Nicola Grove in Melbourne (Video link available)

STORY WEBS: anecdotal narrative and the fabric of being
Human beings seem to spend a lot of their time together exchanging stories about their lives. These so-called “small stories” are now regarded as critical in building a sense of personal identity, relationships and communities, but are under-represented in research in intellectual disability.  This talk draws on Jayne Clapton’s metaphor of the fabric of integrality, and will illustrate some of the mechanisms whereby the exchange of stories helps to break down barriers and stigma in the lives of people with severe and profound intellectual disabilities.

Nicola Grove has been a teacher, speech and language therapist and university lecturer. She left her job at City London University in 2004 to set up the UK’s first company of storytellers with intellectual disabilities (www.openstorytellers.org.uk). Since then she has been researching and developing ways of authentic storytelling for people with severe communication disabilities. She has worked internationally, in Japan, South Africa, Canada and Europe.

Dr Grove will be delivering the (Living with Disability Research Centre) LiDS March seminar at La Trobe University at 3pm on Wednesday 6 March.
If you would like to attend or join remotely via zoom, email Sophia Tipping - s.tipping@latrobe.edu.au.

If you are interested in Nicola Grove's work we have a couple of her books in our library.

Voting NSW State Election

Saturday 23 March 2019 is voting day in NSW. In NSW we have 4 year fixed term governments.
How do you cast your vote in the NSW election?
Step 1:

Verify that you are eligible to vote on the NSW Electoral Commission website

Step 2:
If you are not on the electoral roll then you will need to enrol to vote.
This can be done online on the Australian Electoral Commission enrol to vote webpage.
If you would like to use a paper form these can be obtained at a Australia Post office, an AEC office, or one can be mailed to you.
Best option is to read the AEC How to Enrol to Vote Easy English guide for details.

Step 3:
In the NSW election some people are allowed to cast their vote online (iVote) or over the telephone.
Eligibility criteria for iVote:

• My residence is not within 20 kilometres, by the nearest practicable route, of a voting centre.

• I cannot read or write, so I am unable to vote without assistance
   
• I have a disability (within the meaning of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977) and because of that disability, I have difficulty voting at a voting centre or I am unable to vote without assistance
   
• I am a silent elector.
   
• I will be interstate throughout the hours of voting on election day.
   
• I will be overseas throughout the hours of voting on election day.
   
• I am a person who is blind or has low vision so I am unable to vote without assistance

More details about applying for iVote, and how to cast your vote this way, visit the NSW iVote website
Go forward and express yourselves democratically!

PS
The NSW Council for Intellectual Disability have made a great video about how to vote
Watch it here https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=603943316700448

NSW Education Disability Strategy

Disability Strategy A living document 
Improving outcomes for children and young people, and their families 

Published last week by the NSW Department of Education. Definitely worth a read if you have a child in school or are an educator yourself.
The document outlines areas for immediate focus:
1. Strengthen support
2. Increase resource and flexibility
3. Improve the family experience
4. Track outcomes

Alternative formats available on the departmental website
The easy read version has been really well designed.

Stand By Me Campaign

Don't Ditch Disability Advocacy

The Disability Advocacy Alliance has organised a rally in Sydney tomorrow.

Where: Martin Place (between Castlereagh and Pitt Sts)

Date: Sunday 24 February 2019

Time: 11am

The Alliance seeks to get the NSW government to commit to secure, long term funding for disability advocacy, information and representation organisations in NSW.

Other things you can do to support the campaign include writing to the Premier, meeting your local MP as we approach the NSW state election, undertake some social media sharing or sign the petition that is running... Stand By Me 

The Stand By Me website contains plenty of information and resources to support the campaign.

The easy read version of the Stand By Me Position Statement is highly recommended