Elevating Yarns with FPDN

Heartfelt conversations and powerful storytelling from community voices across the country. 

Shenane Hogg from Connectivity discussed their work in raising awareness about Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and the dangers of head injuries, offering online courses and traveling to remote communities for education. Shenane Hogg explained Huntington's disease as a fatal genetic neurodegenerative disorder, clarifying its symptoms and noting its prevalence in the Top End, particularly Kununurra and Halls Creek.

In the third episode of Elevating Yarns by First Peoples Disability Network (FPDN) host Bernard Namok had a yarn with Natasha Phillips, Director of Gundarang Support Services and Sadiqa Phillips, Support Worker of Gundarang Support Services, a First Nations disability support work service that offers various services for NDIS participants, including community access, cleaning, and emotional support.

Tune into this episode as Bernard, Natasha and Sadiqa discuss the importance of First Nation-led services for fostering trust and bridging communication gaps within the community. 

In the second episode of Elevating Yarns by First Peoples Disability Network (FPDN), host Bernard Namok had a yarn with Catherine Liddle, the CEO of SNAICC (National Voice for our Children)

Catherine Liddle and Bernard Namok reflected on their long history working in First Nations Media across various region. Catherine also shared her journey to leadership and detailed SNAICC's work in early childhood development and child protection, the challenges in engaging with communities, and the critical need for systemic change and government action rooted in Indigenous knowledge.

Tune in to this inspiring conversation on Elevating Yarns, a new podcast series sharing the
powerful voices and stories of First Peoples with disability.

In the first episode of Elevating Yarns by First Peoples Disability Network (FPDN), host Bernard Namok sits down with Aunty Kay Sadler, a proud Worimi woman of the Biripi nation and a passionate advocate for First Nations people with disability. Aunty Kay, who also serves on FPDN’s Board, shares her powerful lived experience navigating life as a First Nations woman with disability. 

This heartfelt yarn explores Aunty Kay Sadler’s personal journey as a proud Worimi woman of the Biripi nation living with disability. She shares the cultural strengths that ground her, the challenges she’s overcome, and her unwavering dedication to creating a more inclusive and just future for mob with disability. Aunty Kay’s story is one of resilience, leadership, and deep community care.

Tune in to this inspiring conversation that sets the tone for Elevating Yarns, a new podcast series sharing the powerful voices and stories of First Peoples with disability.

Strong Voices on Yarning Disability. A range of voices and stories from our mob advocating for the human rights of their children with disabilities every day. Systems that create barriers for our mob with disabilities. Shine a light on our FPDN Staff and the importance of inclusion and belonging.

Training and Engagement Officer for Northern Territory, Jordan Wishart is a Bidjara man from central Queensland, but spent most of his life on Arrernte Country in Alice Springs. Jordan struggles with severe Dyslexia and ADHD – but to him, he doesn’t see that as a disability. 

This episode of Yarning Disability, FPDN's Bernard Namok and Jordan Wishart were on location to do community engagement in the remote town of Maningrida, 500ks from Darwin in Arnhem Land at the mouth of the Liverpool River. 

Stunning landscapes, remote communities and a strong and rich culture, Alice Springs, or known locally as Mparntwe is a remote town in the Northern Territory halfway between Darwin and Adelaide, both is 1500KM away. 

In this episode of Yarning Disability, FPDN Advocate Jordan Wishart had a yarn with Joel Walker, who is paraplegic, about his disability and the long journey of emotions and healing to get to where he is today 

In this episode of Yarning Disability, you will hear from Jaunita Haynes, a Yamatji woman living in Albany, Western Australia. In 2013, Jaunita was studying to be a nurse when, sadly, the GP administered her with the wrong vaccine dose, which had caused a disability. She yarned with FPDN Rozy Bynder about the reaction it caused, how it changed her life, and her journey to recovery.

Traditional Torres Strait woman, Aunty Abigail Harry hails from Yam Island in the Torres Strait. 

For over 40years Aunty Abigail Harry have lived and worked on Noongar, Boodja, Yamatji, Wongi country and now she is back living on Thursday Island and is actively involved in her community of Tamwoy Town when it comes to highlighting community issues.

Isolation, Remoteness and Accessibilities are some of the issues Aunty Abigail yarned with FPDN Advocate Bernard Namok and she strongly believed that there is a greater need for family living across the Torres Strait Islands