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DISABILITY EXPO 2017 AN ADVERTISING FEATURE
BACK with a fresh faceand a new name is Hobart’s Disability Expo,
which celebrates the abilities and achievements of people with disability.
The Expo, which is organised by Speak Out Advocacy and was previously known as the Gearing Up Expo, aims to connect families, carers and people living with a disability to the services, supports and products they require.
This year marks the first time the event will be managed and delivered by
Speak Out Advocacy, a statewide organisation providing disability advocacy and information services.
With 83 exhibitors scheduled for the Hobart Expo, the organisers are expecting about 1400 people to attend the event at Wrest Point on September 14.
As the National DisabilityInsurance Scheme continues to roll out across Tasmania, the event provides an opportunity for people to have a greater say in their lives and select service providers and supports.
“Every person living with adisability has different needs and will make different choices about how they wish to live their life,” said Speak Out Advocacy manager Jenny Dixon.
Because finding the right assistance to suit individual needs can be difficult and confusing, the Expo is an invaluable resource for families, carers and people with disability.
Speak Out Members’ Executive president Peter Huett said the Expo offered practical advice in a
convenient, centralised location.
“At the Expo you can get information, ask questions, think about opportunities and talk to services about how they respond to a person’s changing needs,’’ he said. “This helps you make choices and exercise control in your life.”
Speak Out is running thisyear’s event independently and unfunded, showing its dedication and commitment towards disability support and advocacy.
The event will demonstratethe sector’s growing and
improving employment opportunities and support services as they are showcased by providers.
The Expo provides a platform for people to connect with services and organisations, and discover education, recreation, employment and community options.
After the Expo finishes, Speak Out Advocacy will hold its 35th annual conference at Wrest Point on September 14-15.
The conference will celebrate the achievements of the Tasmanian organisation.
Past and present membersare invited to attend the event, as are people in the disability and community sectors, families and students.
An exciting program of events will run throughout the two-day conference, which will include an address from the keynote speaker, Australian Disability Commissioner Alastair McEwin.
The Disability Expo will be held at the Wrest Point, Hobart, from 11am-6pm on September 14. Entry is free.
PLENTY TO DO: Visitors make the most of opportunities at a previous Disability Expo in Hobart. INSET: Members of the Speak Out Members’ Executive plan the Expo and conference.
Make a new connection
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DISABILITY EXPO 2017AN ADVERTISING FEATURE
THE first time John Coyleattended a Disability Expo in Hobart, he was
facing a daunting transition. His two eldest children,
Bridget and Riley, who both have an intellectual disability, were about to leave the education system as young adults and move into the disability sector.
Bridget, 23, has
chromosomal deletion and Riley, 21, has autism spectrum disorder.
“I think the education system focuses on potential career paths and/or a job, and leaves a little bit to be desired as far as the reality of having the disability and where you go in the community,’’ said John, who lives at Blackmans Bay.
“Nobody prepares you for
it, nothing prepares you for it, and after 20 odd years I’m still learning and I’m still struggling.”
The biennial Expo becameinvaluable for John as he tried to navigate life and obtain the funding, support and services he needs.
“It’s absolutely crucial to beinformed, ask the questions so that you can be heard and you
can be proactive to make those informed choices,’’ he said.
“Now we can make somepositive decisions for the future, and you can’t make those decisions without information.
“That’s the most empowering thing, being guided, and I think advocacy is a real key to using the NDIS to its full extent.”
John remembers how overwhelming it was trying to navigate the disability sector.
“I was asking a lot of questions like ‘What is it you provide?’ and ‘Who funds you?’ and ‘Who has access to you?’,’’ he said.
“It was a real quandary.“It seems obvious now with
the NDIS. “There’s a lot of
rationalisation and you can see that there’s collaboration, amalgamation, and the justification for that disability support is now far more relevant when you’re seeking
funding and/or support.” Over the past two decades
caring for his children, John has witnessed massive improvements in services and
support within the disability sector.
“I think they’re being heldto account,’’ he said.
“They have to come up
Empowered tomake decisions
Visit Anglicare’s friendly, professional team at the Disability Expo for information about our broad range of services.NDIS
LET’S TALK
Your life, your way, every day.
We are also offering a free massage and a chance to win a $300 gourmet hamper.
1800 243 232anglicare-tas.org.au
From assessment to implementation,Equipify partners with you to createpersonalised Assistive Technologysolutions and develop skills forindependent living.These include:• Alternative methods to access your
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Community Housing Ltd (CHL) is a multi-award winning not for profi t housing provider with over 20 years of experience in developing accommodation for people living with a disability. Some of the options are: • Independent apartments.• Semi-detached studios.• Group homes.• Adaptable units.• Visitable units.• Key ring apartments.CHL is a registered Specialist Disability Accommodation [SDA] provider under the National Disability Insurance Scheme [NDIS]
Community Housing Ltd214 York Street, Launceston 7250 | 6323 7222
www.chl.org.au
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DISABILITY EXPO 2017 AN ADVERTISING FEATURE
THIRTY-FIVE years is an impressive inningsfor any organisation, but when the
organisation’s core focus is providing advocacy and standing up for the rights of people with disability, those 35 years mean a whole lot more.
After the upcoming Disability Expo, SpeakOut Advocacy will hold its 35th annual conference at the Wrest Point Convention Centre in Hobart.
The conference, which will run from September 15-16, has an exciting and packed program of speakers, discussions and workshops.
Topics to be discussed at this year’s conference include housing solutions, lifestyle choices and rights, self-advocacy, and peer networks.
Personal and even controversial topics
will also be covered. A feature of the event will be the
attendance of the Disability Commissioner, Alastair McEwin, who will sit on the panel for a discussion titled “Are We Out of the Shadows?”
The event will wind up on the Saturday (September 16) with a closing ceremony from 3.50-4.30pm, followed by pre-dinner entertainment and a gala dinner and dance.
Speak Out Advocacy was established in 1982 to promote self-advocacy for people with disability.
The organisation aims to develop a respectful and inclusive community, by promoting and defending the rights of people with disability, through advocacy work, and good governance, which includes people with intellectual disability.
Time to celebrate35 years of helping
with a business model, and they have to prove that everything they are supplying, as far as service is concerned, is fair and reasonable under the guidelines of the NDIS.”
At 63 years of age, John isfacing another confronting reality: planning for Bridget and Riley’s futures once he is gone.
“I’ve got to seriously now
plan the next course of events,” John said.
Advocacy groups such as Speak Out are a much-needed support for parents, carers and people with disabilities.
“It’s still a daily challengeand it will be for the rest of my life because I intend to advocate for my children and be there for as long as I can draw breath,’’ John said.
“For people like me who areat their wit’s end, and who are a spent force, we need advocacy, we need Speak Out, we need the Association for Children with Disability.
“We really do need to havethese people on our side and know that there’s someone who will go into battle for us when we’re just at our wit’s end.”
WELL INFORMED: John Coyle and his son, Riley, outside Mosaic Support Services at Lutana. Mosaic is one of the disability support services John and Riley use. Picture: MATT THOMPSON
Visit our friendly, experienced team at the Disability Expo and find out how Lifestyle Solutions can make a positive difference in your life or the life of someone in your care.
We offer a comprehensive range of supports and services:
• Specialised Accommodation Services• Community Outreach Program• In-home Support Services We can also advise on funding options for one-on-one support.
1800 NDIS 4 U (1800 634 748)[email protected]
Lifestyle Solutions is a registered NDIS service provider.
Supporting people to achieve their best
• Disability Employment Service• Beating the Odds Program• Community Access Service
Contact us for more information.FREE ENTRY
SEPTEMBER 14, 2017
11am - 6pmWrest Point Convention Centre
PRESENTED BY
Supporting people with a disability
Local and Tasmanian.Large enough to support you,Small enough to care.
• Individual and group support• Life skills development• Recreation and Leisure• Supported holidays• School and holiday programs• Respite – evening and overnight
weekend• Coordination of supports –
improving life choices
For further informationPhone 03 6243 6044
Email [email protected]