This year Down Syndrome Australia is celebrating #MyVoiceMyCommunity with the international Down syndrome community. Join us as we count down to 21 March with 21 stories of inclusion and personal success.
Andy is 21 years old and lives with his family. With the support of NDIS funding he has a very fulfilling life. His week is made up of various activities that he chooses himself and negotiates with his support workers.
Andy’s family has set up a small business making and selling preserves at local farmer’s markets. His role includes counting and setting up the jars for sterilising, packing boxes for markets and helping pack and unpack the car and market stall.
His primary passion in life is basketball and his favourite job is volunteering at his local basketball association every Wednesday afternoon ... read the whole story here.
This year Down Syndrome Australia is celebrating #MyVoiceMyCommunity with the international Down syndrome community. Join us as we count down to 21 March with 21 stories of inclusion and personal success.
Josie is a 19 year old artist from Sydney. She left school at the end of 2013 to begin a Certificate in Basic Vocational Skills through TAFE NSW and take part in other courses through a local community college.
Looking to fill up some extra hours, Josie also enrolled in a mainstream painting and drawing class at a local regional art gallery. She was hesitant about taking on this class as she hadn’t been very interested in painting or drawing in the past. When her tutor gave her a photo of a landscape to draw, she created a very good reproduction. Josie’s untapped talent was uncovered much to everyone’s surprise and delight ... read the whole story here.
This year Down Syndrome Australia is celebrating #MyVoiceMyCommunity with the international Down syndrome community. Join us as we count down to 21 March with 21 stories of inclusion and personal success.
Michael is Chair of NSW Council for Intellectual Disability, on the NDIA Intellectual Disability Reference Group, a member of an Australia wide advocacy group OUR VOICE, and has recently been appointed the University of New South Wales Ambassador for Healthy Aging.
He is a staunch self-advocate, wonderfully articulate, an excellent role model and an ambassador for giving people with Down syndrome a voice.My work as a self-advocate I am person with Down syndrome and a self-advocate. When I advocate for myself I am also advocating for others. When I am up there delivering my talk, I take a minute for a quick reflection – I think “I am not just here for myself” and then I go in to my talk ... read the whole story here.
Can you imagine any person being told their life is a waste? That they won’t contribute to society? That they shouldn’t even be given the CHANCE to make their mark on the world? People with Down syndrome face this discrimination every day. As a part of our mission to improve research and medical care for people with Down syndrome, it is clear to us that our work must be framed in the context of human and civil rights.
The moving speech of our Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award Winner, Frank Stephens, underscores this sentiment and brought 1,200 attendees to their feet at the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show. He is an author, actor, and exceptional advocate ...
People with Down syndrome have become poster children for a new generation of genetic screening tests conquering the world. In an interview about these tests, professor emeritus human genetics, former member Health council and UNESCO bio-ethics committee Dr. Galjaard, says Down syndrome should disappear ... Why?
There is a camp that holds vehemently to their right to say whatever the hell they want. And I’m with them. As a former student of journalism, as an American, as a citizen of the world with an interest in truth and genuine dialogue, I do believe that you should be able to say whatever the hell you want. But what I also want the people in that camp to do is to take responsibility.
Yes, you can say whatever you want. But, yes, there will be consequences ...
Our neighbourhoods need to be safe and inclusive places – safe for even the most vulnerable in our community. This includes the 668,100 Australians living with intellectual disability ... The main issue is not the type of accommodation, but its location. The neighbourhood, its design, and the community of people who live there are all significant factors for supporting safety and inclusion ...
Cate MacMillan and Nicholas Stevens, The Conversation
6 March 2017
Two best friends are both disabled – but one is called “high-functioning,” while the other is called “low-functioning.”
So what’s the difference – and what are these labels often missing? Check out this comic to find out.
This shows how being labeled as high- or low-functioning influences the oppressive ways that people are treated. And it makes a crucial point about who these distinctions really serve in the end.
This year Down Syndrome Australia is celebrating #MyVoiceMyCommunity with the international Down syndrome community. Join us as we count down to 21 March with 21 stories of inclusion and personal success.
Although we have been through so many challenges with Jacob, our son with Down syndrome, he is always the light at the end of our tunnel. He is always the smile that keeps us singing through the hard times. By the time he was one year old he had fought through life threatening infections, open heart surgery and even a dangerous medication overdose. When he was two and a half he learned to walk in the hospital corridors while his baby sister was being born ... read the whole story here.
Location: Trusteeship Council Chamber, United Nations Headquarters,New York, USA
Date: Tuesday 21 March 2017 - 10am-1pm and 3pm-6pm
Theme: #MyVoiceMyCommunity - Enabling people with Down syndrome to speak up, be heard and influence government policy and action, to be fully included in the community
A Redcliffe (Brisbane) teenager is on her way to New York after being invited to speak at the United Nations. Olivia Hargroder has Down syndrome and aims to encourage the global community to deliver better services for people like her ...
Down Syndrome Queenslandcommented on Facebook: 'We are immensely proud of Olivia and will follow her journey! We know she will be a wonderful speaker and advocate'.
The first link in this post is to a 2016 article about Olivia.
#MyVoiceMyCommunity - Geneva eventDown Syndrome International is delighted to be organising an event at the United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland for the first time in 2017.
The National Disability Coordination Officer Program (NDCO) is hosting a webinar with Alastair McEwin, Australia's Disability Discrimination Commissioner.
This consultative webinar will discuss:
Changes needed to see the rights of people with Disability better protected,
What is already being done well that can be built on to achieve greater systemic change,
What you would like to see the Disability Discrimination Commissioner do to most effectively advance the rights of people with Disability.
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm AEDT, Monday, 13 March 2017
This webinar will have live AUSLAN translation and live captions. For other accessibility requirements please contact us at ndco@stepsgroup.com.au
This year Down Syndrome Australia is celebrating #MyVoiceMyCommunity with the international Down syndrome community. Join us as we count down to 21 March with 21 stories of inclusion and personal success.
Jazmyn is 13 years old and loves anything to do with hairdressing and music. She has three siblings – her Brother Brodee, 16, her brother Jamieson, 10, and sister Gabrielle, 6. Her parents are Paul and Tina.
Jazmyn took part in the ABC Radio Faces of Toowoomba Campaign. This is a photo of her at the modelling shoot.
Arts Access Australia posted this call for children with disabilities to appear in some training films, on Facebook yesterday:
We have been approached by Office of the Children's Guardian about wanting to hire some kids with disability to act in a short film production they are working on as part of a project. This is a PAID JOB and they need our help are on quite a tight time-frame so would appreciate you sharing this info far and wide if possible ...
The project involves the development of training to build capacity for disability providers on how to become a Child Safe Organisation. The training will be delivered across NSW in mid 2017.
To support the face to face training they are developing 4 short films of situations within the workplace which represent areas of risk.
Some of the actors required for the training videos will need to be children with disability and at this stage it is likely that a child around 6 years old and another child from 10-14 years old will be needed. All scenarios will be set within an inclusive school environment and if possible it would be great if they could have another 2-3 children as extras.
They are hoping to film in the week beginning 27 March at La Perouse Public School for around 6 days, and may only need the children for 1-2 of those days.
Caryn Millward is the Project Officer and can be contacted on 02 9286 7264 if you would like to discuss the details further.
This year Down Syndrome Australia is celebrating #MyVoiceMyCommunity with the international Down syndrome community. Join us as we count down to 21 March with 21 stories of inclusion and personal success.
Flynn started day care when he was seven months old. He is now 16 months. When he started we said we wanted to have him included in everything and treated just like the other children. His day care has gone above and beyond our expectations to include him in all their activities, giving him some extra help when he needed it.
He’s a very inquisitive boy who thrives on interaction with his friends and is already developing some beautiful friendships ... read the whole story here.
This year Down Syndrome Australia is celebrating #MyVoiceMyCommunity with the international Down syndrome community. Join us as we count down to 21 March with 21 stories of inclusion and personal success.
My name is Eugene. I am 24 years old and have Down syndrome. My family and I have been members of Down Syndrome South Australia (DSSA) since I was born. I really enjoy activities like Club Slick, Friday night bowling in the Down syndrome league and the mid-year camps. I also like going to the movies, dining out, music and spending time with friends.
On Saturday 30 April 2016, I was very lucky to be part of the Fiona McBurney Match Day Experience at Adelaide Oval. It was the AFL match between the Adelaide Crows and the Fremantle Dockers. I support the Adelaide Crows ... read the whole story here.
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 ...
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 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.'
This year Down Syndrome Australia is celebrating #MyVoiceMyCommunity with the international Down syndrome community. Join us as we count down to 21 March with 21 stories of inclusion and personal success.
Emily and Jesse are part of a dance group called Dance Down run by Down Syndrome South Australia. Emily and Jesse have a valuable role as Dance Down mentees. They work with the dance teachers to support them and lead the groups and in return the teachers teach them about dance ... read the whole story here.
This year Down Syndrome Australia is celebrating #MyVoiceMyCommunity with the international Down syndrome community. Join us as we count down to 21 March with 21 stories of inclusion and personal success.
Despite appearances, my daughter Charlotte and her friend Emma are only two weeks apart in age. In fact, Charlotte is older. Coincidentally, Emma was born on World Down Syndrome Day. They briefly roomed together in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and once Charlotte was home, they spent many mornings lying on rugs while my bestie, Emma’s mum, and I drank coffee and talked the mornings away ... read the whole story here.
This year Down Syndrome Australia is celebrating #MyVoiceMyCommunity with the international Down syndrome community. Join us as we count down to 21 March with 21 stories of inclusion and personal success.
My name is Daniel. I am 27 years old and live in my own home. I’m busy working two days a week at the Canberra National Convention Centre, volunteering for Tuggeranong Communities at Work and Hartley Life Care. I keep fit by going to the gym, dancing and ten pin bowling.
I live in a supportive and friendly environment with people who are committed to creating a neighbourly place to live. We have a wide range of community building social events which are heaps of fun ... read the whole story here.
Wil recently won the Best and Less Talent Search, so look out for him in their catalogues soon.
Down Syndrome Australia, 28 February 2017
Fewer Scottish women are terminating pregnancies following a Down's syndrome diagnosis, according to research ... Researchers said the findings might reflect changes in attitudes.
... Down's Syndrome Scotland said: "We cautiously welcome these results but note that they cover the period 2000-2011 and would hope that a further study could be conducted, when data is available, to ascertain if this trend is continuing ...
... Providing a visual schedule allows your child to see what is going to happen in their day. My son, Nick is 22 years old and has Down syndrome and autism. Visual schedules provide many benefits for him to travel smoothly, through his daily routine ...
More than 150 people living with a disability will march in this year’s Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade, marking a record number for the event.
... Australia’s immigration laws require migrants to be screened for medical conditions. This is to prove they will not be a “burden” on the community, specifically its health services. Children are most affected by this policy, as costs are calculated over a lifetime. For someone found to be “burdensome”, the outcome isn’t always as positive as for Sumaya and the Baniks. A dozen or so families or their disabled members are deported from Australia every year ...
This year Down Syndrome Australia is celebrating #MyVoiceMyCommunity with the international Down syndrome community. Join us as we count down to 21 March with 21 stories of inclusion and personal success.
“A world in which no one is excluded and everyone belongs.”
Julius is seven years old and lives in Perth, Western Australia, with his mum, dad, two sisters, cat and goldfish.
His big sister Laura says that Julius is a student and "retired model". Until recently, Julius was a regular face in the advertising campaigns of children's fashion brand eeni meeni miini moh. Julius’ mum, Catia, founded the Starting With Julius project to promote the inclusion of people with disability in advertising and media ... read the whole story here.
Creative Sydney, 30 January 2017
Congratulations to Emily Crockford, whose striking selected artwork can be seen in the webpage banner. Scroll down for a better look, and some information.
... Today, however, disabled performers are making a stand. They are claiming the right to both control their own narratives and to put on productions judged not by the context of their own life stories but on merit.
"Our objective is to make the best art possible" ... If every piece of work that features people with disability is patronised as being 'inspirational' and 'amazing'[even when it's not], it … perpetuates the [incorrect] assumption that arts and disability work equates only to community, amateur or therapeutic art ...
Leah Garchik, San Francisco Chronicle, 22 February 2017 The work of Judith Scott and Dan Miller will be shown at the Venice Biennale this summer. Both artists did this work at Oakland’s Creative Growth Art Center, which provides studio, gallery and management for artists with developmental, mental and physical disabilities. Scott, a fiber artist who died in 2005, had developmental disabilities and was institutionalized for 35 years before being released and starting a career that brought her worldwide acclaim. Miller’s work is in the permanent collection of New York’s Museum of Modern Art and the Smithsonian. The curator who selected the two for the Venice show is Christine Macel of the Pompidou museum in Paris.
My Feral Heart - film review
Mark Kermode, BBC Radio 5 Live, 4 November 2016 An independent young man with Down’s syndrome has his life changed when he makes a wild new friend.
Alison Richardson, Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, 18 January 2017
This report details my Churchill Fellowships research trip exploring disability led
theatre and inclusive mentoring and training programs primarily across the UK and
also Sweden and Norway. I centred my trip around the biannual Unlimited Festival at
Southbank Centre, London where I was able to immerse myself in some the best
work being produced by artists with disabilities in the UK.
Alison Richardson is the Coordinator of Sydney based RUCKUS Ensemble
This year Down Syndrome Australia is celebrating #MyVoiceMyCommunity with the international Down syndrome community. Join us as we count down to 21 March with 21 stories of inclusion and personal success.
“We speak our minds and express ourselves in our songs.”
My name is Shea. Dancing is a passion of mine and I have been with e.motion21 for four years. I love being a part of a professional dance company and showing people my dance experience. I have a lot of friends through e.motion21 – it has been the best thing for me ... read the whole story here.
