Care is Everywhere

We talk about how sport is good for your mental health, physical health, it’s a great way to make friends... but it’s also enormous fun, especially the rush of something like water skiing. 

Chris Beckett’s family is big on water skiing, and he founded the All Abilities Water Sports Club to make sure everybody in the family, and the community, has a chance to have a go.  They're even making their own accessible sitting water skis, the only Australian manufacturer to do so.

The club is based in Townsville, and recently did a trip through an area where there’s aren’t always a lot of options for people with disability: the vast inland expanse of north western Queensland. 

In Mt Isa they met Danielle, who also comes from a water skiing family.  Danielle has CP, which in the past often meant sitting on the bank while the rest of the family had fun on the water.  Now the All Abilities Water Sports Club means Danielle has opportunities to tear up the lake as well!

Useful links

Transcript for this episode: https://carersqld.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Choice-and-Control-4-3-All-Abilities-Water-Sports.docx 

All Abilities Watersports Inc: https://www.facebook.com/UCANSKI2AAWS/

Carers Queensland upcoming events and workshops:

Ever wondered what those combinations of letters and numbers they use to describe Paralympic events mean?  In today's episode we find out how the Paralympic classification works, and whether it's putting some athletes at a disadvantage.

The letter indicates the type of sport.  For example there's T for track, F for field, S for swimming - well, the freestyle, butterfly and backstroke events.  Breaststroke is SB, the medley is SM.  

The number reflects the nature of the athlete’s disability and how it affects their performance in their chosen sport.  It’s a way of making sure athletes are competing against others with similar challenges, so the final result doesn’t come down to their disability but their skill, training and strategy, the things professional athletes spend years refining. 

Generally, the lower the number the more severe the disability.  For example S3 competitors like Scooter Patterson have physical disability affecting all four limbs.  That could mean things like quadriplegia, quadriplegic cerebral palsy or multiple limb difference. 

But there are often fewer athletes in those classifications with the smaller numbers.  That means there might not be enough people, from enough different countries, to make their competition viable.  Not only do those athletes miss out on the chance to compete, but without the chance of Paralmpic gold there may be fewer resources invested for people with high support needs to participate in that sport at all.

The classification system is being constantly revised and improved, to ensure it's giving athletes of all abilities the most equitable possible opportunity to compete.  And while it's a work in progress, it’s important to remember the incredible good the Paralympic movement has brought to the world: for athletes with disability, for the broader disability community to see ourselves represented and celebrated on the world stage.  And for the mainstream community to see people with disability as strong and capable, to recognise what we can do and what we can achieve.   

Useful links

Transcript for this episode: https://carersqld.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Choice-and-Control-4-2-Paralympic-Classification-transcript.docx

Paralympics Australia: https://www.paralympic.org.au/ 

Carers Queensland upcoming events and workshops:

Sport has so many benefits: it brings communities together, it gets you moving, it’s a way to meet new people and to push yourself to find your personal best. In a world where a lot of people spend a lot of time sitting and looking at screens, sport’s not a bad habit to get into. 

So how do we make sure everybody can do that?  In this episode we’re talking about making sport inclusive for people of all abilities. 

We’ll see what we can learn from AFL Queensland’s Inclusion Team off the back of their spectacular exhibition game on the Sunshine Coast. 

We’ll find out about wheelchair sports club The Suncoast Spinners, including their work in reverse inclusion - getting mainstream players involved in, and enthusiastic about, disability sports like wheelchair basketball.

And Dr Ian Dutia is a researcher with the University of Queensland who has a particular focus on athletes with disability.  He says there are so many benefits in getting everybody involved in sport.

Useful links

Download the transcript for this episode: https://carersqld.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Choice-and-Control-4-1-Inclusive-Sport-transcript.docx 

Suncoast Spinners: https://suncoastspinners.com.au/ 

AFL Queensland's all-abilities programs: https://www.aflq.com.au/all-abilities/ 

Carers Queensland upcoming events and workshops: www.carersqld.com.au/events 

Carers Queensland NDIS on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CarersQueenslandNDIS  

Credits

Interviews: Fiona Stutz

Production: Jodie van de Wetering

Image: AFL Queensland & Highflyer Images

Sport has something for everyone.  It's good for body and mind, and a great way to connect with other people.  We all benefit when everyone's included: the individual, the team, and the whole community.

In season four of Choice and Control we're talking about access and inclusion in sport of all kinds, from kicking a footy around with your mates to the Paralympics. 

What does it take to get involved and reach your sporting dreams?  And how can we make sure everybody gets that opportunity?

Season four starts very soon.  In the meantime, here are some of our past sporting episodes to get your ears warmed up:

The GingerCloud Foundation: https://carersqld.com.au/choice-and-control-podcast/podcast/episode-3-2-gingercloud/

Emerald-born Paralympian Amanda Fraser: https://carersqld.com.au/choice-and-control-podcast/podcast/episode-2-6-amanda-fraser/

Para Ice Hockey Queensland: https://carersqld.com.au/choice-and-control-podcast/podcast/episode-2-4-para-ice-hockey/

Wheelchair racing: https://carersqld.com.au/choice-and-control-podcast/podcast/episode-1-8-speed-racers/ 

Dean Clifford: https://carersqld.com.au/choice-and-control-podcast/podcast/episode-1-2-dean-clifford-building-strength/

Andi Snelling is an Australian performer, writer and theatre maker with a career that’s taken her all over the world. 

This year she’s the only interstate act coming to Queensland for the Undercover Artist Festival, so we caught up with her for a chat about her solo show Happy Go Wrong.

Useful links

Download the transcript for this episode: https://carersqld.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Choice-and-Control-3-bonus-Happy-Go-Wrong-transcript.docx 

The Undercover Artist Festival: https://undercoverartistfest.com/ 

Andi Snelling's website: http://www.andisnelling.com/

Carers Queensland upcoming events and workshops: www.carersqld.com.au/events 

Carers Queensland NDIS on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CarersQueenslandNDIS

Music, theatre, cabaret... there's nothing like a night out with some live entertainment.  If you're in Brisbane, the Undercover Artists Festival from September 16 to 18 is a fantastic opportunity. Not only is it fully accessible, with Auslan interpretations and audio descriptions, but every act features people with disability, and the whole festival is disability-led. 

To find out what's coming up and what that means, in this episode we're talking to festival director Madeleine Little.

Useful links

Download the transcript for this episode: https://carersqld.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Choice-and-Control-3-5-Undercover-Artist-Festival-transcript.docx 

The Undercover Artist Festival: https://undercoverartistfest.com/ 

Carers Queensland upcoming events and workshops: www.carersqld.com.au/events 

Carers Queensland NDIS on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CarersQueenslandNDIS

Oliver Hetherington-Page hates the Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon Cooper - even though, as a young man on the autism spectrum, at first glance you might think they have a fair bit in common. 

But Oliver's passions and talents like in music and theatre, not science and maths.  He's disappointed that Sheldon, a character not developed by people with autism or explicitly stated to be on the spectrum, has become the face of autism in popular culture - and he's out to fix that.

The Brisbane performer has channelled his lived experience with autism, relationships and dating into a one-man cabaret show, The No Bang Theory, and it's coming to the Undercover Artist Festival and the Wynnum Fringe. 

Useful links

Download the transcript for this episode: https://carersqld.com.au/wp-content/uploads/3-5-Oliver-Heatherington-Page-The-No-Bang-Theory-transcript.docx

The No Bang Theory at the Undercover Artist Festival, Sept 16: http://undercoverartistfest.com/festival-2021/the-no-bang-theory/ 

The No Bang Theory at the Wynnum Fringe, Nov 21: https://www.wynnumfringe.com/events/?EventGroupID=47&EventID=47 

The Undercover Artist Festival: https://undercoverartistfest.com/ 

Carers Queensland upcoming events and workshops: www.carersqld.com.au/events 

Carers Queensland NDIS on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CarersQueenslandNDIS

Carers Queensland, NDIS Local Area Coordination Partner in the Community, is working alongside the National Disability Insurance Agency to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people involved with the Murri Court, and connect them with the NDIS.

Carers Queensland has supported nine participants to access the NDIS - and more than 18 months since the process began, not a single one has re-offended.

Magistrate Tina Previtera says it's a great result, since statistically 76 per cent of adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander offenders who serve terms of imprisonment will re-offend within two years of their release from custody.

Marshall was the first person from Murri Court who Carers Queensland supported to access the NDIS, and he says he'd be lost without it.  He has acquired brain injury, and uses his NDIS plan for support with daily living and transport, as well as attending regular Yarning Circles to catch up with other men who've been through similar circumstances.

Uncle Steve Watson is a Mununjali, Wanggeriburra, Birri Gubba and Gangalu man who sits on the Murri Court as a Respected Person, acting as a communication conduit between his people fronting Murri Court and the magistrate.

In the two and a half years he has been with the Murri Court, Steve says he realised some people presenting before the court have disability which has gone unnoticed and undiagnosed.

“Since the NDIS have been involved with Carers Queensland, it's really captured a lot of our people who need that extra support to help them with the basic things in life,” Uncle Steve said.

Useful links

Download the transcript for this episode: https://carersqld.com.au/wp-content/uploads/3-4-Murri-Court-transcript.docx 

Bridging the gap: how the Murri Court is working with Carers Queensland to support people to access the NDIS: https://carersqld.com.au/bridging-the-gap-how-the-murri-court-is-working-with-carers-queensland-to-support-people-to-access-the-ndis/  

Carers Queensland upcoming events and workshops: www.carersqld.com.au/events 

Carers Queensland NDIS on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CarersQueenslandNDIS

Daniel Clarke and his brother William are Queensland's Young Australians of the Year for 2021.

They're passionate about protecting Borneo’s endangered orangutans: they've raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for conservation and habitat protection, and have spoken to thousands of school children to raise awareness.

24-year-old Daniel has cerebral palsy, and uses support from the NDIS in his busy life of sport, conservation work, volunteering and planning for his future career.

Daniel finished his Bachelor of Social Science majoring in politics last year, and plans to channel his passion for the environment into government policy work.

Useful links

Download the transcript for this episode: https://carersqld.com.au/wp-content/uploads/3-2-Daniel-Clarke.docx 

Tears in the Jungle: Daniel and William’s website about their conservation work: https://tearsinthejungle.com/ 

Queensland Wheelchair Rugby: https://www.facebook.com/QLDRugby/ 

ASEAN-Australia Strategic Youth Partnership: https://aasyp.org/ 

Carers Queensland upcoming events and workshops: www.carersqld.com.au/events 

Carers Queensland NDIS on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CarersQueenslandNDIS

Max Elliot has quite a history with the Brothers Rugby Club in Albion. He's now working in their Ruggers Restaurant on a school-based traineeship, but his relationship with the club goes back to when he was 11.  That's when his parents started building what would become the GingerCloud Foundation. 

Their Modified Rugby Program is making sport accessible for kids of all abilities, and building skills for life like teamwork, social skills, and rising to a challenge.

Max has autism and uses NDIS support to build his skills and independence as he gets ready for life after school. Today we're talking to his mother Megan about GingerCloud, cooking, the Modified Rugby Program, and how creating Max's best possible future has meant building a whole community ready to step up and include people with disability.

Useful links

Download the transcript for this episode: https://carersqld.com.au/wp-content/uploads/3-2-GingerCloud-from-sports-field-to-success-transcript.docx

GingerCloud Foundation: http://gingercloud.org/

Modified Rugby Program (MRP) on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/modifiedrugbyprogramMRP/

Carers Queensland upcoming events and workshops: www.carersqld.com.au/events

Carers Queensland NDIS on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CarersQueenslandNDIS