Here we meet the amazing Yenn Purkiss. Yenn is the author of a stack of books including the bestsellers, "The Awesome Autistic Go To Guide" and The Guide to Good Mental Health on the Autism Spectrum". An incredible advocate and mentor, Yenn speaks openly about the issues that are facing people with autism in the times of COVID with impacts on people's mental health and wellbeing due to our present state of uncertainty. Yenn talks about not fitting in as a young person and struggling with her own diagnosis and identity leading to challenges including the traumatic experience of going to prison as a young person. They explain the importance of accepting yourself for who you are, why communication is key and the value of employment for individuals and of employing people with disability for employers. Yenn explains coming out as non-binary themself, how changing their name has been a great experience, how everyone's journey is different and the importance of accepting yourself for who you are.

Yenn's books and writing can be found here: http://www.jeanettepurkis.com/

In this episode we hear from Professor Yerbury how a lived experience of disease and disability can strongly inform and benefit the progression of research into treatments and therapies. Justin explains some of the latest research and theories about the causes and treatments for the disease that he himself has, Motor Neuron Disease (MND). MND is actually the name for a group of debilitating and progressive neuro degenerative diseases, and we learn how common and impactful these conditions actually are. Justin describes personal challenges with surgery and the NDIS and how, as individuals and as a society, we must continue to remove barriers to allow people to flourish. He has a range of practical suggestions for things we can do to improve accessibility for people with disability in terms of participating in advocacy and policy change (including contributing to your local council's disability inclusion action plan). He also reminds us that there is no instruction manual for disability that we need to stay ahead of symptoms, and how, regardless of disability, everyone can make a positive contribution. (Oh and Ed and Carol got a selfie as we were a little bit star-struck!)

Ethan Green, Anne-Louise Rentell and Ethan Arnold are representing the Strangeways Ensemble, a Wollongong based group of performers, writers and artists with disability who have been working to successfully bring a whole new range of stories that need to be told into the professional mainstream drama space with sold out performances. We hear about the passion, effort, commitment and collaboration that is required to bring a production to life as well as the range of other interests and skills that inclusive dramatic arts supports. We discuss acting in the age of COVID19 and the benefits for everyone of the increasing representation and participation of people with disability on stage and screen.

On this episode we hear from the fascinating and talented Craig Anderson. Craig is a DJ hosting the popular drive time "Afternoons with Ando" on radio 2MCR 100.3 in Sydney. Craig has also worked as a journalist, written Star Trek scripts and was formerly a filmmaker. Craig is getting the support he needs to achieve his goal of being more independent and here he gives great advice as to how to make the most out of our time, follow through on our ideas and tap into our passions to achieve what we want in life.

Susan Wallis is a parent to Gracie Wallis who passed away in 2018 at the age of 13. Susan shares her incredibly personal experiences of raising a child with a significant disability and Gracie's many achievements and contributions including lobbying and campaigning for the NDIS to make it better. Susan talks about how "disabled isn't lesser, it's just different", and how people with disability can and do have equal and often greater impact than those without. As part of her legacy there is now a scholarship in Gracies's name supporting young women with disability to achieve their goals. Susan questions the disrespectful way that diagnoses can be thrown around, reminds us that loving families are the experts in the lives of their children and champions the benefits of good universal design for all.

In this episode we talk to story-teller, author and journalist, Tim Rushby-Smith. Tim tells us about becoming paraplegic after a fall in 2005, just as he was about to become a dad for the first time, and about being in a hurry to get back to "normal life" after his injury. Tim educates Ed and Carol on the dangers of Lego and wheelchairs, techniques for keeping fast moving toddlers in check in a busy city, the frustrations of being singled out as a "legend" for going to the beach with your family and other challenges of parenting with disability. We also learn how his injury led to major changes in his career and to new opportunities including writing about his experiences as a wheelchair dad for the Times of London and in his book "Looking Up", as well as co-writing the incredible story of Darren Longbottom, the surfer subject of his bestselling book "Beyond the Break". Tim explores the ways in which people cope after injury, focussing on his own experiences, and how storytelling can help you adjust post injury. Tim urges us to "start with the person", avoid labelling and assumptions, and to tap into the curiosity and openness displayed by children in exploring the nature of disability.

Links:

Looking Up by Tim Rushby-Smith - Penguin Books Australia

Beyond the Break by Darren Longbottom - Penguin Books Australia

In this episode, we get to meet Carol Heijo. Carol is the self-described legally blind, non-binary, pan-sexual, Marxist, feminist and just awesome co-host of "Labelling the Disabling" who challenges us to "go beyond the obvious". Everything is on the table - gender roles, generational differences, sexual identity, you name it - as Ed talks to Carol about her personal experience of Stargardt's Disease, growing up with a developing visual impairment and Carol parallels her lived experience of disability with other aspects of social, cultural and economic disadvantage. You can hear in Carol's story her passion for fairness, equity and inclusion laced with her natural humour as she challenges us to change tired and limiting perspectives on disability, raise our expectations and tap into the natural resilience, strength and innovation that disability brings to society. Carol reminds us that for many in society there were no "good old days", that change is good and that for people with disability we need to maintain a strong and steadfast focus on a better today and tomorrow.

Meet Andrew Radford who is passionate about speaking up to ensure people's rights are respected. Andrew is a high achiever and is now internationally recognized for sharing his experiences at the Thriving with Autism 2019 Asia Pacific Autism Conference in Singapore and is the Asia Pacific Autism Advocate. Hear how Andrew has become better connected socially through his advocacy work, how he supports his local community and young people with autism to develop their own skills and self-advocacy abilities and his goals for the future.

Hear from Dane about his mind blowing story of running over 4000km across Australia in 2017 in memory of his late father Rod, to raise awareness about the rights and abilities of people with disability as well as money for worthy causes. He talks about his love of running, his passion for helping others and his commitment to achieving his goals and also announces his plans to run around the country in the future. Dane's run https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwjsH3kgiyQ

Meet young Alex who has managed to pack a lot in to his 13 years. He shares his story as a young person with a disability, his incredible NDIS expertise, the importance of getting the right supports that work for him, the benefits he has experienced from working on drama, his passion for photography projects and setting and achieving his goals.