Profiles and Abstracts

Karen Ackland & Paul Boag

VDDS Northern
Karen Ackland, Social Worker and Senior Clinician, VDDS Northern.
Paul Boag, Clinical Psychologist and Senior Clinician, VDDS Northern.

Karen and Paul have extensive experience with intellectual disability and mental health and have specialised in the area of dual disability since 1999.
They work with the Victorian Dual Disability Service and provide consultation and training in the Northern metropolitan region.

[Workshop] Intellectual disability and mental illness (dual disability) [ Thur - WS03 | Fri - WS04 ]

• People with an intellectual disability have a higher rate of mental health problems than the general population but that there is a shortage of appropriate psychiatric services, and there are particular difficulties in assessment and diagnosis of mental illness with this group.
  
  This workshop will cover the following topics:
  1. Services for people with a dual disability.
     The structure and service philosophy of Disability and Mental Health services and their impact on the mental health needs of people with an intellectual disability.
     New services which have developed during the 90's.
  2. Diagnostic categories.
     An introduction to the key features of four categories of mental illness -Schizophrenia, Mood Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, and Personality Disorders.
  3. Psychiatric assessment of people with intellectual disability.
     Difficulties in assessment and diagnosis of mental illness with people with an intellectual disability.
     What direct support workers can do to facilitate the assessment process.
     
     
• A clinical case presentation format will be used to illustrate the assessment process.

Karen Bloomberg, Hilary Johnson, Denise West

Communication Resource Centre, Scope
Karen Bloomberg (B.App.Sci. Speech Pathology; M. Sc. (AAC) FSPAA). Karen has worked in the area of augmentative communication for over 20 years and co-ordinates the Training and Professional Development portfolio. She won the Elinor Wray award for excellence in speech pathology in 1988 (in conjunction with Hilary Johnson) and became a fellow of the Speech Pathology Association of Australia in 1996. In 2000, she was awarded the ISAAC Distinguished Services Award for her outstanding contribution to the field of AAC. She received the Ethel Temby travelling scholarship in 2002. She is currently state co-ordinator of Makaton Victoria and national training co-ordinator for Makaton Australia. She lectures part-time at Latrobe University and has many publications to her credit.
Denise West - Communication Resource Centre, Scope (Vic)
Hilary Johnson - Communication Resource Centre, Scope (Vic)

[Workshop] InterAACtion: Strategies for intentional and unintentional communicators [ Thur - WS09 ]

• This workshop is based around the "InterAACtion" training package designed for people living or working with adults whose communication is at an unintentional or early intentional level. The "InterAACtion" package targets five different types of communicators. Each communicator is introduced through a video scenario. Participants have the opportunity to complete a worksheet that relates to one of the individual scenarios. The accompanying manual expands on the range of potential communication strategies that could benefit the person and their communication partners. It contains over 30 handouts for each different communication strategy targeted for this challenging client group.

Sheridan Forster

Speech Pathologist, Masters of Biomedical Science Candidate (Monash University)

[Presentation] What is a profound intellectual disability? [ Fri - P06 ]

• What is a profound intellectual disability? How does having a profound intellectual disability affect communication skills? In this paper, an overview of current literature concerning the communication of people who have profound intellectual disabilities will be presented. In particular, themes in the literature will be described. Such themes include the use of multisensory rooms to increase participation, use of object symbols, ascertaining preferences of people with profound intellectual disability, and their different behaviour states (e.g., alert and drowsy). Information will be presented on what can be learnt from interactions between parents and infants, including cautions in using this information. A focus of the presentation will be the difficulties faced when trying to interact with people with profound intellectual disabilities. Decreased responsiveness and difficulties finding a level of communication that is meaningful to both people can result in reduced opportunities for interaction. On the other hand, current research can provide useful information on what can be taken into everyday practice to enhance interactions with people with profound intellectual disability. Avenues for further research and the role of direct support workers will be described.

Teresa Iacono, Sheridan Foster, Ruth Bryce

Centre for Developmental Disability Health Victoria

[Presentation] Communication patterns of three adults with developmental disabilities: A comparison of parent and direct support worker perspectives. [ Fri - P01 ]

• We present the results of a study into how three adults with developmental disability, who had moved int a community residential unit, communicated with people in various Circles of Communication Partners (CCP). CCP is based on the circles of friends concept, whereby people who fit into each of five circles of social relationships are identified for an individual, beginning with those with whom the person is most intimate, and moving out to unfamiliar people. For this study, a person from each adult with developmental disability's first and fourth circle - parent and direct support worker, respectively -- were interviewed using the tool Social Networks: A Communication Inventory for Individuals with Complex Communication Needs and their Communication Partners. Interview questions relate to how the person communicates with individuals within each of the five Circles. Profiles resulting from each interview were compared and interview data were analysed using qualitative methods. The results point to differences in knowledge across informants of who was in each adult's CCP, perceptions about how each adult communicated, the effectiveness of communication, and who was each adult's significant communication partners. Themes that emerged included problem solving that the direct support workers engaged in to answer questions about each adult's communication, confusion about strategies to support expression, and frustrations experienced by parents. The information was used to develop goals for communication intervention. These goals and the strategies that the support workers used with each adult to enhance his communication will also be presented.

Teresa Iacono & Jennifer Galea

Centre for Developmental Disability Health Victoria

[Presentation] Barriers to research participation [ Fri - P03 ]

Ms Sue Jackson

Executive Officer of the Council of Intellectual Disability Agencies (CIDA)

Ms Sue Jackson is the Executive Officer of the Council of Intellectual Disability Agencies (CIDA) which is a peak body for non-government disability service providers. She brought to CIDA extensive experience in peak body work having previously held the position of Deputy Director at the Victorian Council of Social Service. Her work at VCOSS included policy development and advocacy around issues of importance for people with disabilities such as the implementation of the Intellectually Disabled Persons Services Act and the development of the initial State Plan for Intellectual Disability Services. Sue also worked for three years at the Brotherhood of St. Laurence as the Co-ordinator of a major project on the future work in Australia. She has been involved with non-government and community organisations for over thirty years and has written and spoken extensively on a range of subjects. In 2000 Sue undertook a Churchill Fellowship overseas study tour to investigate developments in services for people with intellectual disabilities and earlier this year she visited England and Canada to examine more recent developments in those countries.

[Keynote address] Looking to the future. [ Fri - KA01 ]

Ros Kempton

HACSU
Ros Kempton, Education Project Worker Ros has worked with HACSU since early 2002 focusing on learning and professional development strategies and opportunities. Ros networks widely with direct support workers across Victoria, with employers and the training sector. Contact and relationships with direct support workers is crucial to representing direct support worker learning issues in regional, state-wide and national forums such as the Victorian Community Service and Health Industry Training Board, the National Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council and the Trades Hall Council Vocational Education & Training Committee. While attention to training needs, qualifications and career pathways is a key focus of the project work with HACSU, Ros is equally keen to promote the value of 'lifelong leaming' as a way of looking at and responding to life issues and the benefits that accrue for individuals at work and in family and community life

Wendy Williams, Disability Support Worker/HACSU delegate. Wendy is a direct support worker in a CRU in Ararat and an active HACSU representative on the DHS/HACSU Grampians Training Implementation Committee. Wendy is interested in influencing workplace systems to support the further learning and professional development in the workplace. As a direct support worker Wendy's involvement in statewide training networks reflects her commitment to ensuring there is a local voice for local staff and a link between direct support staff and management in the planning and access to relevant training and professional development. Wendy is currently studying for a degree in disability studies at Deakin University.

[Presentation] Learning Towards a Better Future. [ Fri - P02 ]

• The union movement has had a long tradition of valuing and supporting workers. Investing in skill development has been part of this tradition and trade unions have influenced government policy and employment practices that focus on the development of a competent and confident workforce. Learning and development is an area of common interest to both employers and unions. The Health and Community Services Union has demonstrated a strong commitment to training and development for the disability direct care workforce. Professional staff providing quality supports to people with disabilities is a vocational aim of union involvement and it is accompanied by a commitment to offering workers opportunities that enhance personal lives and open up new opportunities and possibilities. This presentation will describe the principles that underpin HACSU's commitment to training and professional development for direct support staff, and the positive outcomes experienced. Ideas, strategies and experiences from participants will be invited to add to the discussion of the workplace as a learning environment.

Wendy Lawson

Autism Consultant (Self employed)
Wendy Lawson is an adult with an autism spectrum disorder. Wendy has been married, separated and divorced. She brought up four children and has experienced the death of one of her teenage sons. Wendy's two elder children are in stable relationships, her daughter is now happily married, and her older son lives with his partner in a suburb of Melbourne. Wendy's younger son, now aged 22 also has Asperger's Syndrome. I knew Tim was like me in so many ways. He has a big heart and a wide appealing grin. Seeing him experiencing similar difficulties as my own though is painful and I so wish I could make life easier for him. Becoming a psychologist and sharing her knowledge, understanding and experience of autistic spectrum disorders has been Wendy's occupation over the past 11 years.

[Workshop] Living and Learning with Autism/Asperger's Syndrome [ Fri - WS03 | Fri - WS09 ]

• Life and Learning with Autism/Asperger's Syndrome is a presentation that considers personal experience and current research to explore Keys to understanding and working with the autistic spectrum.

[Keynote address] Autism and Asperger's Syndrome in Context. [ Fri - KA02 ]

Sheryl Larson

University of Minnesota
Sheryl A. Larson, Ph.D. Sherri has 23 years of experience in services to persons with ID/DD as a residential counselor, behavior analyst, program evaluator, consultant, personal advocate and researcher. She earned an M.A. and Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota. Her dissertation examined factors associated with turnover in small group home settings. She is the Research Director and a Principal Investigator at the Research and Training Center on Community Living (U of MN) where she has worked for the last 17 years, directing projects involving survey and intervention research, secondary analysis of large data sets and research synthesis on residential services, personnel issues, disability statistics and community integration for persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities and has authored or coauthored more than 100 publications on those topics.

She has made more than 150 presentations at national, state, regional and local conferences and workshops including workshops on staff recruitment and retention for more than 3,000 managers and supervisors. She is an American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) Fellow, President of the AAMR Community Services Division, a consulting editor of Mental Retardation and Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability and has participated in NIDRR and CDC grant review panels. She received a Presidential Award from AAMR for workforce research.

[Keynote address] Removing the Revolving Door: Strategies to Address Recruitment and Retention Challenges. [ Thur - KA01 ]

• This session introduces a toolbox of research-based solutions to staff recruitment and retention challenges. The tools will address a) recruitment and selection strategies such as structured interviews, inside recruitment sources, expand the pool of applicants, realistic job previews, and marketing your agency; b) orientation and training strategies such as initial socialization, co-worker support, structured job shadowing, competency based training, and mentoring programs; c) supervision and management strategies such as support and train supervisors, evaluate recruitment and retention outcomes, participatory management, and high performance practices; and d) recognition strategies such as enhancing the status of and opportunities for workers, networking, and formal and informal recognition strategies.

[Workshop] Web based training for direct support professionals and supervisors [ Thur - WS04 ]

• This session will introduce two training resources available on the internet. The College of Direct Support offers 62 hours of training in more than 12 courses for direct support professionals. The College of Frontline Supervision offers 4 courses with 18 lessons focusing on how supervisors, managers and administrators can improve their competence in finding, training and retaining direct support professionals. Descriptions of how these resources are being used by individuals, organizations and states will be provided. A demonstration of these programs will be provided if internet access is available.

[Workshop] Professionalizing Direct Support Roles [ Thur - WS10 | Fri - WS07 ]

• The National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals is an organization based in North America whose mission is to promote the development of a highly competent human services workforce which supports individuals in achieving their life goals. They work to enhance the status of DSP, provide better access to training, strengthen relationships between DSPs and families and individuals with disabilities, promote systems reform and support voluntary credentialing for DSPs. This session will provide an introduction to NADSP and the resources and tools it has developed. One of the tools described will be the Code of Ethics for Direct Support Professionals.

[Workshop] Access to Health Care for people with Intellectual Disabilities [ Fri - WS01 ]

• Access to health care for community dwelling persons with intellectual disabilities is a significant challenge throughout the western world. This presentation summarizes the international research on access to preventative care, medical or dental care, and insurance. It also summarizes research on satisfaction with health care, quality of care, consequences of inadequate access to care, unmet health care needs, and barriers people with disabilities face in accessing appropriate medical and dental care.

Susana Gavidia-Payne and Margaret Nicol

RMIT University
Dr Susana Gavidia Payne, Bachelor of Psychology, Master of Science, and Ph.D. Susana has worked extensively with families of children and adults with disabilities for approximately 27 years.
Margaret Nicol, Certificate in Mental Retardation, Diploma in Intellectual Retardation, Bachelor of Nursing, Master of Education. Margaret has worked in worked in the disability sector in direct care and education since 1975.

[Workshop] Connecting with families: It works! [ Thur - WS11 ]

• This workshop focuses on the development of partnerships between direct care workers and their clients' families. Current thinking and research in the area indicates that these partnerships are essential in comprehensively addressing the individual needs of clients, the concerns of families, and those of service providers. In practice, however, both direct care workers and families often express difficulties and frustration in working together to the benefit of the person with disabilities.

  The workshop will take a 'hands-on' approach by encouraging participants to examine their own experiences and roles in working with families, and by presenting case studies that will generate discussion about workers' understandings, attitudes and skills in working with families. The workshop will conclude with introducing strategies that direct care workers can use in the establishment of effective partnerships with families.

Karen Nankervis

RMIT University
Dr Karen Nankervis
Head, Division of Disability Studies, RMIT University.

[Workshop] Person-centred planning: An introductory workshop. [ Thur - WS05 | Fri - WS06 ]

• This workshop is intended to provide delegates with little or no experience in person-centred planning with the opportunity to understand its basis within the broader international and local disability service contexts. Models of person-centred planning will be presented along with information about applications and common elements. Delegates will also engage in some hands on experience.

  The workshop will also explore person-centred planning versus person-centred action and assist delegates in identifying the skills and attitudes necessary for the facilitation of person-centred planning.

Christopher Newell

Associate Professor Christopher Newell, AM teaches Medical Ethics and Disability Studies in the School of Medicine, University of Tasmania. He has an ongoing involvement with working with a variety of health bodies. He is a member of the Australian Medical Council, and a member of NI-IMRC Licensing Committee. He is also an Anglican priest, currently on staff at St David's Cathedral, Hobart, and a member of the boards of Consumers' Health Forum of Australia, the Disability Studies and Research Institute, and Director of Australian General Practice Accreditation Ltd. Recent books include Digital Disability: The Social Construction of New Media (With G Goggin, Rowman & Littlefield, 2003), From Out back to Out Front: Voices in Spirituality and Disability from the Land Down Under, (Haworth Press, 2004) and, with Gerard Goggin, Disability in Australia: Exposing a Social Apartheid. (UNSW Press, 2004). In 1999 Dr Newell was Highly Commended in the Australian Human Rights Awards. In 2001 he was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his work.

[Keynote address] Narrating Disability in Australia; Moving the other to us. [ Thur - KN02 ]

• A major issue facing Australians with disability today is the creation of people with disability as other. The "not quite right", the "not the full quid", the "unperson". In this paper we explore a form of social apartheid - the routine, daily ways society has of telling the story of people with disability as fundamentally other. Yet in understanding those issues we also face significant opportunities in our daily practice. In listening to the voices of people with disabilities, in celebrating our practice, and in telling stories about people with disabilities, their families and carers, we can transform disability in Australia. In so doing we do not just improve quality of care, but foster respect for the inherent dignity of all people with disabilities. Today we engage in something quite extraordinary: celebrating and moving Australians with disability from other to us, a valued part of our moral community.

Margery Pithouse

Disability In Service Training Support Service (DISTSS)

[Presentation] Ready4work Disability Support Work Induction: An introduction to the resource kit. [ Thur - P01 ]

• Ready4work is a set of resources developed by DISTSS and the Community Services and Health Industry Training Board for Disability Support Worker Induction.
  Ready4work has been developed in consultation with, and with support from, people with a disability, industry peaks, Department of Human Services and other relevant industry and education stakeholders.

  The resource kit includes:

  • Workbook for disability support worker inductees
  • Supervisor’s Guide for people supervising workers undertaking induction. Includes methods and models of induction planning and delivery
  • Video interviews with people with a disability, disability support workers and industry representatives discussing what makes a good disability support worker, and the importance of induction
  • CD-Rom which contains the Workbook and Supervisor’s Guide in PDF format for printing, and all sections of the video
    
• The resource kit is consistent with the directions of the State Disability Plan, the Disability Learning and Development Strategy and other workforce development initiatives. It embraces other sector initiatives such as the Standards for Disability Services, Quality Framework and all Legislative requirements. Ready4work is also a response to escalating WorkCover premiums and risk management issues, with the emphasis that it contributes to creating a safe working environment for all.
  
  In October this year all eligible Department of Human Services funded Community Services Organisations were sent a complimentary copy of Ready4work. This short presentation will provide the participants with an introduction to these resources, including screening of a short segment of the video. Models of resource use for induction will be discussed. The opportunity for questions including ordering arrangements will be given.

Gary Radler

Gary Radler Pty Ltd
Gary is a Clinical Psychologist who assists families and organisations through the process of change, with a particular focus on improving outcomes for individuals with a developmental disability who engage in problem behaviours.

A specific interest of Gary's is in working with others to enable people with problem behaviours to exercise and develop their skills, and to enjoy a better quality of life.

He works collaboratively with family members and organisations in addressing the problem behaviours of individuals with developmental disabilities. Gary has also developed and delivered training and professional development programs, and has evaluated services.

Although mainly working in Victoria, he has also worked in most other states and territories in Australia.

Before moving into private practice, Gary worked in direct care positions, as a psychologist, in staff training and in a variety of management positions. He designed the Department of Human Services Behaviour Intervention Support Team (BIST) Program, and managed BISTs and other specialist services that worked with people with disabilities and children and adolescents referred by Child Protection Services.

[Workshop] Using Summary Statements to Generate Positive Behaviour Supports [ Thur - WS06 ]

• In this workshop, participants will be introduced to a method for conducting an analysis of recurring problematic situations that involve the problem behaviours of people with a developmental disability. The method involves developing a summary statement and then using this to develop hypotheses about the function that the person's problem behaviour serves in these situations. Both the summary statement and the hypothesis are then used to generate positive behaviour support ideas.

[Workshop] Person Centered Active Support [ Fri - WS12 ]

• When people with a disability live in staffed houses in the community, opportunities for being engaged in everyday activities abound. However, living in such situations does not guarantee high levels of activity. Unfortunately, down-time is a too common feature of the lives of people with a developmental disability. Person-Centred Active Support has a track record as a system that leads to substantial improvements in levels of engagement. This workshop will introduce participants to the values and methods of Person-Centred Active Support. It is targetted at accommodation support workers, house supervisors and managers.

Lisa Rath, Emily Adamson

The Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria
Both presenters have been working for the Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria for a number of years and our roles are to provide information and support for individuals living with epilepsy and their families. We also conduct a wide variety of workshops for volunteer and paid carers in relation to managing clients with epilepsy and intellectual disabitities.

Lisa Rath is the Regional Manager for the Hume Et Lodden Matte region (based in Bendigo) and has a background in nursing and broad understanding of the issues related to carers working in regional Victoria.

Emily Adamson works in the metropolitan office based in Camberwell. A large focus of her work is in training and counselling and has a background in health psychology and solution oriented counselling.

[Workshop] What I want to know about epilepsy is ... ? [ Fri - WS02 ]

• Carers or support workers often undertake the role of an advocate and provide a voice for people living with disabilities. To be an advocate, it is important to know what questions to ask and to understand the issues relevant for your client.
  
  Epilepsy is different for everybody and still today there are many myths surrounding the condition. Do flashing lights trigger seizures? Can someone have a bath if they have epilepsy? What's the first aid if my client has a convulsive seizure?
  
  Come and share your question at this discussion group. This will give you an opportunity to find out more about Living with epilepsy in relation to your client and everybody can learn from each others questions.

[Workshop] Caring for your client living with seizures and an intellectual disability [ Fri - WS11 ]

• Epilepsy is common for people living with an intellectual disability and seizures can be difficult to control with antiepileptic medication and side effects may impact on their daily life.
  
  This workshop will give a background to the current treatment and management of epilepsy and focus on what is practical to document and report in regards to clients with epilepsy.
  
  Major focus points of discussion will include
  • recognizing seizure types
  • an overview of the management of seizures
  • what can trigger a seizure
  • how to effectively document seizures
  • how to achieve the most out of an medical appointment
    
• This workshop will suit people who have clients with epilepsy and would like to find out more about the management of epilepsy and what kind of observations are useful in their caring role. The workshop will encourage you to participate and share your experiences and ideas.

Christine Scott, Heather Forsyth and Client Councils Reps

VALID
Christine Scott - VALID Project Manager
Heather Forsyth - Self-advocate Project Worker
Client Councils Reps from Wongabeena Client Council

[Workshop] Building Self-determination within Services [ Fri - WS10 ]

• VALID works with services on initiatives that promote the self-determination of people with intellectual disability. Two of the major strategies utilised in this work are promotion of self-advocacy skills training and the development of Client Committees within services.

  One of the projects VALID is currently undertaking is in the Eastern Region through a grant from Eastern Region DHS. This project reflects these key strategies through a focus on the promotion of self-advocacy opportunities and structures within ATSS's.

  The presentation will include a brief overview of the Eastern Self-advocacy Project and self-advocates from VALID's Statewide Self-Advocacy Forum will present their views on the importance of services supporting 'clients' to speak up and including them in decision-making. If time permits, participants will discuss in groups key issues and strategies related to promoting self-determination within their own services.

Mike Steer

• Renwick College, Royal Institute Deaf & Blind Children

[Workshop] What Support Workers should know about Deafblindness [ Thur - WS08 ]

• In Victoria 20 years ago, a number of Deaf and Deafblind children and adults were congregated in a "special unit" at the Kew Developmental Centre and treated as though they had intellectual disabilities with challenging behaviour. These people have since all been moved to a variety of settings in the community. Deafblindness is a low incidence disability and many Deafblind Australians are people with severe communication impairments. Little is known about them as a group. Their special needs are the focus of attempts by the Australian Deaf-Blind Council (ADBC) to draw political attention to the probability that most still experience isolated, friendless lives, compounded by relative penury. To this end, the first National Australian Deaf-Blind Forum was held at the Royal Blind Society in Sydney three years ago. Its purpose was to prepare recommendations for presentation to the National Disability Advisory Committee for inclusion in the periodic negotiations between Commonwealth and state governments that inform the Commonwealth-States Disability Agreement (CSDA).

  The author will present and discuss the following:

  • The ADBC, its aims, goals and aspirations.
  • Information on the number and distribution of Australians who are Deafblind and what is known by ADBC of their current circumstances.
  • The National Forum, aims, objectives and results
  • National Forum outcomes and the political response.

[Workshop] At Rainbow's End: A pot of Gold for Disability Services Development [ Fri - WS05 ]

• Imagine a scenario in which the Commonwealth, State and Territory Government Ministers have been persuaded by a National Disability Coalition to allocate $500 million per annum of new monies over three years into the development of comprehensive, coordinated services to people with disabilities in all States and Territories. What would happen after the policy announcement? This short presentation will explain some of the ways in which disability policy implementation works and reveal several of the strategies traditionally employed by those with vested interests (key stakeholders and spin-doctors) to subvert implementation processes to their own ends. The information is of particular interest to workers in community advocacy and special interest groups since it is aimed at aiding them to identify many of the unusual and clever manoeuvres used in private-public sector negotiations. The presentation should also be useful to community agency CEO's, managers and program planners wishing to anticipate policy implementation problems at an early stage in order to design "game proof" responses.

Kevin Stone

VALID
Author of the To Stand Beside: Advocacyfor Inclusion Training Program & The Building Strong Self Advocacy Individual Workbook. Thirty years experience as an advocate. Parent of a son with intellectual disability. Former principal of a Special Developmental School. Founding and current Executive Officer of VALID. President of the National Council on Intellectual Disability for seven years.

[Workshop] Advocacy Principles [ Thur - WS01 ]

• This presentation will focus on several key principles underlying advocacy and self advocacy practice:

  Power - identifies the potential conflicts of interest faced by workers in advocating for clients, and proposes strategies for minimising such conflicts.

  Mission - identifies the values and principles underpinning current advocacy practice, and encourages participants to reflect on their own values and principles.

  Vision - emphasises the need for workers and organisations to operate with personal and organisational integrity.

  Roles - encourages participants to reflect on their advocacy role in relation to their professional and personal interests.

  Participants will benefit from:

  • A greater knowledge of advocacy concepts
  • A deeper understanding of their personal values
  • A stronger appreciation of the Disability Service standards and related principles
  • A fresh approach to their roles
  • A better understanding of the relationship between the direct care worker and clients and their advocates.

Anne Vize

Anne Vize Writing and Training Services
Anne Vize is a freelance writer with a background in Special Education. She is the author of "Literacy for Living" (living and literacy skills for people with special needs) and "Skills for Work" (life and work skills for people with limited literacy), both published by Phoenix Education. She operates her own business in Melbourne, and provides writing training for individuals and groups as well as completing freelance projects. Previously she has worked with teenagers and young adults with physical, intellectual, sensory and behavioural disabilities. She holds a masters degree in Special Education from Deakin University.

[Workshop] Writing personal journey stories with people with disabilities [ Thur - WS02 ]

• This workshop will introduce participants to the concept and process of writing or recording a personal journey story with a person with a disability. Personal journey stories are a way of helping people to preserve significant memories, to write down things which they feel are important to say, and to allow people the freedom to express themselves in a way which is real and of value to them. Personal journeys may be a life story, or they may be about a particular moment in time or event which has had a lasting or significant impact. For some people with disabilities, a personal journey story may be about the events which caused a disability, or about the impact of a disability on family life.

  During the workshop, issues about how to discuss personal stories, confidentiality, planning for specific disabilities, accurate recording of detail, family conflict issues, and the use of a scribe or assistant to record information will be covered. Participants will discuss some of the important issues in this area of writing, and will complete a number of sample writing tasks which could be used with a group or individuals to start a personal journey writing process.

Kath Williams/David Rittinger

• Independent Living Centre - [Workshop] Specialised Equipment [ Thur - WS12 ]