From being 'busy' to being 'somebody' is how a workshop for people with disability and their supporters is described
Resourcing Inclusive Communities, an Initiative of Family Advocacy, is offering a new workshop for people with disability and their supporters, family, friends, allies, support team and community members.
The workshop, 'Building Support Teams for Success' will be on Wednesday November 29, from 9.30am to 3.30pm at the Quest Nowra,130 Kinghorne Street.
The workshop will explore how to be authentically included in the community by identifying the person's interests, linking them to valued roles, and then pulling together a tailor-made team that supports the person towards developing and achieving these roles.
The guest speaker is local resident Meg Sweeney.
"Many people with disability are busy with activities and programs but don't really have a life of their own," Ms Sweeney said
"My daughter, who has a disability, has shaped a purposeful life full of work, leisure, family and recreation, all within her local community, by using strategies to find the right support.
"Come along to this workshop to hear how to 'get a life' and find the right supports to make it happen."
Why do we need valued roles?
Often people with disability are kept busy doing things.
They might have a full program of activities; such as art, bowling, dancing, coffee-dates. They spend their time in passive roles that fill their schedule but don't offer much social value, such as 'clients', 'participants', 'consumers', 'spectators'.
"Life is about more than being busy 'doing' thing," an event spokesperson said.
"It's about being somebody. When we have work, community, civic, relationship and recreational roles we have opportunity to meet people, develop our skills and project a positive image of ourselves with others. With the right support people with disability can have many valued roles, reach their full potential, earn respect and contribute to the community, like Meg's daughter does.
Further Information
Cost: $35 - people with disability and families or $50 - professionals. Fee can be waived for people with disability and families if cost is an issue.
Registrations essential: https://bit.ly/BuildingSupportTeamsForSuccessNov2023
- Other topics covered in the workshop are:
- How an NDIS plan can support a great life for people with disability
- Planning for an active life in community
- The role of supporters - working out what you want support to do
- How to pull together a support team that supports learning, growing and achieving goals
- Where to look for the right people and/or supports.
