Disability Connect

Pleased to see Laura Fergusson Trust Board determined to re establish a rehabilitation centre for disabled people on Auckland. Families with disabled whanau including our Disability Connect members are desperate for somewhere to go to post hospital admissions for medical events like strokes and heart attacks when home is simply not suitable. With our disabled children likely to outlive us supporting this initiative is a no brainer.

Read our Board Chair Colleen Brown's piece in the NZ Herald today. We should all be aware of the devastating impact last week's announcement by Whaikaha is having on disabled people and their families. https://lnkd.in/guyZHP2K

Standing With You This week’s announcement by Whaikaha re changes to purchasing rules for equipment, modification supports and services has taken us by surprise. Like many of you, our staff have been greatly impacted, some taking time away to process what this means for our own families and the families we support. We have questions that we can’t answer because we don’t have the information. Do know that we are doing our level best. We have had conversations with CarersNZ, Parent Family and Whanau groups, NZDSN Admin, hosts and families too. Plus we have written to the Minister and Whaikaha to express frustration and anger with the unsatisfactory communications process we experienced this week. We have offered our willingness to work constructively and co-operatively for long term solutions on both communications and purchasing rules. We are standing with you. Do make your voices heard. We are hosting Whaikaha next week on Thursday at 10am. This was arranged well before Monday as an opportunity for Whaikaha to hear from parents and people with disabilities what it takes for wellbeing for both disabled people and our families. Please understand this meeting is just for parents and disabled people. For parents and disabled people who are coming, do RSVP early as we are limited to 30 people. If you have concerns and questions you wish to raise do put them in the comments or email us admin@disabilityconnect.org.nz Warmly Disability Connect Team

Our CEO Mike Potter was honoured to be invited to pray for our Homes and Communities at the Auckland City Prayer Breakfast last week. "Living and Loving God, we lift up to you all who are missing in our gatherings and public spaces, particularly those with health conditions, neurodiversity challenges, high and complex needs, migrants, refugees and older people. Direct us as mana enhancing agents of your grace and peace to all who are in need. Renew, restore and reconcile so that all who are missing may know they are missed and our city is a place of inclusion and belonging for all."

The Detail's story, Disability- The Forgotten Issue is worth a listen. Thank you Colleen Brown and Huhana Hickey MNZM PHD for advocating strongly for the rights and needs of disabled people and their whanau. Kia kaha. Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People CBMNZ Christian Blind Mission Yes Disability Resource Centre Taikura NZDSN Admin Rob Campbell

"A country is judged on how it treats its most marginalised residents. In brief, the most marginalised citizen in New Zealand is a Māori woman or girl with a disability. They are among the poorest and most easily ignored. Is this how we want this “fair” and “decent” country of ours, and by association us, to be judged?" Colleen Brown, Disability Connect Board Chair writes a full appraisal of what political parties are offering disabled people, their whānau and families in this article in The Spinoff. 

Do you have a family member with a disability aged 14 to 24 who doesn’t know what they want to do when they leave school? Head over to #TransitionExpo2023 Conversations with Employers - on this Wednesday 6 September at Auckland Netball Centre. All disabilities welcome including autism, neurodiversity, deaf, blind and low vision. #NZSL Sign Language interpreters will be available all day. Meet some amazing employers who will help them understand how to prepare for a job in two or more years' time: 9:00am to 11:00am Adele Edmonds-Woolf - Organisational Development Practice Lead, Te Whatu Ora Te Toka Tumai Auckland Hamish Watson - Recruitment Consultant, Te Whatu Ora Te Toka Tumai Auckland Phillipa Gimmillaro – Chief People Officer, Hind Management / Sudima Hotels 10:30am to 12:30pm Emma Payne – Graduate Experience Lead, KPMG Amy Fishman – Senior Recruitment Consultant, Adecco Marlene Strawson – General Manager People & Performance, Mercury Energy (not NZDEN member) Rebecca O’Hagen – Talent Acquisition Lead, Mercury Energy (not NZDEN member) 12:00pm to 2:00pm Melissa Adams – Marketing Manager, Adecco Natalie Butler – Organisational Development Lead, AIA Kelly Ware – Senior Underwriter, AIA Nick Hynes - Principal Enterprise Architect, Westpac A huge THANK YOU to Phil Turner and Rachael Parkinson-Turner from the New Zealand Disability Employers' Network for facilitating. For more information, go to our event page: https://fb.me/e/SOwyYpxv

Love this event. Unique safe space for employers and the community to engage with disabled school leavers and their parents and families to explore what is available when they finish school. Thank you to Mercury NZ for their support and Phil Turner and New Zealand Disability Employers' Network for hosting Conversations with Employers. Free event with Sign Language Interpreters available. If you are in town next Wednesday do drop in. Auckland Netball Centre 7 Alison Ferguson Drive, St John's. #TransitionExpo2023

"I love Transition Expo because connecting people to information and services is my passion. At Expo, families and disabled people have access to many of the services, agencies, and opportunities they wouldn't have known existed." - Our wonderful Disability Information Advisor, Denise #TransitionExpo2023 is coming up on 6 September - if you or your child is between 14-21, come along and discover all the opportunities available for school leavers. More information is on our event page: https://fb.me/e/SOwyYpxv Image description: Denise and Ginny at Transition Expo 2022. They both wear blue Disability Connect shirts and face masks. Denise poses with a peace sign using her hand.

Ngā mihi nui ki a koe Ainsley Darvell for presenting to families at our recent Enabling Good Lives: From Theory to Practice workshop series. Thank you for all you do to inspire and inform parents and whānau in the disability community to have the best possible lives. "Simply outstanding" was the feedback given. A massive thank you to Foundation North and Jacqui Johnston for making these workshops possible.