Scrapheap Adventure Ride returns for the eighth year - the biggest and best ride yet!

The Scrapheap Adventure Ride is a unique fundraising event which involves motorcycle enthusiasts from all over the country purchasing a bike for no more than $1000 and doing it up for an adventure ride through the Aussie outback, all while raising money for people with Down syndrome.

Last year we had a blast at Four Corners Farm Stay in Nymagee. We had 101 riders and together we raised over $97,000! This year we are aiming to top that and raise a new record of over $100,000 with100 plus riders.

Our destination for 2017 is Green Valley Farm near Tingha, which in turn is near Inverell in Northern NSW. We will be camping and Scrapping on the weekend of September 29 to October 1.

We will have the Adventure Moto Ride departing Wisemans Ferry at 8am on Thursday September 28. Warren Sakey, once again, has a great ride planned and we will be overnighting at Quirindi. More details to follow.

As always, there will be an Adventure ride loop on the Saturday where we are sure there will be thrills and possibly a few spills. On Saturday evening, there will be plenty of fun and entertainment for the whole family, including open mic music during our celebratory dinner auction and awards ceremony.

Of course, the best part of any Scrapheap is catching up with your mates and the friendly competition between teams and raising money for Down Syndrome Australia/NSW. However raising money is not our only objective as I am sure there will be a few drinks raised over the weekend as well.

Remember it is a family weekend and Green Valley farm also offers a wealth of activities for everyone including the kids, so why not bring the whole support crew!

Catering packages and accommodation options info will be provided shortly.

The registration this year is $100 for all bikes (Scrapper or non-scrapper), Please help us make this the most successful and fun year ever.

If you can't join us, we hope you will be able to sponsor one of this year's riders or teams. Make sure you connect with other Scrappers on Facebook by joining the Scrapheap group.

www.scrapheapadventureride.com.au

Scrapheap Adventure Ride 2017: Team Inverell in the news

Much appreciated continuing support for Scrapheap Adventure Ride from Inverell, in northern NSW:

Inverell's Scrapheap Adventure Riders prepare for first Down Syndrome NSW fundraiser
Naomi Shumak, The Inverell Times, 17 May 2017

Brendon, Emi and Ashleigh Campbell

... Each year, the Scrapheap Adventure Riders take up the challenge of buying a bike for less than $1000, doing whatever is needed to make it roadworthy and taking it through the outback; all while raising funds for Down Syndrome NSW.

“I’ve blown a few bikes up, but it’s all the enjoyment and fun of it,” rider Joe Bliss said.

Local Brendon Campbell said the ride meant a lot to his family, especially daughter Emi, who has down syndrome.

“Our family has benefitted from NSW Down Syndrome Association with support and events since Emi was born. Joining this is part of our way of helping to give back,” he said ...

• Scrapheap Adventure Ride on Facebook

Latest additions to 'events' pages

• Click here for Down Syndrome NSW events

These links provide information about events run by other organisations that might be of interest to people with Down syndrome, their families, carers and professionals who support them 

• All current events listings  

PossABLE Expo Albury

12 – 13 May 2017 - Albury Entertainment Centre

IDEAS

The NDIS launches in the Murrumbidgee and Riverina Regions from July 2017 and the Ovens Murray Region from October 2017. 

PossABLE is an Expo that provides the opportunity for people with a disability, their families and carers to see, hear and try the best options to assist their life choices.
These Expos bring together people and organisations from everywhere to help people with disability live a full and independent life of their own choosing. 

Who is IDEAS? Visit their website here.

Sexuality and Relationships Forum

Saturday 27 May 2017 - Corrimal (Wollongong)

Family Planning NSW

Forum for parents and carers of people with intellectual disability. 

Family Planning NSW provides parents and carers with much needed information and resources about sexuality and relationships. Our forums help parents and carers to gain a clearer understanding of their child's sexuality and how to support their personal development in a positive way.

More information about program content 

• Flyer - please note there are two pages, the second outlining options for workshops within the forum 

• Information about Family Planning NSW training events for support professionals

Carers and the NDIS 2 day workshops
Carers NSW

Dates and location across NSW are now available here.

Is there such a thing as a good group home?

9:30 am – 3:00 pm Friday 9 June 2017

New Law School Annex, University of Sydney

Centre for Disability Studies and Australasian Society for Intellectual Disability (ASID) NSW

What does the research tell us? What action do we need to take to improve the quality?
What are the alternatives?

Who should attend? 

Those in a leadership role of accommodation support services including CEOs and senior managers; Families of people with intellectual disability; Service coordinators/case workers; Funders; Professional staff who support individuals living in group homes

Presented by Professor Christine Bigby (La Trobe University, Living with Disability Research Centre)

Screenability Program at the Sydney Film Festival
7 - 18 June 2017 - Sydney

The focus of Screenability is to grow participation via internships with a wide range of industry professionals, showcasing productions by filmmakers with disability in a festival context, and providing best practice in building diversity in the screen industries. 

The programming of titles for Screenability has been a stimulating process, and has uncovered creatives with talent and dedication eager to own the disability narrative. There are many films about disability, but today’s projects made by those with lived experience of disability offer the most startling, provocative and authentic cinema.

Ripple Effect 2017 + 2018

August 2017 - September 2018 - Cootamundra NSW
Murmuration Integrated Theatre

Murmuration is working in collaboration with The Arts Centre Cootamundra to facilitate a series of inclusive creative workshops throughout 2017 and 2018. 

Across three art forms participants will take part in a creative development process culminating in a presentation and showcase. Participants will be taught by and exchange with professional artists with and without disability. 

The workshops are designed to inspire and engage a diverse range of people’s interests, needs and abilities.

What your local MP can do now about Deadly Disability Discrimination

The Advocacy Team at NSW Council for Intellectual Disability is calling for community follow up action to last month's Parliamentary Forum on the Deadly Cost of Disability Discrimination in the NSW health service for people with intellectual disability:

Michael Sullivan (Chair NSW CID), Fiona McKenzie
(Vice Chair NSW CID) and NSW Minister for Disability
Services, Hon Ray Williams

We thank both the Minister for Disability Services, Hon Ray Williams, and the Shadow Minister for Disability Services, Hon Sophie Cotsis, for both speaking at the Forum.

We have told all NSW MPs:

• Almost 40% of people with intellectual disability are dying from preventable deaths in NSW
• People with intellectual disability are dying on average 27 years younger than the general population
• Ignorance, inadequate training and discrimination within our health services are key reasons this is happening

Now we have an urgent request for our MPs: 

The NSW Government’s Ageing, Disability and Home Care (ADHC) agency runs specialist health care services. These services help people with intellectual disability get the specialist health services they need. However instead of maintaining and expanding these services, the NSW Government is slowly closing them down.

Next year ADHC itself will close down and the money ADHC uses to fund these services will go to the NDIS.

We believe NSW Health should take responsibility for funding these services from next year, but so far Health Minister Brad Hazzard has been silent on this issue. The health outcomes are already bad for many people with intellectual disability. Closing down these services will make them worse. We need a commitment from all MPs that they will strongly advocate for NSW Health to maintain and expand these ADHC specialist health services.

Please help us keep up the pressure and take the following actions: 

• Phone, email and arrange to meet your local MP, tell them about the unacceptable high number of preventable deaths for people with intellectual disability, and ask them to support the maintenance and expansion of these important ADHC specialist health services.

• Phone and email the Minister for Health Hon Brad Hazzard and the Shadow Minister for Health Hon Walt Secord and ask for their commitment to the ongoing funding of the maintenance and expansion of these ADHC specialist health services.

You can find a guide to emailing and phoning MPs and all their contact details in this blog about the parliamentary forum. 

If you need help in preparing for your meeting with your local MP we can run a workshop for you and your family, friends and colleagues either face to face or remotely. Contact us at advocacy@nswcid.org.au

We will have the videos from the Parliamentary Forum available to view shortly. In the meantime we ask you to contact your local MPs and help us end Deadly Disability Discrimination.

Latest additions to 'events' pages

• Click here for Down Syndrome NSW events

These links provide information about events run by other organisations that might be of interest to people with Down syndrome, their families, carers and professionals who support them 

• All current events listings  

Families Getting NDIS Ready Wednesday 24 May 2017 - Bomaderry Thursday 25 May 2017 - Wollongong Friday 26 May 2017 - Miranda Resourcing Families A free workshop for families to kick-start their NDIS preparation and make the most of the NDIS for their family member with disability - presented by Jan Kruger and Jack Kruger. Hear from a parent and a participant about their NDIS journey Find out how and why they self manage NDIS supports Ask your questions of an NDIS representative Explore strategies for creative planning Learn tools for advocacy in a changing support environment Understanding Person Centredness 25 May 2017 - Camperdown (Sydney) Centre for Disability Studies Participants will attain knowledge in the background and philosophy of Person Centredness and develop skills to apply it in their daily professional practice.  Audience - anyone interested in learning about the fundamentals of Person centredness. This is a good introduction into the CDS suite of Person Centredness workshops.  Facilitator - Ray Murray Carers and the NDIS workshops May – August 2017 - Ashfield, Botany, La Perouse, Marrickville, Nowra, Port Macquarie, Ryde, Shellharbour, Strathfield, Sutherland, Ulladulla, Waverly Carers NSW Do you care for someone with an NDIS package?  Carers NSW is running a series of Carers and the NDIS workshops designed to help carers get the best outcome from the NDIS for the person they care for and for themselves. To find out more, contact the Education and Training team on 02 9280 4744 or education@carersnsw.org.au

NSW CID End of Financial Year packages

NSW Council for Intellectual Disability offers a range of expert services to organisations:

With the end of the financial year rapidly approaching, now is the time to put the remainder of your hard-won budget to good use. NSW CID is offering some great value EOFY packages that will help your organisation be more inclusive and accessible. What better use is there than that?

Need Easy Read materials? Keen to offer more learning opportunities for people with intellectual disability? Wondering how to make your organisation more inclusive? Want to invest in training for your staff? We can help you achieve all of this and more with the expertise of people with intellectual disability, our skilled trainers, facilitators, designers and easy read gurus.

View flyer for more information here or contact our Business Development Manager Tymon Kennedy to book today.

New blog post from NSW Council for Intellectual Disability

Even less choice: the latest on the ADHC transfer of services 
NSW CID e-News, April 2017

People living in Ageing, Disability and Home Care group homes across the state and their families are dismayed at losing the small amount of influence they were promised in determining their new service provider.

They were originally told they would be presented with a shortlist and consulted about which provider they would prefer take over their group home.

Instead, they have been asked to choose from a shortlist of only one provider. As far as short lists go, that’s a very short list.

Read the full blog post here.

Scrapheap Adventure Ride 2017 - Tingha, NSW

The Scrapheap Adventure Ride is a unique fundraising event which involves motorcycle enthusiasts from all over the country purchasing a bike for no more than $1000 and doing it up for an adventure ride through the Aussie outback, all while raising money for people with Down syndrome.

In just six years the event has raised nearly $500,000 for Down Syndrome NSW.
Riders begin their journey at home or wherever they like but arrive at the same destination.

This year that destination is Green Valley Farm, Tingha, in North Western NSW, where all ‘Scrappers’ plus family and friends will meet for a weekend of fun and entertainment at a campsite from September 29 to October 1.

Our target for 2017 is 100 riders raising $100,000 for Down Syndrome NSW. So what are you waiting for? Click here to join the 2017 Scrapheap Adventure Ride.

If you’re not a rider, you can support the Scrapheap Adventure Ride and Down Syndrome NSW by sponsoring a rider or just donating to the cause.

NSW parliamentary forum on health discrimination

Call to action from NSW Council for Intellectual Disability:

 Help us strike while the iron is hot to keep disability health in the political spotlight. 

Thanks to your support we have been able to organise a Parliamentary Forum, which will focus on the very high rates of preventable deaths for people with intellectual disability. The forum will be held on Friday 31 March at 12 noon in Parliament House.

The Minister for Disability Services, Hon Raymond Williams will address the forum, as will the Shadow Ministers for Health and Disability.

Your local MP has received an invitation, but we need your voice to ensure they attend the event. The more politicians we have there, the more pressure there will be on the government to act. 

The event is little more than a week away, so we need you to phone or email them right now, to lock it into their calendar. 

• Guide to how you can contact your MP 

NSW disability sector news

You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone…

NSW Council on Intellectual Disability, 6 March 2017

Did you know the NSW Government has no plans to fund state based advocacy services beyond the middle of 2018?

This includes services like IDRS, Disability Advocacy NSW and NSW CID.

An article published in the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday, has highlighted the risks people with intellectual disability will be faced with once advocacy services are no longer available ...

• NSW support services facing funding cut in NDIS transition, Kelsey Munro, Sydney Morning Herald, 5 March 2017

Benevolent Society to Take Over NSW Govt Disability Support Services
Lina Caneva, Probono Australia News, 2 March 2017
Australia’s oldest charity, The Benevolent Society, has been chosen to operate the NSW government’s specialist disability support services – described as Australia’s largest provider of clinical services for people with disability.

The major win for the charity will see the organisation double its workforce and operations.

The NSW Minister for Disability Services Ray Williams made the announcement of the new provider for disability clinical services (which are currently part of the NSW Department of Family and Community Services) on Thursday ...

... Clinical services comprises staff who are case managers, psychologists, behaviour support practitioners, speech pathologists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists working in multidisciplinary teams ...

Clickability

Clickability is an Australian disability service directory that features ratings and reviews from the people who actually use the services.It's expansion into NSW was announced on 1 March 2017.

The website includes a blog that aims to 'to encourage discussion and debate about important disability-related issues within the community.'

'Disability and a Good Life': free six week online course, UNSW

The University of NSW is offering a six week free online course, Disability and a Good Life:

Learn how disability intersects with human rights, and how a good life can be made possible for everyone. 

20% of the global population has a disability; that means most of us will have an experience of disability in our lives - whether personally, through family and friends, or work. 

It’s crucial that we understand disability and what it means to live well with disability.
In this online course, you’ll find out more about human diversity, and learn about disability and the systems, structures, supports and approaches that enable everyone to live a good life. 

• Register now

NSW CID e-news, February 2017

Book now - early bird registration closing next Tuesday

Down Syndrome NSW Education Conference 

    

23 and 24 March 2017

SYDNEY

     

Early bird registration closes

28 February 2017

Keynote speakers:

Dr Rhonda Faragher - senior lecturer in mathematics education, Australian Catholic University. Brisbane 

Dr Kelly Burgoyne - formerly at Down Syndrome Education International, currently Senior Research Fellow, Psychology, Australian Catholic University. Brisbane

Other speakers: 

Leading professionals from within the Department of Education and Training and the Catholic Education Office.

An essential two day conference for anyone working with a student with Down syndrome and suitable for educators working in all education sectors. Parents and carers are also welcome.

• Flyer and program details 

• Booking details and registrations are available now via the Down Syndrome NSW website

NSW Young Carer Leadership Program 2017 – applications open

Young Carers NSW is a Carers NSW program for carers aged 25 years and under. Applications are now open for the 2017 Young Carer Leadership Program:

Are you passionate about your role as a young carer? Would you like to gain valuable leadership and presentation skills? Would you like to help raise awareness of young carers? If so, we want YOU to become a Young Carer Leader!!

The Carers NSW Young Carer Leadership Program is designed to give young carers, like you, a stronger voice in the community. Each year, we offer up to 20 places to passionate young carers from across NSW. Selected applicants are invited to Sydney for a jam packed 4 day introductory workshop to leadership, media and presentation skills. Not only will you learn and develop new skills, you’ll also get to meet other young carers and check out some of the sights of Sydney! 

Young carers aged 16-22. Young carers from all cultural backgrounds and living all across NSW (including regional and remote areas) are encouraged to apply! 

The Young Carer Leadership Program will take place between Monday 10th April 2017 – Wednesday 12th April 2017.

Applications are open until Sunday 12th March 2017!

• Am I a young carer?

Free NSW forums on NDIS - Every Australian Counts

The Every Australian Counts team will be hitting the road from March – May presenting NDIS information forums in the NSW regional areas where the NDIS will be rolling out from July.

Topics include:

• What the NDIS is, why we need it and what it means for you
• The changes that the NDIS brings and how they will benefit you
• How to access the NDIS and get the most out of it 

These free forums are designed for people with disability, their families and carers, people working in the disability sector and anyone else interested in all things NDIS.

Please register for tickets and let Every Australian Counts know about any access requirements. All the venues are wheelchair accessible and Auslan interpreters are available if required. Please contact us when you book if you have specific access requests.

We’ve locked in the following locations:

Casino 8th March
Grafton 9th March
Coffs Harbour 14th March
Port Macquarie 15th March
Wagga Wagga 23rd March
Orange 5th April
Dubbo 6th April
Nowra 2nd May
Wollongong 3rd May
Albury 9th May
Broken Hill 16th May

We will be holding Sydney metro forums too – we’ll have those dates to you ASAP.

Click on a link above to register online now!

Petition to end preventable deaths in NSW: last few days to sign

You can still sign this petition to help address the terrible and sometimes fatal discrimination experienced by people with disability in health and hospital settings, before this Friday when Christine and Erin will present our petition in person to the NSW Minister for Health, Brad Hazzard:

NSW Council for Intellectual Disability - petition to the NSW government

... NSW Council for Intellectual Disability is calling for proper investment in the health of people with intellectual disability so that we can end the terrible number of Australians with intellectual disability dying from preventable illness. 

We need the NSW State Government to commit $50 million per year for 10 years to put an end to the high numbers of preventable deaths for people with intellectual disability in NSW ...

• Previous post on recent research and commentary on preventable deaths of people with intellectual disability in NSW

Open letter to Minister Williams, from people with intellectual disability

On his first day as Minister of Disability Services, NSW Council for Intellectual Disability Members have written Minister Williams a letter. You can read or listen to their letter on the NSW CID blog:

Dear Minister Williams, 

Today is the first day of Parliament for 2017 and you will commence in your new role as Minister of Disability Services. This is a very important position as you are now responsible for defending and upholding the human rights of all people with intellectual disability in NSW. 

The NSW Council for Intellectual Disabilities (NSW CID) asks that you make a commitment to listen to people with an intellectual disability. Really listen and take the time to do this. 

Today you will also be met with protestors outside Parliament, angry about the way the NSW Government is undertaking the transfer of disability services to the non government sector and concerned about the quality of care that people with disability will receive in the future ...

Early bird registration extended

DS NSW Education Conference 2017
    

23 and 24 March 2017

SYDNEY
     
Early bird registration
extended until 
28 February 2017

Keynote speakers:

Dr Rhonda Faragher - senior lecturer in mathematics education, Australian Catholic University. Brisbane 

Dr Kelly Burgoyne - formerly at Down Syndrome Education International, currently Senior Research Fellow, Psychology, Australian Catholic University. Brisbane

Other speakers: 

Leading professionals from within the Department of Education and Training and the Catholic Education Office.

An essential two day conference for anyone working with a student with Down syndrome and suitable for educators working in all education sectors. Parents and carers are also welcome.

• Flyer and program details 

• Booking details and registrations are available now via the Down Syndrome NSW website. 

• Early bird registration closes 28 February 2017

NSW cabinet reshuffled

NSW has a new Premier and cabinet, who will be sworn in today, at Government House.

Contact details for all NSW Ministers are listed on the NSW Parliament website, here.

While the needs of people with disabilities living in NSW are served by all cabinet members, these portfolios are likely to be of particular interest:

Premier - Gladys Berejiklian 

Minister for Health, and Minister for Medical Research - Brad Hazzard 

Minister for Education - Rob Stokes 

Minister for Family and Community Services, Minister for Social Housing, and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault - Pru Goward 

Minister for Multiculturalism, and Minister for Disability Services - Raymond Craig Williams

Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Women, and Minister for Ageing - Tanya Davies 

Minister for Early Childhood Education, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, and Assistant Minister for Education - Sarah Mitchell

Down Syndrome NSW education conference 2017

 

     23 and 24 MARCH 2017

     SYDNEY





Keynote speakers:

Dr Rhonda Faragher - senior lecturer in mathematics education, Australian Catholic University. Brisbane 

Dr Kelly Burgoyne - formerly at Down Syndrome Education International, currently Senior Research Fellow, Psychology, Australian Catholic University. Brisbane

Other speakers: 

Leading professionals from within the Department of Education and Training and the Catholic Education Office.

An essential two day conference for anyone working with a student with Down syndrome and suitable for educators working in all education sectors. Parents and carers are also welcome.

• Flyer and program details 

• Booking details and registrations are available now via the Down Syndrome NSW website. Early bird registration closes 31 January 2017.

Embracing Success 2017: DS NSW education conference, early bird registration now open

 

23 and 24 MARCH 2017  

SMC Conference and Function Centre, Goulburn Street 

SYDNEY

 Keynote speakers:

Dr Rhonda Faragher - senior lecturer in mathematics education, Australian Catholic University. Brisbane 

Dr Kelly Burgoyne - formerly at Down Syndrome Education International, currently Senior Research Fellow, Psychology, Australian Catholic University. Brisbane

Other speakers: 

Leading professionals from within the Department of Education and Training and the Catholic Education Office.

An essential two day conference for anyone working with a student with Down syndrome and suitable for educators working in all education sectors. Parents and carers are also welcome.

• Flyer and program details 

• Booking details and early bird registrations are available now via the Down Syndrome NSW website. Early bird registration closes 31 January 2017.