was able to self manage my plan and now self-direct my own supports. meaning I am able to choose who comes into my 'home and at what time.'</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I found support workers who whole heartily empower me to achieve my NDIS goals. They know my goals and these are at the centre of my supports session. My goal is not to tie myself to my local community but to expand my art practice and exhibit my work in galleries outside Ipswich. My goals are very much inline with other emerging artists. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;">I also got notice today I have been appointed to the RADF committee giving artists of all abilities representation in shaping the future. The best way to make change and break down barriers is to lead the way. . . </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is important that people with disabilities continue to tell their stories so future policies for people with disabilities are based on lived experience not research or theories. There are many faults that need to be addressed to MAKE THE NDIS WORK for all Australians not just people to have the ability to self-manage and self-direct. We need to inform politicians on what does work and what doesn't work.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;">With the federal election next weekend I encourage everyone to tell their stories. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.</span></span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015817100250184475.post-7802592887303638702019-04-25T02:45:00.003-07:002019-04-25T03:31:03.008-07:00ndis & transport<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4WZK7IusLheaBGq-gMH04aILISd1Fwo9ZxpSPI6qjq4f2of-y9D_ToThsXJAg-YjcKgLimCA487bDpFXIAhTLWmwEQ-tXTQTK0QoN07g_mRM2lnbV0a9k5-HtNv9rEhi7p7v-a57Xxx6/s1600/52657743_10157194962216385_4951517175350296576_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4WZK7IusLheaBGq-gMH04aILISd1Fwo9ZxpSPI6qjq4f2of-y9D_ToThsXJAg-YjcKgLimCA487bDpFXIAhTLWmwEQ-tXTQTK0QoN07g_mRM2lnbV0a9k5-HtNv9rEhi7p7v-a57Xxx6/s320/52657743_10157194962216385_4951517175350296576_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">When it comes to people living with disabilities and the ndis there are numerous misconception's. Access to affordable transport for people with disabilities is the biggest barrier to community participation for those who cannot access public transport on their own or live in areas that are poorly serviced by public transport.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here's a few facts:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"># Myth if you can walk you can catch public transport independently or with a companion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Fact 1 # there are many reasons why a person may not be able to use public transport even accompanied. They are on the autism spectrum, they have behavioural or mental health issues; they have fatigue issues related to their disability, the area in which they live is poorly serviced by public transport or transport does not get them to the required destination.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"># Myth - People who are supported by the ndis receive a mobility allowance that pays for their transport costs,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Fact # 2 - ndis participants only receive a mobility allowance if they are working, studying, volunteering or doing life skills training. The amount they receive is determined by the hours per week they engage in the community and the highest level they receive is $132 per fortnight. This would not cover someone working full time. The allowance is design to be only an incentive to participate, actually locks people out of the community and leads to greater isolation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"># Myth participants travel in transport provided by their service providers for free. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Fact # Service providers charge for transport either to the ndis or the client directly. The participants can not charge transport to the ndis if they receive a mobility allowance. In most cases participants pay 78 cents per km to be transported to and from their daily activities. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"># Myth Service providers transport every participant they support.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Fact # - there are providers who don't provide transport and participants need to access a transport service or taxi to access activities offered by service providers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Myth # - TTS allows the participants to pay half fare. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Fact # The half fare only applies to the first $50 any travel over that amount is at normal price. </span><span style="font-size: large;">It costs more than $50 from North Ipswich to Springfield Orion. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Fact # The availability of affordable transport impacts on the choices the ndis participants make. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Transport and the communication on true costs to participants has failed. When I was mentoring artists with disabilities their transports costs were higher than the art classes I booked them in for. I often travel to them by cab although I was ineligible for a mobility allowance at the time. I am sure you can do the maths on how far $132 got me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Current subsidies do nothing to encourage people to participate in the community. They remain a deterrent to full participation in the community, even when those activities are offered by providers. This does nothing to assist the participant to live a life of their peers. Which was the original intention of the ndis. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Assistance with transport costs for those who can only travel by taxi needs to be fully funded by the ndis.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015817100250184475.post-5831281101230166702019-04-23T02:31:00.000-07:002019-04-23T03:14:27.241-07:00Every Australian Counts and the ndis<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">The National Disability Insurance Scheme is set to be fully rolled out by the end of the year. This scheme was designed to address some of the many disparities between people with disabilities and their peers. Throughout the history of Australia as a minority group traditionally people with disabilities have had no voice in our democratic system. This has lead to wide spread abuse and no access to the legal system when their rights are undermined. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The path to people with disabilities finding a collective voice was the Every Australian Counts campaign, this is where Australians with disabilities, their family members, caregivers, guardians and community supporters lobbied the governments for the right to have an active role in the democratic system. From this two things gave people with disabilities a greater voice; 1) A royal commission into their care and 2) the ndis we have today.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For the first time people with disabilities were able to tell their stories and were believed. Australians potentially could take their abuses to court. It was recognised, that this alone left them dis-empowered and still unprotected by the law and society as a whole. This was only part of the formula to giving people with disabilities a say in what shaped our nation. Disability on its own did not disqualify people from taking part in the democratic process and the Every Australian Counts Campaign highlighted this. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What really stopped these Australians was access to services and </span><span style="font-size: large;">amenities </span><span style="font-size: large;">that were open to other Australians. Things like education, job skills, training, employment, the arts, transport, sports and recreation. Not only did individuals face access barriers in the community, but their family members too. Often parents needed to forgo income to stay at home and care for their child with disabilities, in the same way children whose parents became disabled lost their childhood and access to education to care for their parents. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Those living disabilities (the persons with disabilities and family members) were disadvantaged in terms of education, employment, access to the legal system and economically. However all the general public chose to see was the drain on the public purse, not the true causes for their inability to participate in economic growth of this country. Discrimination was often unseen and occurred because the complexities of the issues lead to people with disabilities living on the outer of our communities. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoUquJZRc19Qr2PiQmxisbcPW2_c1wHoyMb29maFzGRTs0Ko9AzIxa2ofB7UXxXRG1yrKdnQ94T2MLYK1XmiseWmMia1tn0B1u5ooFM2VemIRyUa3bSjTSU-rz2O3nO7PJ5wjKcLouIibz/s1600/IMG_6800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoUquJZRc19Qr2PiQmxisbcPW2_c1wHoyMb29maFzGRTs0Ko9AzIxa2ofB7UXxXRG1yrKdnQ94T2MLYK1XmiseWmMia1tn0B1u5ooFM2VemIRyUa3bSjTSU-rz2O3nO7PJ5wjKcLouIibz/s320/IMG_6800.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">The nature of disability itself in not well understood. A wheelchair is currently the international symbol of disability, in reality the majority of people with impairments do not use a wheelchair. Many people have disabilities that are invisible, yet they still need support or assistance to live their daily lives. Impairments leading to disability can be physical, neurological, intellectual, sensory, social, psychological, behavioural or a mixture of two or more of these impairments. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was born with cerebral palsy which is primarily a physical disability that is a result of a brain injury occurring prior to birth or in the early childhood years. This means every person with CP will have a physical impairment. However depending on where the damage occurs in the brain, a person may have a neurological, behavioural, sensory or intellectual disability. CP is just one example of disability and yet society wants to put all people with disability into one basket. </span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Disability occurs as a result of the way our society is structured - not the </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>impairments themselves.</i></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b></b><i></i><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Disability occurs as a result of the way our society is structured. In other words, the complex way of living denies people with impairments, access to the community in the same way as other Australians. Resulting in a limited experience of life both for people with impairments and their family members</span><span style="font-size: large;">. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">An individual may been born with impairment(s) or they many acquire an impairment at anytime. By the time an individual reaches the age of 80, 90% of people will have some type of impairment that limits their ability to interact in the community. Disability is something that will touch all our lives, in some way, even if we do not acquire a disability ourselves. Making it an issue for Every Australian.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">The ndis was developed for every Australian</span></i></b></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b></b><i></i><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">All Australians are only one illness or accident away from having a s</span><span style="font-size: large;">ignificant impairment that alters the way they are able to access society. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The ndis was originally to address these access barriers both at an individual or family level and at a community level. In the same way a powered wheelchair enables me to access my local community independently, for someone with an intellectual impairment a life skills course may enable them to be more independent. Or assistance for a school aged child with complex disabilities to get ready for school in the morning, may allow both parents to work full time. Until now a child with an impairment could limit family's lifestyles in significant ways. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The primary objectives of support(s) is to allow a participant in the ndis to be as independent as possible. The ndis looks at the life span needs of an individual and asks what investments can be made now so participants can have a better quality of life into the future. It looks at potential access issues before they occur. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>ndis is assistance for people with disabilities to engaged in their local communities.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Most people with disabilities are able to work when given the correct support and training, in the main it will not be full time. I am self-employed and run my own business, I would otherwise be unemployable due to epilepsy. Most people who will be supported by the ndis desire to engage in the life of the community. This is one of the many ways we wanted to be included in everyday life. There are some participants who are profoundly impaired or have a disability that will result in premature death. There are a small percentage of people who will require 'traditional disability care' under the ndis.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The ndis moves away from the traditional medical care model to a model where individuals and family members are fully participating in the planning of their supports and participating with that assistance to engage in the community. Instead of meeting the immediate needs of participants, the ndis seeks to support individuals to reach the goals, both short term and long term, as well as enabling them to build a lifestyle of their choice. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The ndis promotes independence rather that depends on a life time of 'care'. It will achieve this through early intervention programs; give access to therapy, equipment and environmental modifications to all participants not just those on lower incomes. This means no one should be financially disadvantaged due to meeting access requirements of disability. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">However the ndis has failed to address the costs of accessible transport and affordable housing that meets the individual needs of living with disability. Six thousand young Australians are still living in aged care homes and many in group homes where they're unable to choose their own house mates.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbH-J4aa8s3P-ldeze5N6t6srE_7KCyS1YaR1VqXcCyQd2PJhBPFcLbEvmACQAEyrfGfciQcv_Zas3VhaTA6lcAU-4dhr0CB5vI3-iNVdaW2RH5aSvrEogrqIbRUp9tXl9c6ldUbQFdUtY/s1600/lexi-ruskell-229167-unsplash-1-1024x683.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbH-J4aa8s3P-ldeze5N6t6srE_7KCyS1YaR1VqXcCyQd2PJhBPFcLbEvmACQAEyrfGfciQcv_Zas3VhaTA6lcAU-4dhr0CB5vI3-iNVdaW2RH5aSvrEogrqIbRUp9tXl9c6ldUbQFdUtY/s320/lexi-ruskell-229167-unsplash-1-1024x683.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">While I was running a professional development arts program for visual artists living with disability, the number one access issue was the cost of transport. Many people can not access the public transport system due to disability or their disability combined with where they live. Many of my artists received a mobility allowance and were eligible for the TSS. Even then they couldn't afford the transport costs of getting to their classes or mentor sessions. In many cases the transport cost of getting to the class was significantly higher than the class itself. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Queensland Government is considering removing access to the Transport Subsidy Scheme to ndis participants. Many participants are still isolated due to transport costs, Transport services for those with disabilities are now unsubsidised, putting them beyond participants. Failing to provide an affordable transport for people living with disabilities has left participants without a way to access their community activities. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Accessing the ndis itself has been plagued with problems. The website itself is inaccessible, the starting place for everyone wanting to access the ndis. The entire scheme was based on the Centrelink model a system riddled with access issues for us all. While such access issues continues to remain unaddressed the government does not consider people with disabilities as equals. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Both sides of the government have failed to secure funding for the ndis into the future. Due to the many difficulties in navigating the ndis millions of dollars have been unspent. Instead of using this money to address the issues and ensure every person has equal opportunity to participate in the Australian way of life. The government have diverted it to other areas allowing them to bring the budget back to surplus. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;">Nothing has been done to woe voters living with disabilities, our votes and our voices are still of little significance. Addressing our needs and our rights still is very low on the national agenda. The future of the ndis needs to be put on the 2019 election agenda. The current surplus needs to be reinvested to improving the ndis. Anything less says to people living with disability that they don't count. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Those of us with disabilities labour under a constant battle to be heard. We ask you to email your electorate candidates and ask what their party intends to do about fixing the problems of the ndis. People with disabilities do count and we should be accommodated by the Government.</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015817100250184475.post-69336970125791118062019-04-09T03:47:00.001-07:002019-04-09T21:06:36.612-07:00Ipswich Art Community - What really hurts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuZf0FgT4dDYNfcXprRBFcGk2DrrmpXIZRRpVdIMa8o0zAN0fDlSpQ3cenPjl_eRuW5sn3BGWXgw0HHzm4M7sja8cHv2MPrxMB_3WpIBCSlSjffVTse9tl0aE2g-qfXa77Cs-JpWM62kWj/s1600/54279651_2285763521476164_7543518599772635136_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuZf0FgT4dDYNfcXprRBFcGk2DrrmpXIZRRpVdIMa8o0zAN0fDlSpQ3cenPjl_eRuW5sn3BGWXgw0HHzm4M7sja8cHv2MPrxMB_3WpIBCSlSjffVTse9tl0aE2g-qfXa77Cs-JpWM62kWj/s320/54279651_2285763521476164_7543518599772635136_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's about the spirit of the awards. The Ipswich City Council stepped in last year to save the Art Awards. Until then the Art Awards were driven by Ipswich Artists, groups and the business community. Members of the community gave their time to organise and run this event in order to encourage other artists in the region. My own growth as an artist is due in part to Wayne McDonald and Glen Smith who kept encouraging me to enter each year because they saw my potential. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My perseverance through their encouragement paid off when I received a Highly Commended last year. This is the spirit of the awards and now I encourage other artists to have a go. However having a go this year is not the same. The cost of entering is not rewarded with a chance to exhibit and sell your work. The realty is the Ipswich Council have contributed a small amount to the cost of the awards. The rest was paid in artists fees @ $30 per entry and the $25 to attending the Awards night. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This year there are only first prizes in each category and no highly commended on offer to provide encouragement. Previously other awards have been offered to invest in up and coming artists such as an emerging artist award and a printmaking residency. Works were also acquired by the Ipswich Gallery and local businesses. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Effectively the Ipswich arts community are funding these awards not the Council. Resulting in the arts community hurting. There was no indication that all artworks would not be hung and there is certainly no investment in further artistic careers being made. This is what really hurts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The withdrawal of sponsorship's last year was due in part to the Ipswich City's Councils actions and lost of trust in the community. Despite the event being run solely by community members each donating hundreds of hours of their time to make the event successful. This year is no exception Arts Connect are again manning the exhibition for the 3 days it is open to the public.</span><span style="font-size: large;">The arts community as a whole, not just visual artists, but performers, musicians and poets heavily support other events during the festival. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What hurts the most is much of this information about not all working being hung was not divulged before entering art and buying opening night tickets. It was only upon delivery or art this information was given on a slip of paper. The lack of transparency from Ipswich City Council is still evident. It feels personal and like a kick in the guts. The actions of the Council devalues what artists give to the community. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is not what the awards were about. We are discouraged as community but united in our resolve. We will celebrate our own achievements in our own way on the 26th April at Salon des Refused at the Arts Alive Gallery, we ask that the Ipswich community come and support local artists over the weekend of 26 to 28th April by purchasing work. </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015817100250184475.post-90427302123910780322019-04-06T02:51:00.003-07:002019-04-06T02:55:45.226-07:00Engaging Suppport Workers under the ndis<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> <b><i>Every family and participant has the right to decide . . . </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><i> who comes into their home and who they </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><i>trust to support them in the community.</i></b></span><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So your new to receiving supports for your disability or a family member. You've just recieved your ndis plan and you have x dollars to spend on direct support. Where do you start?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Choose the types of direct supports you want?</span></div>
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Social support one-on-one</div>
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In-home Support</div>
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Job coaching/Support</div>
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Personal Care</div>
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Transport</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If your new to being able to access supports chances are you may not know what all the different types of support are and there are supports not listed here. In your planning meeting you would of set your goals. This is the first clue to the type of support you might like to access. Let's look at these:-</span></div>
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<u>Respite Support</u>: This gives a full-time carer a break from providing care for someone. This support may occur in the home allowing the care givers some time out. In a day activity centre where the person with a disability does a number of activities in a group setting or a period where the person has a home away from home, the family might take a holiday during this time.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<u>Respite Care Settings/Day Centre or Group Based Activities:</u> These are where a number of people with disabilities are supported to do things together. Things like shopping, sports, physical activities, drama, arts & crafts, life skills and social activities.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<u>In-home Supports</u>: This might include assistance with daily living tasks such as showering and dressing, meal preparation, light house work, gardening or just things you enjoy doing at home. </div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<u>Community Access Support:</u> This is where an individual support worker supports one individual to do things in their local community. Things such as getting to and from school and work, attending medical appointments, attending mainstream groups such as guides, art and crafts groups, playing sports, attending a gym, swimming, doing things of interest to you, shopping, going to have a hair cut, going to the pub, attending a wedding, visiting a theme park or national park. Basically this includes any activity your peers would enjoy.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<u>Social Support:</u> This may occur individually or in a group - the choice is yours. Some participants may use their social support to improve their socal skills or make new friends. Some might choose to attend a social activity in a group organised by a disability support agency or they might have one on one support to go on a day trip or to the markets. A popular type of social support activity is to attend a movie or go to a football game. Social support includes any type of activity people do for enjoyment.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<u>Job Support:</u> This is support to find a job, to get to and from work, do some work experience, or assistance looking for work.</div>
</li>
</span></ol>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Hopefully this gives you some ideas of the types of activities you might like support to do. Your<u> choice</u> of activities will come from your ndis plan goals, such as assistance to get your child to and from school. This may involve having assistance with getting your child dressed, feeding your child breakfast and putting them on the school bus or in a taxi.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">At the time of your meeting with the planner you are asked how you want your plan to be managed. Setting up the adminstration of your plan is the first step, as you can not access a service for support until you know what you ndis budget looks like.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The three basic choices were:- </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
ndis plan managed</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
Host fund provider</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
Self-managed</div>
</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This choice will influnece how you engage your support workers. Within these three choices their are a number of variations and each variation will enable you to engage your support workers in different ways. Regardless of how your plan is administrated every participant can engage support workers through a Disability Support Provider. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
However if your plan is ndis managed, then the only way you can access support workers is through an ndis registered plan provider. Traditionally this means that you could not self-direct and engage your own staff. However this is no longer true. There are now ndis disability support providers who assist you to directly engage workers. See services like Mable and Hire Up. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you engage a third party to manage your package you have a<u> choice</u> on whether that provider supplies direct support staff or a different provider. I have previously shared the pro and cons of accessing one provider to provide all your support needs (<a href="https://doodlesandribble.blogspot.com/2018/10/ndis-chosing-provider.html">Choosing a support service</a>) - You may find you are able to self-direct or partially self-direct your support staff using a host funds provider. </div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
For those who are able to self-manage their plan there is more flexibility. You are not limited to a ndis provider for your support service, you may like to access a cleaning service to clean the house, a home maintenance service and a food preparation company to cook. Some people like the simplicity of having workers who can support them to do all tasks, while other engage workers that are skilled in specific areas. It very much depends on your support needs and lifestyle. </div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
I personally work best with people who have a creative interest. They do not need to be artists like myself, they might show their creativity in other ways such as gardening. I find workers who do not share a creative interest do not enjoy working with me as much as workers who are creative.<br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
So now you need to start thinking about the type of person who you would enjoy working with. If you are wanting a support worker to support you to go swimming, you don't want a coach potato or someone who can't swim. The coach poato might be great to go to the movies or the pub or even to do arts and craft. This is where deciding if you want a support worker for a specfic task or you want general workers to support you in a numbers of ways.</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
Regardless of how you access support from a support worker or a carer you will find that some support workers are selective with the type of supports they provide. (This occurs both with disability support organisations and workers you may seek to directly engage or employ). For example some support staff will not assist with personal care or transport you in their car. So you need to be very specific about the type of support you're seeking and the tasks required. Some people will agree to anything, hoping to persuade you to do what they want to do later.<br />
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If you are self-directing your own supports you will need to develop job description(s). Some people like their workers to do all the roles or tasks they require, while other participants seek support workers to support with a particular part of their plan.<br />
<br />
I also partially self-manage my own plan. I engage support workers through an online platform that links participants and support workers, then they negotiate an arrangement between themselves. The workers are officially employed by this ndis registered organisation, so no matter how your plan is managed you change choose your own support team and effectively be self-directing or directing for a family member.<br />
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I have one key worker who assist me with self managing a team and looks after the roster, another member of the team looks after all the team training and updating my support plan and induction guide. My key worker also assists me in recruiting new team members and management of all my ndis supports. Although I can do this phone calls are diffcult due to my speech impairment. It is quicker and easier to have her negotiate all my service agreements for me to approve and sign.<br />
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Other participants have support workers who just assist them in the home and then a team of workers who assist them to do different activities in the community. You need to consider your lifestyle and your needs when you select how to structure your support team. You can also ask for assistance to organise your supports in your plan.<br />
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At this stage you need to begin to develop a detailed support plan that spells out all your support needs, your expectations of support workers, an explanation of all tasks required, including descriptions and any specialised plans the support workers are required to follow, such as your personal care routine, medical emergency response plans and behaviour management plans. If you have a supports coordinator or a coordinator through the disability support agency you have a service agreement with they will either write your support plan or work with you to write the plan.<br />
<br />
For those who are self-directing through an agency, you will be able to access their templates to write your support plan. These support plans form part of the service agreement or employment agreement you and the other party sign. These are legally binding documents that all workers must follow. They are not negotiable by individual workers, they are not guidelines and they certainly are not suggestions of how a worker provides supports. If the unfortunate happens and an incident arises, if plans have not been followed workers may find the cannot claim work cover or sue in event of injury. <br />
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On that note if you are directly employing your own support team as an employer you are responsible to insure your own staff and ensure all entitlements are paid. You can check these with employers services and the award. The other way to directly engage workers is to pay or contract support workers who are self-employed and are responsible for their own insurances and taxation requirements.<br />
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Just an overview of how support workers can be engaged or employed:-<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Employed by a disability support organsiation that is ndis registered. A list of these are on the ndis website or you can ask your Local Area Coordinator to assist. </li>
<li>Work for an agency that supplies support staff to participants who are self-directing. </li>
<li>Work with a self-directing service to set up your own model for self-directing and engaging support staff.</li>
<li>Employ support workers who are self-employed (have an ABN)</li>
<li>Set-up your own service to employ your staff. (apply for an ABN)</li>
</ul>
<div>
Another option that I have used is to engaged a number of different staff through different providers. This gives you more options and a wider pool to select your workers from. Remember you have the right to withdraw from a service agreement, as long as you follow the terms for withdrawal in the service agreement. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
I have previously written blog posts explaining the purpose of service agreements, what they should contain and your rights. <span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="background-color: white;">see <a href="https://doodlesandribble.blogspot.com/2018/05/your-ndis-pathway-success-is-all-in.html">Planning your ndis pathways</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So to find the right worker for you, you need:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<ol>
<li>A list of required supports.</li>
<li>How you will engage your support workers</li>
<li>Service agreement(s) or prepared employment agreements</li>
<li>A support plan</li>
<li>Job description(s)</li>
<li>Induction plan and/or staff training manuals </li>
<li>A list of skills and qualities you are looking for in a support worker. (If you are advertising for a support worker or using a recuriment agency, include these in the advertisement)</li>
</ol>
<div>
The journey begins . . . </div>
<div>
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<div>
Here are some tools</div>
<div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Things to include in your support plan</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<ul>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
Information about you (or the participants)- what daily life looks like, the activities you engage in, and your hobbies and interests including family members and emergency contacts.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
Information on your (or participants) disability and health conditions that will assist workers to deliver quality support.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
A skills audit - Something that clearly states where you (or the participant) can do or can't do and how support is needed. Some things I include are mobility, communication, medical summary, epilepsy support plan, emergency response plans, tasks list for in-home support, personal care plan and procedures, guidelines for community access.)</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
Staff team culture</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
Induction plan</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
Training requirements. </div>
</li>
</ul>
The clearer this can be, the less room for applicants to misunderstand the requirements and responsibilities of their role. Signing and employment agreement means agreeing to follow the support plan. My experience is staff interpret this document to suit themselves so the person responsible for coordinating supports needs to be firm.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Writing a Job Description</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This will be needed if you are recruiting your own team members or placing a job on an online platform. When I began self-directing my own team I used a recruitment agency. I find there are loads of people looking for support work, particually students needing causal work. However, you want to ensure this person is a good fit for you or the participants needs and lifestyle!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Include a job title. I intitally advertised for two postitions a Key Support Worker and a casual worker. I found in being flexible in my recuriting I altered the job descriptions I offered to the successfully candidates. Posting a 'job' on an online platform is a bit different as some of the screening is done for you. Such as police and reference checks. (Oh I never give out my address until I am sure I want this person in my home. It's find it good to meet the person in a park or library.)</div>
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I like to do my meet and greets in the community at The Retro Diner. As I provide artwork for the diners walls. It enbles the interested party to see the level of my artwork and veiw me in a working enviroment.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So you need to include:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
Job title</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
Summary of duties</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
Something about the type of person your looking for</div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
Any requirements such as a blue and yellow card, qualifications, 2 referees and a willingness to drive your own car. </div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
I include I have a cat at work so workers with an allergy to cats are not suited to working with me.</div>
</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Something I might put on a online platform, or I even used successfully on Facebook is:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Crazy art loving cat women seeks casual support workers to complete her current support team. To be suitable you need to be flexible with your work hours and have great availablity. This postition will include work after 5 pm and on the weekends. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I require assistance with housework, personal care, meal preparation, my physio program, shopping and growing my visual arts practise. If you a crazy and love to laugh while your working; and can prove to me your loyal and reliable then message me to discuss my needs futher. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Someone with a sense of homour or witty in important to me as I am a true larkin'. If this was a job add I be a lot more descriptived in the personal qualities I looking for. I looking for someone who wants to get the job done and empower me to achieve my ndis goals, not take me out for coffee. Although occasionally I like to do that to. I have plenty of friends and I don't pay them buy the hour get me out the house. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
What is a service agreement?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Put simply it is an agreement or contract between you and the organisation or person you are engaging to provide your support. It states the specfic supports that will be provided and the costs of those supports (quote). It outlines their responsibilites to you and your responsibilites to them for an agreed period of time. It should also spell out the terms for seazing the agreement before the due date. <br />
<br />
Although the agreement can be reviewed at anytime at the request of either party or termeniated imediately if either party acts concere to the terms and conditions. You do not need to have a 12 month agreement, it can be for any period of time and if you are new to recieving support I would recommend a short period between 8 to 12 weeks.</div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<u></u></ol>
</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015817100250184475.post-18004891502339046362019-03-21T23:42:00.001-07:002019-03-22T05:30:53.130-07:00Building Capacity and the NDIS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of the things I am invested in is building capacity of communities, presently my focus is on the Ipswich arts community and ensuring artists with disabilities are includes in the visual arts at grassroots level. I love to say being an arts worker combines my two passions - art and advocating for all those living with disabilities, including families. So naturally this will be incorporated into my personal ndis goals.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This week I sat down with part of team Deb to refresh the team on my goals and how they might look for my next plan. I already know they will look very different, as I am a different person to 'who I was when I transitioned to the ndis. For one thing I am fitter, stronger and healthier! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My major goal for the last two years has been to have a solo art exhibition outside the boundaries of Ipswich. On the 24th February I achieved that goal. This is a huge undertaking for any emerging artist and a financial risk, needing to use my wheelchair for fatigue takes the courage needed to the next level. An artist lives with the critics, when it comes to art everybody is a critic. What has happened that should not be happening is workers in the disability sector questioning my goals and implying I am bound to fail.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So what? Failure is part of the human condition and nothing creates a more fertile ground for learning. I do push myself and between you and me - that is the secret to success! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">How I see success is very different to the rest of the world. Success is not money, but the legacy I leave after I am gone. The National Disability Insurance Scheme is primarily about assistance to participate in society. Belonging is a basic human right that the ndis seeks to correct. But what do we belong to!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Surprisingly not all my support workers knew my ndis goals, despite them being clearly written in my Team Induction Guide. Some support workers see every participant's goal is to improve social skills and interaction. Some of my workers in the past have thought taking me for coffee assisted me in this area. Can I share something . . . this is not one of my needs. I could have coffee with a different friend for the next 50 days plus . . . if I choose too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Turning 50 with friends</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Under the ndis that is not the point! The point is CHOICE! What I do and with who is for me to decide not someone I employ to assist me. People with disabilities and their families now have a choice on -</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">How participants engage in their communities will be different. Not many participants will choose to be a artist seeking to have artwork purchase by the Australian Art Bank and many do not know this is where galleries hire some of their exhibitions from. This is my long term goal - the ultimate. So short term I like the Ipswich Gallery to purchase my work or to host an exhibition by me.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGtqhqUKneScK5ohS_J__tykcA44kRX7OlOuB3RbePtViHnzygcZc_zt-ajSM7qXuSFaFtb-kIkTuluEHzbHIqR1kvlcF1IUacDrfVhoMWpGcaEplBuUyPBHkIS9Ql23PWXXJUTDh1Tuun/s1600/Deb+Moster%2527s+exhibition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGtqhqUKneScK5ohS_J__tykcA44kRX7OlOuB3RbePtViHnzygcZc_zt-ajSM7qXuSFaFtb-kIkTuluEHzbHIqR1kvlcF1IUacDrfVhoMWpGcaEplBuUyPBHkIS9Ql23PWXXJUTDh1Tuun/s320/Deb+Moster%2527s+exhibition.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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So having a Chi latte with a worker I am irritated with is not how I want to socialise. In my opinion these workers are wasting my time and I am paying them to do that!</div>
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The word 'participant' implies a person is actively engaged in a activity or program. Going to the local shopping centre is not a social activity for most people - I might enjoy that with my sister or a friend. Other than that I send people to do that for me - and that is how I exercise my choice. If you are a participant that might be the thing you most love to do. I think that's the coolest thing about the ndis - we as individuals get to do what we love doing, rather than 'following the leader!'</div>
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This will only continue if participants exercise their right to choose and speak up when they're not happy with a decision made by the ndis, a service or a support worker. In the business world we say 'the customer is always right'. When it comes to the ndis you are a customer. </div>
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However community living is more than service providers, families and participants. It is the neighborhood in which we live, work and play. Sadly for many of those living with disabilities neighborhoods are often not accessible. Here is where the ndis should be assisting but too often adds a barrier for us to overcome. For the scheme to work community organizations and government workers need to work with communities to highlight barriers for people living with disabilities and explore ways the community can become accessible. </div>
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This ramp has sat mostly unused for the last 5 years. Today I dropped it off at Limestone Emporium. The owners face just lit up that her shop became accessible to young mums part of her target market. (and me with a sore foot at present - these days I waltz in!) If we're honest access effects everyone in the community. Just ask Ipswich artist who are trying to enter the art awards today and the council website crashed - you can't be connected, try again later. </div>
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For someone with a disability connecting is a daily occurrence. Just as I helped my friend connect with her customers today, we need to walk alongside those struggling to connect to the community. It isn't our problem and it isn't the community's problem, it is a human problem! </div>
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<b><i>When we limit ourselves, we limit others</i></b></div>
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<b><i>and that takes away the choices of others.</i></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7BjU5gXsu46NxCaL8VPAvu8YD3fzAFeJovGzyXOUbwiHjKI2pmB33Dizhf-g0rWmsjHLYoKU5arW4xhJmljGEmmC9W9eqbLPzENMlrYiUy5th9jMVuAwsFPW14_BXaSRhO9aDjt7PNow8/s1600/52974585_2456425307730350_1442914535336837120_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7BjU5gXsu46NxCaL8VPAvu8YD3fzAFeJovGzyXOUbwiHjKI2pmB33Dizhf-g0rWmsjHLYoKU5arW4xhJmljGEmmC9W9eqbLPzENMlrYiUy5th9jMVuAwsFPW14_BXaSRhO9aDjt7PNow8/s320/52974585_2456425307730350_1442914535336837120_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><i>March 25 is world CP day</i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I may have Cerebral Palsy</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Before I go I'd like to acknowledge BEMAC for investing in me and my art practise. This investment will support Mieke Den Otter and myself to demonstrate to local Kindergarten children that creating artwork is work. </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015817100250184475.post-18769107133638055032019-03-03T23:57:00.000-08:002019-03-04T00:26:18.707-08:00The Role the NDIS Plays<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of the roles of the NDIS is to assist individuals and families living with disabilities to access and participate in community life. I am an author, visual artist and disability advocate. My current NDIS goals are to extend my visual art practise and build in roads for inclusion in the local art community.</span></div>
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In addition to navigating the NDIS 'red tape, traps and pot holes', I face many physical and attitudinal barriers in presenting my artwork to my intended audience. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzbitMGad_3FvsBrODFNG2GRawdMSH8KEQX-YNjEDAUpcnAgEG1muPoKdhkUNCsj9yw3rEgueClkw8NKS-8bMzX7-R7mk_fAtDisASKsY6a0kINn1R-CR7kmqY4gToisNNI5TlherOJQiV/s1600/52657743_10157194962216385_4951517175350296576_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzbitMGad_3FvsBrODFNG2GRawdMSH8KEQX-YNjEDAUpcnAgEG1muPoKdhkUNCsj9yw3rEgueClkw8NKS-8bMzX7-R7mk_fAtDisASKsY6a0kINn1R-CR7kmqY4gToisNNI5TlherOJQiV/s320/52657743_10157194962216385_4951517175350296576_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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A specific goal for 2018/19 was to host a solo art exhibition in Brisbane this is a huge undertaking. Art galleries tend to be older buildings with poor access, but I never let a few steps get in the way and my recent exhibition at Greaser Gallery was no exception. However I am not confined to my wheelchair and can manage with assistance to climb a few stairs. </div>
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Greaser Gallery website assures interested parties it is accessible - this was not my experience. Although the space has some access plus' if you experience a sensory disability or behavioural disability. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6k4cFJMcv4V8ryyZtsTtfa49DE6ZCJMy1iy_NoE8okSL2IJn2iLwiOvMNF37Cq7W6tTysS6heaqBjSE0t2axJ_gaBmO0cwAceMGfZAZBnabnDdbxSSkdrUimbcwJzoKjMSMBO64W6-wZ8/s1600/52602521_2313437872034673_7719299989016412160_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6k4cFJMcv4V8ryyZtsTtfa49DE6ZCJMy1iy_NoE8okSL2IJn2iLwiOvMNF37Cq7W6tTysS6heaqBjSE0t2axJ_gaBmO0cwAceMGfZAZBnabnDdbxSSkdrUimbcwJzoKjMSMBO64W6-wZ8/s320/52602521_2313437872034673_7719299989016412160_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Low lighting and the freedom to use the sound system to play music would make it a 'safe' environment for someone on the autism spectrum. However even using the back entrance meant I needed to negotiate one step. This is easily overcome by the use of a small portable ramp. When we discuss access we are usually referring to 'physical features' of venues. i.e. Do they have a toilet I can access. In Greaser's case 'no'.</div>
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As I work with other artists the major access issues they encounter are:-</div>
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Greaser hits the mark on all three of these issues, assuming the artist is able to access the train. The location of venues can often prove more of an access issue then the physical appearance of a building. Many people with disabilities are reliant on taxis which often make accessing the community unaffordable or totally exhausting. Added to this is their work is often undervalued by those who represent them or their audience meaning their profit margins are lower than their peers. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6-rPwThrp6pFCNE_npwA7iztBgwKfmQ9vHIthgwEOjInNY_BGrV8wNmlR_HcubLf5SGx9KK-4wxpSxTAICDBjQKpwybA7ukhbGKsyxT0qV2c0gnw2Nkq9oMzq_7w6IYaDoinjxcvPXoL/s1600/52715554_2313437312034729_7117515993571655680_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6-rPwThrp6pFCNE_npwA7iztBgwKfmQ9vHIthgwEOjInNY_BGrV8wNmlR_HcubLf5SGx9KK-4wxpSxTAICDBjQKpwybA7ukhbGKsyxT0qV2c0gnw2Nkq9oMzq_7w6IYaDoinjxcvPXoL/s320/52715554_2313437312034729_7117515993571655680_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The space at Greaser Gallery current fees and their commissions are very low making their Gallery affordable to emerging artists. Pricing on Brisbane Galleries revealed they are on average four times the cost of Ipswich and almost always, their commissions were higher. </div>
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I found the Greaser staff lovely to work with, respectable and very encouraging. As a visual artist I have the advantage of letting my work speak for itself. My disability is only discovered after my artwork is accepted. . . . Unless I need to make contact by phone.</div>
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This is where my ndis plan comes into play by addressing my individual access needs. My key support worker acts as my PA and makes most of my work calls on my behalf and does a lot of my leg work so I can focus on producing artwork. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCW0ELx_73BsBN4jrTn-ApKlR7SjQ_WF5KZ-bL80hCsXLPytjPHLf5wgH-qwxKmiPab7heHwpNUI0YEdKinlmpHZs_orqHXK3oFW41RK5LdFdyi2CQKMsL-FwgNjTg9plFLI2xq8-CBbb/s1600/snake+festival+a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCW0ELx_73BsBN4jrTn-ApKlR7SjQ_WF5KZ-bL80hCsXLPytjPHLf5wgH-qwxKmiPab7heHwpNUI0YEdKinlmpHZs_orqHXK3oFW41RK5LdFdyi2CQKMsL-FwgNjTg9plFLI2xq8-CBbb/s320/snake+festival+a.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Difficulties accessing the arts can occur way before the artist submits a proposal. Even in the production process and accessing resources artists with disabilities are at significant disadvantage. Few have the ability or technology to research the art gallery market and many who are dependent on others - such as support staff are limited. Few workers are serious about empowering participants to be part of the art community and they often play a significant role in artwork being under valued. Some artists who are part of a studio run by support studios are not paid and do not own their own work. </div>
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The creative work in producing an art piece has no value attached if it is produced as part of a day respite program. I suggest these artists seek out supported art studios, which are staffed by quality art support workers who assist in promoting both the artists and their work. Artists living with disabilities should seek the advice of their state peak body. In Queensland that is Access Arts. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNHpYbTeu5QffyZsbkqw_J6CoDl3maBfcLYHp-8JzrzdNXhwFqk8r3A1Owyp00y7qptg9nC2P6ldoUukSUCaYX9m7udqrIhbaGgiJBLvoGPksx0mRI-xp3-8_pzg6PLtlNolLo6sYrSnw/s1600/52974585_2456425307730350_1442914535336837120_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNHpYbTeu5QffyZsbkqw_J6CoDl3maBfcLYHp-8JzrzdNXhwFqk8r3A1Owyp00y7qptg9nC2P6ldoUukSUCaYX9m7udqrIhbaGgiJBLvoGPksx0mRI-xp3-8_pzg6PLtlNolLo6sYrSnw/s320/52974585_2456425307730350_1442914535336837120_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Was honoured to have Pat Swell support my </div>
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recent exhibition. Pat is the CEO of Access Arts</div>
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here in Queensland and a fellow champion</div>
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for inclusion in the arts.</div>
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So many businesses and organisations only scratch the surface in addressing access issues for people with disability. If the business community were to get serious about disability access then they would develop a Disability Action Plan. This identifies the access issues their services present for those living with disability and outlines a plan to address each barrier over a period of time. The plan must also include a commitment to disability awareness training for all members of staff. Due to costs that could be a 10 year plan or even a living document, this at least demonstrates a willingness to participate in building an inclusive community.</div>
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In the absence of disability action plans, there is no commitment to partnering with the NDIS to increase the social and economic participation of people living with disabilities. Many working in the disability sector itself have much to learn about empowering people to make their own choices and not letting their own prejudices and fears limit those they work with. </div>
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My NDIS plan has played a major role to achieve my ambitions, art goals and contributing to social inclusion in roads in the Ipswich Art community. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrgN0BbT4X1H6XID-JanWzwYGFwHDX61UOapjz2hHGIei6qmpyWnUAIAGFdPyKa64PEeKDDNKua81wGNmXHgIbmB9j6Qo_a1DWtlQe0nukFcFybq6TC7xrinutqoft5WSOc5ZkX40XNbb5/s1600/Australia+Day+Award.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrgN0BbT4X1H6XID-JanWzwYGFwHDX61UOapjz2hHGIei6qmpyWnUAIAGFdPyKa64PEeKDDNKua81wGNmXHgIbmB9j6Qo_a1DWtlQe0nukFcFybq6TC7xrinutqoft5WSOc5ZkX40XNbb5/s320/Australia+Day+Award.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Arts Connect Ipswich</div>
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recipient of </div>
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2019 Event of the Year</div>
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Australia Day Award </div>
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Having YOUR Voice</div>
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art exhibition by artists with disabilities.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015817100250184475.post-17523448590933046822019-02-25T22:31:00.000-08:002019-02-25T22:56:19.001-08:00Reaching my ndis goals<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1dj_iNHCgGTXVW6MqGSN_bLQ3XiceVLYEeF4_NV3xPeGpdDRqe9nGVWeAOdBEGm4QEoiphhAMEhTC-DpSB3iIPYjDghUbuY-MkvshWSEyQg4LRcq8Nl6Yi5AmWZWOTo_kq0gdWnnYKhwd/s1600/52657743_10157194962216385_4951517175350296576_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1dj_iNHCgGTXVW6MqGSN_bLQ3XiceVLYEeF4_NV3xPeGpdDRqe9nGVWeAOdBEGm4QEoiphhAMEhTC-DpSB3iIPYjDghUbuY-MkvshWSEyQg4LRcq8Nl6Yi5AmWZWOTo_kq0gdWnnYKhwd/s320/52657743_10157194962216385_4951517175350296576_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b><i>Opening Night at Greaser Art Gallery</i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My name is Deb Chilton and I am a published author and poet and visual artist. On Sunday the 24th February I hosted my first Brisbane solo art exhibition.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxlQlzGaYX1kCp0PGF31610_VOv4fsbiCzoHQfIb-i4ren-IBKnuyz01JAd_J95Kaaq2_yaJt_MZemb-QBymM7NTAgIPMAyhn1rgDFMkJiJoyhXbXv0-vqIO8vLHpyCkykqSQJ_1ItYi9/s1600/52974585_2456425307730350_1442914535336837120_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxlQlzGaYX1kCp0PGF31610_VOv4fsbiCzoHQfIb-i4ren-IBKnuyz01JAd_J95Kaaq2_yaJt_MZemb-QBymM7NTAgIPMAyhn1rgDFMkJiJoyhXbXv0-vqIO8vLHpyCkykqSQJ_1ItYi9/s320/52974585_2456425307730350_1442914535336837120_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><i>With Pat Swell, the CEO of Access Arts</i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Every participants plan under the ndis is based on their personal or their family's goals. Funding should not be about a person's disability nor directly related to their disability. Rather it is a plan to enable an individual or family to develop the life they want to live. So the participants goals should reflect, where they want to live and whom they want to live with, in most cases that will be the participants family, however there are some individuals who choose to live on their own or with friends. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg776jtEb1wnbvi4Rnfe3o1_x4hBh4LECSJSLc09CxlHSfUUEEWC2ip-dwEt9sM4xbkX8NGy-4jToyD6q2jYJWhv6zX85I7yy6C3Up1jdZ1Rlnpdn9SmCUkJohb25km3tsd_fT_OV6TOwnP/s1600/IMG20181016091204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg776jtEb1wnbvi4Rnfe3o1_x4hBh4LECSJSLc09CxlHSfUUEEWC2ip-dwEt9sM4xbkX8NGy-4jToyD6q2jYJWhv6zX85I7yy6C3Up1jdZ1Rlnpdn9SmCUkJohb25km3tsd_fT_OV6TOwnP/s320/IMG20181016091204.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b><i>My home doubles as my art studio</i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My ndis goals are around extending my visual arts practise and building my audience. I am also invested in community inclusion and building a diverse arts community in Ipswich. I achieve this through working with the local art community and some of my artwork explores my own thoughts on what that community should look like.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I also have goals around being independent and remaining safe and confident in the lifestyle I live. Choice and choosing how you as a participant want to be supported is a key reform in the ndis. My support needs are unique to my disabilities and I only require individual one on one support, some equipment and supports around enhancing my daily living to participate in the community. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBlRYvw8e6URVpDHPXs7w45TAt2we1dQuSvSbaEahaXTek1JHJ4mokjIMm2MErRbwIHI4wp42vmaDGS7MzyvU6V3D0FmAjLcKVIum89Zq_DHUyNThpoRATL3m-OfYWrAQHdYDY9-WsIRDM/s1600/51447863_368835090515241_8038362234579058688_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="585" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBlRYvw8e6URVpDHPXs7w45TAt2we1dQuSvSbaEahaXTek1JHJ4mokjIMm2MErRbwIHI4wp42vmaDGS7MzyvU6V3D0FmAjLcKVIum89Zq_DHUyNThpoRATL3m-OfYWrAQHdYDY9-WsIRDM/s320/51447863_368835090515241_8038362234579058688_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><i>One of my physio hit outs</i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For me I achieve this through a range of therapies to keep me fit and active. Prior to the ndis I found being supported by traditional support services limiting and I wasn't able to utilise my support hours in the way I wanted. This has been the most significant change for me under the ndis and I now direct my own support team. For me this means sourcing the people who I feel are best able to support me, choosing how my staff will be engaged, organising my own roster.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: small;">With my support team meeting guess at my art exhibition</span></i></b></div>
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The ndis allows family and participants to choose how and who administrates their ndis package on their behalf. As I am self-employed and run a small business I was able to choose to partly self-manage my own plan and funding. I have my key support worker assist me in this role. My speech is a major communication barrier so my key worker makes most of my phone calls either with me or on my behalf.</div>
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The ndis should provide all participants and their families with more choices and flexibility, however my experience is you need to voice what you want constantly and sadly many traditional providers just want to work with every participant in the same way. This is not how the ndis was designed to function and you shouldn't be bullied into doing things the way services want. However my experience is it's a lot less energy to just go with the flow and my ideals are wavering. </div>
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Engaging my own support workers, though platforms like Hire Up and individual contracts has given me the flexibility I needed to take my art practise to the next level. Most services operate during the week, however the majority of art activities I engage in are after hours. Transport has always been and still is a major access issue for myself and others with disabilities. With limited means of transport and the costs, people with disabilities still have limits placed on the activities they choose, I am very blessed to have support staff who are flexible to make my work schedules work.</div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: small;">Spider Web Block Print</span></i></b></div>
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My major ndis goal to have my first solo exhibition in Brisbane was only possible because I stepped away from the traditional support services and the generosity of support staff who were willing to work outside the box. </div>
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I am passionate about making this a reality for others in the years ahead. The ndis may be new but there are many things about the ndis that need to be fixed and better funded. I hope this post gives you and your family the courage to build the life you want to live.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015817100250184475.post-63727031165045651562019-02-08T18:53:00.002-08:002019-02-09T02:04:52.508-08:00ndis Living Better?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrBkQpad1qcw5YHKQAAQkSDHZADoIh73ELIDXnV4W4Gb1cXO59Zpl17_cjnz4mgQ9M4t6RAOGZawALvvNTGIYcjhe9yOh529R2ufKORmpeNTu5YLEpgs487r_3FhWfWk9ltgKs8Ft9gGQa/s1600/51515958_300596587322501_7611131430940180480_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="585" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrBkQpad1qcw5YHKQAAQkSDHZADoIh73ELIDXnV4W4Gb1cXO59Zpl17_cjnz4mgQ9M4t6RAOGZawALvvNTGIYcjhe9yOh529R2ufKORmpeNTu5YLEpgs487r_3FhWfWk9ltgKs8Ft9gGQa/s320/51515958_300596587322501_7611131430940180480_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I think its fair to say the ndis has seen all of us face challenges. Whether your a parent, a participant, a support worker, a disability support provider, ndis employee or a member of the general public. The creation of the ndis was designed to create a better way of living for participants and their families. However there are still many challenges to overcome in accessing this new system; improving access for people with disabilities, promoting better inclusion, community awareness and achieving better outcomes in the lives of those living with disabilities. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">From the out set the ndis was to be a scheme that would benefit all Australians, by moving to a society and therefore a community that was inclusive of people with disabilities and their families. Ideally the ndis should provide participants with the same opportunities as other members of our community. Clearly, we're not there yet. When I was preparing for the introduction of the ndis and sharing my insight, I often said that the ndis was the prefect opportunity to try new things, I still believe this to be the case.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This week the ndis allowed me to try something new, through my enhanced daily living package. This part of my plan is about living my best life. For me I do not want to be sitting on a coach or moving into a nursing home at 60. I am still hoping some of my best days are ahead of me. If you or a family member are a participant in the ndis then this should be a goal for your life too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After a rough end to last week I have come out punching. My physio is always looking for new ways to challenge me and keep me entertained. My physio got me to put on my boxing gloves. At some level I think every participant should be challenged. So lets get fair dinkum here, most Aussies like to take the easy way out - 'It's too hard.' and some days that is true for me too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The ndis plan is powered by the participants goals or in some cases the families goals. Ok not every participant is going to choose to see a physio and not every participant needs that type of support. The ndis is about being supported your way to do the activities and things you choose. I have no intention on taking up bird watching so I am not expecting many participants to join me in the ring, </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For a small number of participants the plan is about quality of life and how to make life better for the family. In these cases we're looking at respite care or day activities so other family members can resume their lives and even look for work. In the main the ndis was created to increase the ability of participants to join in the activities that their community has to offer. This includes things such as education, employment, festivals, sports and arts n craft. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For many years one of my support goals was to have meaningful interaction in the community. My current partnership with Angie the owner of The Retro Diner in Brisbane St, Ipswich is the perfect example of what I mean by meaningful interaction. Not only do I really enjoy hanging out at The Retro Diner, the owner has given me the opportunity to have my art on public display. She believes my 'pop art' sits well on the walls and I sell my range of giftware at The Diner as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I am not going out into the community, simply to 'get out of the house'. I have a purpose and a reason to get out of bed in the morning. It was hoped that the ndis would provide many opportunities for individuals to do this. For ndis to succeed we all need to change the way we see individuals with disabilities. We now need to view them as co-contributors in the community.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Most people with disabilities have a positive outlook on life and wear a smile. I don't know about you but I find a smile contagious to be around. The joy that these people can bring to a room or restaurant can lift the atmosphere. Sadly many families living with disabilities don't feel welcomed in cafes and restaurant's, because others are uncomfortable with 'behaviours' or eateries are not physically accessibly. The role of the ndis is not just to assist individuals to be involved in community life, but also assist the community to embrace people with disabilities. Assisting in building inclusive communities is one of the driving forces behind my art practise. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Art speaks all languages and brings together people from all areas of life. 'Having You Voice'; the 2018 Australia Day Award for Ipswich Event of the year, achieved this. Each of the artworks was produced by individuals and groups with disabilities. The event was attended by politicians, community promoters, those who worked in the disability sector, those who worked in the art sector, artists and the artists who created this incredible body of work. One of the art directors, from the main gallery remarked, 'I don't get this many people to attend my openings in the main gallery'.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is a testimony to the tireless work of members of Ipswich Arts Connect, a group that embraces everyone and promotes the work of all members. There are a number of artists living with disabilities who 'belong' to arts connect and participate in many group exhibitions. This is what social inclusion looks like, 'belong' in every sense of the word. Learning, working, producing and promoting visual arts (creating and performing) together. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">When we think about what a better life for people with disabilities might look like '<a href="https://www.artsconnectipswich.com.au/about-us/">Arts Connect Inc, Ipswich</a>'. To achieve what Arts Connect has in Ipswich and embrace the ndis we need to challenge our own perceptions and beliefs that restrict the growth and participation of people living with disabilities. These individuals are not 'DISABLED'. Many are very talented and thinkers who can assist in the ndis transition if we let go of the medical model of disabilities. The medical model implies all people with disabilities need care and need to be under the watch of a 'responsible' person. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Many people who come through my front door to offer support are shocked to find I do not have a carer or have 24 hour support. Some believe my 'working life' exists in my imagination and humour me. The ndis has allowed me to take control and engage support workers who work 'in the background' to enable me to achieve my ndis goals. This month that goal is to have an exhibition in Brisbane. 18 months of slogging away, in the same way all members of Arts Connect my art is almost ready to hang on the wall of <a href="https://www.greasergallery.com/">Greaser Art Gallery</a> here's the invite. . . </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Moving forward I hope to witness more families and participants setting their goals and being empowered to take a more active role in deciding how they want to be supported; what services they access; choosing support staff that share their interests and support them to achieve their own goals. I would love to see more participants being able to choose when they have their individual supports most art exhibitions occur after 6 pm. There was a time in my life I wasn't able to access support on a Sunday. Before the ndis my Transformations exhibition would not be possible. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Even now some workers on the Hire Up platform find it difficult that I am inflexible at what time I arrive at an art group or even church. I struggle to explain to close minded people why just like my peers I want to be on time to events. Workers telling me the times they will work is a thing of the past. If they can't work the hours I need, then they are not able to do that particular shift. Just as I struggle with workers inflexibility I too struggle with my determination to self-direct. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I hope we will overcome the current challenges the ndis presents and all those living with disabilities can embrace a better way of living. </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015817100250184475.post-7124469560798076252019-02-02T23:53:00.000-08:002019-02-03T19:50:57.312-08:00Road blocks under the ndis<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Having YOUR Voice </div>
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2019 Australia Day Awards (Ipswich)</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Under the National Disability Insurance Scheme participants and their families should be in the drivers seat, in terms of directing how they want to be supported. The NDIS journey is different for everyone and everyone to some degree is encountering road blocks and challenges. My own journey has been no different and in one way you would expect this from a system that is untried. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Some days its hard to remember that the scheme is still developing, when your watching your child or parent struggle or you're sitting in a wheelchair that needs replacing or your trying to find the right service provider; or only one of your three children with ASD is funded by the ndis. Life with disability is constantly challenging and those who live with disability deal with access issues everyday. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b></b><i></i>Every day is a reminder society was not designed to accommodate us. Sadly, there are some members of the public that remind us of this, <i>you should be locked in an institution</i>. Who says that to people in 2019? Many days social inclusion seems but a dream. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">With that as a back drop, we have transitioned from one model of disability care that was critically funded to a new system that was designed to empower people living with disabilities. Regular readers will know things have not gone according to plan. Access to reliable information has been difficult and even the original ndis website was inaccessible. A new website design was recently launch, so if you haven't done so you should check it out. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I have highlighted many times my travel along the ndis road and being empowered to make your own choices is dependent on:</span></div>
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Access to information and;</div>
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Communication.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Regardless of how your plan is being managed you have the<u> right to choose</u> the service providers you access. This is not the decision of a host provider or plan manager. These support services may offer suggestions and information on services provided in your area (information) as can your LAC (local area coordinator). You may also find a google search helpful. However my own journey has shown this is only part of the information you need to make choices around your supports. </span></div>
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When you discuss your plan with existing support services, support coordinators or new support services you're considering, the information they're going to provide is:</div>
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This is who we are</div>
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This is what we offer</div>
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These are our fees and charges (it is now law these are provided to you before signing an agreement)</div>
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A service agreement that states:</div>
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a) The period of agreement</div>
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b) Descriptor of the service(s) to be accessed</div>
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c) Fees and charges</div>
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d) Agreed no. hours for each service</div>
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f) Any out of pocket expenses</div>
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g) The services responsibilities</div>
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h) Your responsibilities</div>
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<i>** A footnote: Participants should receive a copy of all invoices. I know many I do not see. </i></div>
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<i></i>Even if you reach this stage of information that is provided you do not need to go ahead or you can ask for changes. I do it often. If you are unsure about the service agreement you can take or send a copy to your LAC to have it explained to you. Not to be provided with a copy is illegal, whether a service thinks you can understand it or not. </div>
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Buyer beware - you still do not have the whole picture. The service agreement does not tell you if the service will support your goals; how many staff they have; if your goals and needs can be meet; and thus if this is the right service for you and your family. So you need to ask:</div>
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How the service will support your ndis goals?</div>
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Do they offer any flexibility in service provision to better suit your ndis goals?</div>
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Staff availability?</div>
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Do they currently have trouble filling rosters and if so what is their bank up plan, will they use agency staff and how might this impact your service(s)</div>
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These are some of the many questions I wished I asked when considering service providers and signing service agreements. I found many are happy to tell you what they think you want to know. <br />
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So you still do not have all the information you may need to make your informed choice.</div>
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Ask other participants</div>
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Join facebook forums</div>
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Google for reviews.</div>
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Last week I found myself sitting in my six year old wheelchair whose footplate constantly needing replacing with a NO ENTRY sign in front of me. Simply because of a lack of communication. The ndia had knock back my new chair application in June 2018. I was told that all that was needed was more information - not it was a flat 'no'. </div>
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After further questioning I found the ndia needed two new quotes and more information. Believing that to be the case I attempted to contact my physio, relaying the message that the ndia was trying to make contacted with her. She assured me she had obtained a new quote, so I waited,<br />
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I heard nothing, even when I lodged an incident report involving the urgent repair to my chair for safety reasons. Whoever uploaded the document should of seen my application was declined - nothing.<br />
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Finding last week I woke up Monday morning determine to find out where my review process was at, hoping it was just not sitting idle in the system somewhere. I also contacted my LAC, who sent out emails in search for answer. I had given the ndia until Thursday before contacting my MP.<br />
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Friday I finally got a phone call. The ndia would never consider paying that much for a wheelchair. Why I had to wait 7 months to be told that and my physio never passed that information on, I will never understand.<br />
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<i>So I said to the man on the other end of the phone, I have nothing to lose by changing providers?</i><br />
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<i>He believed that to be the case. I was able to give him the details of my new provider and consent to forward my file, previous application and request for additional information. </i><br />
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This action took 30 minutes on the phone and now sits in my portal ready to action tomorrow. I have already requested the first available appointment with my OT to review my assessment for the chair and discuss new information required. Which my current physio has offered to assist with. <br />
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I then emailed my LAC with a update and request for budget review so I could complete the requirements. She was horrified and asked I send her copies of everything when I had it and she would do everything to fast track the application. She assumes a provider will let me see a copy, yet alone have a copy.<br />
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Service providers are still not being transparent with the information or billing the provide to the ndis. This is about me, this affects my daily living and the choices I make. Down to the art galleries and studio spaces I use for my art practice, I have a right to be informed every time my application progresses in the cue. I should not have to threaten to go to a MP before receiving information about me. This is not good enough!<br />
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Application for assisted technology for this price is the only part of my ndis plan I have no say in as I self-manage my plan. Thus it is not my responsibility to chase things up. I am paying physios and OTs to do that on my behalf - clearly the chain of communication in this area of my plan have stopped.<br />
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So if you've not heard anything for a while<b> ASK! And ask until you get answers!</b><br />
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Ultimately I believe this road block occurred due to lack of information provided when I signed my service agreement. Poor communication between me and the therapist prescribing the wheelchair and then no communication unless it was at my request.<br />
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The two keys to empower participants to make informed decisions about their choice for support. Had I known the service provider only had one physio for both the aged care clients and younger people with disabilities in Ipswich, Locker Valley, Toowoomba and out to Boonah, I might of been less reluctant to sign the service agreement.<br />
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I soon realised the physio often she came or called after hours and often wrote reports in her own time because service agreements were out of date. This service failed both me and their staff. <br />
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Services are happy to blame the ndis and lack of funding for poor service provision, however most of the road blocks I've had to unlock are due to poor information and lack of communication by providers. The National Disability Insurance Agency can't be held responsible for that.<br />
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If you remember the backdrop I provided at the start of my post. Participants and families are now adding this stress to the stress of living in a society designed to accommodate them. Many support workers question why I seemed stress when my needs are being met.<br />
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Well today the answer is: somewhere between working part-time, running a small business, preparing for a solo exhibition, addressing my medical needs (about 3 appointments a week) and self-managing my plan (oh plus the admin I do for Disability Community Awareness and my blog) I now need to find the time to fit in completing my wheelchair application. Really there are only 24 hours in a day.<br />
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So forgive me if there is a day or two I feel like its all too much. To the state and federal governments I said, <b><i><u>funding and fixing the ndis is a nation priority!</u></i></b> </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015817100250184475.post-63981240672901169172019-01-27T23:03:00.000-08:002019-01-31T01:19:13.018-08:00ndis for me this week!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJdIPOarIXqd0gAZs8o-KHiXMbeUeFNTgyCf7TGvjAioXYWhg1JrPHikLOzyGf49y93TWgypCIT_Gxd8xeWfSDaPE3HIajLquDRzIbjBEVBjQLJYu3hykp_oQwxKfqhJz30JgojuX7oU9/s1600/Deb+Moster%2527s+exhibition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJdIPOarIXqd0gAZs8o-KHiXMbeUeFNTgyCf7TGvjAioXYWhg1JrPHikLOzyGf49y93TWgypCIT_Gxd8xeWfSDaPE3HIajLquDRzIbjBEVBjQLJYu3hykp_oQwxKfqhJz30JgojuX7oU9/s320/Deb+Moster%2527s+exhibition.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Good, The Bad and The Ugly</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's been a while since I shared how I'm progressing under the ndis with my own goals. The National Disability Insurance Scheme provides support to individuals and families to achieve their elected goals. In essence the ndis should empower participates to make their own choices around how they want their lives to look like, the types of supports the access and who they want to support them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Just a bit of background for those who have not visited my blog before. I have been self-managing my ndis plan for about 17 months and have successfully moved to self-directing my supports. This means I directly engage my own support workers, It has been my experience that traditional support providers have been relucant to make any changes as a result of the introduction of the ndis. When I started my journey I was excited to think about 'one on one supports' that could be more flexible. For me initially that meant moving from 4 providers to 1 provider for my direct supports. I use other providers for things like assisted technology, equipment & repairs and physiotherapy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I am a visual artist who is very active in my local art community and very vocal on my views around social inclusion. I have worked with the community to build a more inclusive art community. So as you can imagine my ndis goals are around 'art'. However I also have goals around health and well being, mobility and independence. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjRBPGTFlh9nOXBXYZZ_gguk42wzMK5kJvaUMVfH6PywMVrU0N1mT-dvwOtBRJTbAYRQqWhWbOSUEtF0HKaWTxjhofyKAUZSrcPpCxy3T1Nv-15BKjqQ5WtA48Nmh4KdfuzOzYd6GoxCyi/s1600/IMG20181205070831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjRBPGTFlh9nOXBXYZZ_gguk42wzMK5kJvaUMVfH6PywMVrU0N1mT-dvwOtBRJTbAYRQqWhWbOSUEtF0HKaWTxjhofyKAUZSrcPpCxy3T1Nv-15BKjqQ5WtA48Nmh4KdfuzOzYd6GoxCyi/s320/IMG20181205070831.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Creating an accessible garden and planting plants I can eat has been one of the projects my support workers have assisted me with. As I have multiple disabilities and health conditions, my lifestyle choices are around being active and eating well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As I am highly autonomous the best type of support that suits me is a support team than works individually with me. I also like a team that is supportive of each other and who together work towards achieving my ndis goals. I am very fortunate that this is a strength of my current team, it really helps that we're all on the same page. As it hasn't always been the case. Admittedly as a team we've been through our ups and downs and we've tried to introduce workers that didn't work in my team. However we are learning and growing and the process of introducing new workers is getting easier and more efficient. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUDZydHY9TMlGR-6HUOOVqncKGvLFAX0z1gNvySWmk3pzoSitWTi3TmAF_eal8ihKMwKjtzpXSjjqvDmAbsQKID-z5Hx9JGQT4KwqqVH-0H3ia7OWJifAFrR7Z96bEG0zkiU-Rl_xEQZEm/s1600/IMG20181028090457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUDZydHY9TMlGR-6HUOOVqncKGvLFAX0z1gNvySWmk3pzoSitWTi3TmAF_eal8ihKMwKjtzpXSjjqvDmAbsQKID-z5Hx9JGQT4KwqqVH-0H3ia7OWJifAFrR7Z96bEG0zkiU-Rl_xEQZEm/s320/IMG20181028090457.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Readers of my blog will know I put a high importance on having fun as a team. I have tried a number of different ways to find support workers that fit well. Not all people are suited to working well together and that's something to be mindful when looking for workers or even group supports. For me its important that my workers enjoy art and have similar values. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">More and more I am using 'supports' through online platforms. Under the ndis supports as we have traditionally known them have grown to include support coordinators, plan managers, therapists and equipment. The platforms I use allow me to decide who supports me to do what. The trouble is I don't break my support down by activities, I expect the worker who is assisting me in the community, will also assist me to get ready. That is not something every worker wants to do or is suited to doing. </span><span style="font-size: large;">When I think about tips for finding the right worker the best I can think of is engaged people who have the traits you most value in family members and friends. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Its interesting to find myself sitting on the other side of the fence. Being a support worker is not something I ever considered before, however this week I became a support worker through Hire Up. Hire Up thinks very differently about what is support and how support is provided. Essentially the Hire Up platform links workers with similar interest. So naturally I am looking to providing art and craft related supports. I am also keen to support in the newer areas such as coordination of supports and forming a team they can self-direct, The challenge is how do I share skills and knowledge without putting my own values across. I'll let you know how I go on that one, because I realized how scuttle it can be. I know what its like to have a constant change in team and people coming in with their own values. Its easier to lose yourself and do it Jane's way when Jane is in the house, even if that's the only day of the week you wear matching socks. Most days I don't even wear socks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So that's the good side of ndis, where participants have more choices about their lives, who is in their lives and how they want to be supported. On the flip side disability support providers are slow to introduce change and those who are able to articulate our needs are caught in the middle. Somewhere in my ndis week I will have an interaction with a provider, even if that's just to order a new tyre for my wheelchair, or to ask my plan manager to pay an invoice, despite ndis being founded on choice, others seem to know better. Who changes a tyre is not important to me, but who comes in my house is!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I made a comment to my phsyio this week,<i> I think I should use more physio when I am struggling and less when I am doing well. </i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">She replied, 'that is your choice and that is how the ndis should work. You know when you need to check in with me.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Unfortunately right now that's more than normal, Using my muscles differently means I am more prone to strains. So I need to ease off my fitness program and easing off is something that doesn't come naturally to me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The ugly is where choices are taken from me and I bear the consequences of incorrect decisions. My readers with know that most likely relates to my new chair. I am seven months into a new plan and I can not get a hold of anyone who can tell me where things are at or if my application has been reviewed. I do not know who has the latest information and can not get hold of the person who did the application. So do I start again and where. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Finding where you sit in the red tape and why is like having teeth pulled out. If only I could buy a new wheelchair at Kmart. Well Kmart doesn't sell wheelchairs so my goal for the week is to find someone at the ndia who can let me know where my application review is at and to pin down the therapist who did the assessment. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I know how hard it is to choose supports you've never had before. Providers are happy to provide glossy brochures and website, but not with coming about whether they can meet your support needs. Participants need to be very honest with sharing information on quality of service. This is the only reliable source of information we have in our decision making process.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Meanwhile I will let you know if I can track down the person who can enlighten me about my new chair. </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015817100250184475.post-8976883877339006942019-01-27T22:29:00.002-08:002019-01-27T22:29:57.628-08:00Event Announcement<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Transformations</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Greaser Art Gallery</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Sunday 24th February 2019</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">From 5 pm</span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">About the Exhibition</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Transformation
traces the journey from my visual diary to completed works of art. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;">The two rooms
contrast the stark images of black and white and an explosion of colour, by
nature, I love working with bold colours, I have enjoyed working with grey
scales to produce this body of work.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;">This
collection includes work across different mediums to produce artworks to hang
in homes and cafes. The exhibition is a collection of watercolour, acrylics,
graphite, mixed media and printmaking. I have used four subject matters in
these works; flowers, cats, faces, and spider webs simply because that is what
I enjoy drawing. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;">These artworks
are predominately work that are or will be transformed into pop-art.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;">I am proud to
present this exhibition as my first solo exhibition in Brisbane which I trust
you will enjoy!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;">I would like
to thank Greaser Gallery for the opportunity to introduce my work to you.
If you have enjoyed my work, I will be exhibiting in Aspire’ group exhibitions
through out 2019.</span></span></div>
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