The advocacy training program is a two-day intensive workshop aimed at disability support workers, family members, planners, coordinators, managers, and paid or unpaid advocates who are involved in supporting, assisting or representing people with disabilities.
The two-day workshop will run from 9:30am – 4:00pm on Thursday 28th February and Friday 1st March 2019 at The Coolibah Room, The Mercure Hotel, 34 Stott Terrace, Alice Springs. Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea will be provided.
If you would like to register to attend this training, or would like more information, contact Vanessa Sullivan at Disability Advocacy Service, via phone 08 8953 1422 or email advocatetrainer@das.org.au. You can also view a brochure and flyer for this training program below.
Please note, spots for this two-day workshop are limited so if you’re interested, register as soon as possible!
From To Stand Beside: Advocacy for Inclusion Training Program, you will gain a:
• greater knowledge of advocacy concepts and principles
• deeper understanding of personal values
• greater appreciation of the advocacy role inherent to all who
work in the disability sector
• greater awareness of the potential conflicts of risk inherent
to the advocacy role
• stronger framework for dealing with advocacy-related issues
• ‘tool box’ full of practical ideas/strategies
Links to more information:
There are upcoming support group meetings in Alice Springs.
You’re invited to come along to meet others with Parkinson’s Disease, caring for people with PD or an interest in Parkinson’s. Come along for talks on Parkinson’s medications by a Pharmacist and an Intern Pharmacist, plus a question & answer session. Contact Disability Advocacy Service for more information on 08 8953 1422.
NEXT MEETING:
Date: Thursday 28 February 2019
Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Location: Gillen Club Board Room – 57 Milner Road, Alice Springs
Meeting Flyer: Parkinsons Support Group Meeting 28 Feb 2019
Supported by Disability Advocacy Service Inc.
The first Vision Impaired Support Meeting occurred on Friday, 15 February 2019. If you were interested but couldn’t make it, feel free to contact Carol on 08 8952 3362 or DAS office on 08 8953 1422 for further information.
Published in Centralian Advocate Newspaper
29 January 2019
By Annie Ernst, DAS Advocate
There’s a new kid on the block to support people in Alice Springs with movement disorders – the Parkinson’s Disease Support Group. This group is for anyone with Parkinson’s Disease, and people who care for someone with, or have an interest in Parkinson’s.
The Parkinson’s Support Group’s first meeting is on Thursday 31 January, from 6pm – 8pm in the Boardroom at the Gillen Club on Milner Road. The theme of this meeting will be ‘sharing’, so bring along an idea, strategy or item that has helped you (or someone you know) with some aspect of Parkinson’s. If you can’t think of something that you would like to share, you can still come along to listen and meet others.
If transport is an issue, or there are other barriers to you attending the meeting, but you would like to come, please contact the Disability Advocacy Service on 8953 1422. And please get in touch if you would like more information about any aspect of the group or its meetings.
The February meeting will be held on Thursday 28 February, from 6pm – 8pm at the Gillen Club, and will have a pharmacist as a guest speaker to address concerns and questions about managing medications. If you would like the pharmacist to answer a question or address an issue, please send your enquiries through to Annie Ernst, Disability Advocate at advocate@das.org.au at any time up until 28 February, and these will be passed on to the pharmacist before the meeting. If you come along to the meeting you will also be able to ask questions directly.
Planning for the group’s meetings and activities in the next six months is currently underway and it’s shaping up to be an exciting year! The Disability Advocacy Service encourages anyone who would like to be involved in planning meetings and activities for the second half of the year (even a single meeting) to get in touch.
Upcoming activities for 2019 include a speech therapist who will talk about communication (and do some ‘Yell Well’ with the group) in March, and there will be special activities and promotions for Parkinson’s Disease Awareness month in April. There are also plans to have occupational therapists address the group, as well as a visit by specialists from Parkinson’s SA (which is now supporting the NT with a name change reflecting this to occur in the future). Parkinson’s SA will video their seminars throughout the year (16 seminars in total) and make these available for the group.
The Parkinson’s Disease Support Group is a valuable opportunity for you to find and share peer support with others, and a great chance to socialise and connect with the Parkinson’s community!
Tune in to local Alice Springs ABC radio (783AM) on Tuesday 29 January, soon after 10am, to hear an interview about the Parkinson’s Support Group, and don’t forget to contact the Disability Advocacy Service on 8953 1422 for more information. Hope to see you soon!
Post by Annie Ernst, DAS Advocate
Parkinson’s Support Group Meeting
Date: Thursday 31/01/2019
Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Location: Boardroom at the Gillen Club (located on Milner Road)
We are exploring opportunities for people to volunteer with Disability Advocacy Service! If you are interested in volunteering with DAS, please let us know – stop by the DAS office, phone 08 8953 1422, or email CEO Terry Thommeny at ceo@das.org.au
Australia Day Flag Raising and Citizenship Ceremony is taking place on Saturday, 26 January 2019 at the Council Lawns on Todd Street, Alice Springs. The Smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country commence at 7:00am, followed by the Flag raising ceremony at 7:30am. Celebrations for Australia Day include the presentations of the 2019 Australia Day Ambassador for Alice Springs, winners of the “Australia Day” 3.5km Family Fun Run/Walk, and the Australia Day Awards, as well as cutting of the Australia Day cake, and a free community sausage sizzle!
For more information, please visit the event page on the Alice Springs Town Council website: http://www.alicesprings.nt.gov.au/events/2019-01-26/australia-day-flag-raising-and-citizenship-ceremony
Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Alice Springs“Breaking the silence around sexual assault”
I would like to go back to one of the original statements I made when this forum began and that was disability issues are not confined to people in wheelchairs or using obvious aids. Defining disability is best left to people who identify as a person with a disability because they are the experts in their own lives, they know what affect it has on their day to day living.
It is also not confined to physical aspects and ability, there are people (and their family and friends) coping with intellectual disabilities as well as a wide range of mental health issues.
For every person with an obvious disability there is are greater number of people whose disability is invisible to others. If you wonder how that person who parks in a disability park can do so when they confidently step out of their vehicle then consider you may be judging too quickly.
Whatever people are able to deal with and in some circumstances need care from others for there is an aspect of having a disability that makes people more vulnerable to the anti-social behaviours of others in community. There are well documented examples of people being taken advantage of because of an inability to fight back or run away.
As advocates we have a responsibility to ensure that we engage in systemic advocacy that raises awareness of the physical, emotional and intellectual needs for access and accountability. It is talking and interacting with those in a position to either influence or make change for those more at risk than others.
Therefore, it is important to remember that vulnerability puts people with a disability just as much, if not more at risk of becoming victims of crime and violence.
I asked Christa from SARC if she would like to contribute some thoughts on the effects of sexual assaults as this is where people with disabilities are especially vulnerable.
In my experience, it is also an area where people are reluctant to report or be able to acknowledge what has happened. Often it can take years to be able to speak about it even to a trusted friend or family member.
Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC)
More and more people are standing up and saying ‘No” to sexual violence. Sexual violence can take different forms and often can have long lasting impact on people.
Sexual violence is not talked about because most people feel shame, blame themselves or think it is their fault – however, it never is.
Sexual violence is happening all over the world. It creates a climate of fear, sadness, anger and mistrust. To stop sexual violence some things must change – need to stop blaming victims, need to recognise warning signs and support people to keep safe and protected.
The Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Alice Springs can help with gathering medical evidence, provide counselling, access to Traditional Healers and generally support children and adults. SARC staff can help to find strong and positive ways to manage the impact of sexual violence.
If people are worried about being safe, talk to the police, your Disability Support Worker and/or the Sexual Assault Referral Centre. Ph. 89554500 24 hrs
Please contact DAS for any information about disability supports and services on 89531422 or email ceo@das.org.au
Link to information about SARC on the NT Government website – https://nt.gov.au/wellbeing/hospitals-health-services/sexual-assault-referral-centres
Currently there are not many supports for people with Parkinson’s Disease in Alice Springs, and even fewer in remote communities in Central Australia.
Parkinson’s disease is a chronic progressive neurological disorder that most noticeably affects movement. People with Parkinson’s may have tremors or shaking, move slowly, have rigid muscles, or have trouble walking. These are some of the more common motor symptoms although there are others such as freezing (when your feet feel glued to the floor or you find yourself unable to initiate movement), slumped posture, balance problems and loss of facial expressions.
Non-motor symptoms which can occur include sleep difficulties, softer voice, swallowing difficulties, reduced sense of smell, bowel and bladder changes, cognitive changes, anxiety and depression.
Parkinson’s is a very individual disease and each person who has Parkinson’s will experience different symptoms to varying degrees, and affecting different parts of their body. For example, one family member with Parkinson’s could experience a tremor in their right hand, but few other movement symptoms, while another may experience symptoms such as tremors, muscle rigidity and difficulty walking. Parkinson’s is very different for each person and so is the progress of the disease.
Although Parkinson’s is commonly thought of as a disease that affects older people, it can affect people of any age. Actor Michael J Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at the age of 29. Young people with Parkinson’s will often have additional considerations to those who are diagnosed later in life, such as how the disease affects their careers or parenting. Navigating issues such as how to maintain your livelihood and independence are frustrating at any age, but are acute for younger people with Parkinson’s. For people young and old, it can be lonely – and sometimes scary.
If you are someone with Parkinson’s, you have probably gone through many emotions both before and after diagnosis – from grief and anger, to relief at having a diagnosis, and concern about what this means. Although the disease is experienced differently, it can help to talk to other people who have a diagnosis of Parkinson’s are facing similar challenges and uncertainties.
Currently there isn’t a Parkinson’s Disease Support Group in Alice Springs although there are many of us in town and in communities throughout Central Australia who have Parkinson’s. Support groups can provide reassurance that you’re not alone and give you a safe and supportive environment to share your feelings, learn from and help others, and gain coping strategies to enhance your quality of life.
If you or someone you know and care about has Parkinson’s, or if you’re a health professional with an interest in Parkinson’s Disease, please come along to an initial meeting to gauge interest in setting up a Parkinson’s Support Group at the Disability Advocacy Service (DAS) at 4/54 Reg Harris Lane, Alice Springs at 5pm on Thursday 22 November. For further information, or to let us know that you’re coming along, please telephone 8953 1422.
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