July 28th 2009
Following the launch of Disability Speaks in April this year, we have been humbled by the increasing support and encouragement we have received from many in the community, who believe people with disabilities, their families and carers deserve better. Many have been calling for action for sometime, but this was brought into sharp focus following the tragic event reported in the media recently, in which a mother is alleged to have murdered her intellectually disabled son.
There is without doubt a genuine feeling of disgust in the wider community that South Australia has badly failed those who are most vulnerable and that much more needs to be done. We agree and would like you to help us convey this message. When the State Government slashed the Budget for Disability Advocacy agencies by more than 50% two years ago, it effectively slammed the door on people with disabilities, leaving some people wondering whether this was an attempt to silence people with a disability, their carers and families and stifle community outrage.
We would like people with a disability, their families, carers or anyone with an interest in ensuring people with a disability receive the support they deserve to consider doing three very important things:
1. Help us build our free electronic subscriber database!
Your help is needed to enrol as many people with an interest in improving the lives of people with a disability, their families and carers to subscribe to Disability Speaks database so they can receive direct up date electronic communiqués and news . If you could subscribe 10 people, and request that they also subscribe 10 other people that would be appreciated. To subscribe simply email Subscribe to disabilityspeaks@internode.on.net
2. Join the team – join our Steering Committee!
Join the Disability Speaks Steering Committee. The next meeting will be held at the Disability Information & Resource Centre SA (DIRC), located at 195 Gilles Street, Adelaide at 1.00pm Monday 3rd August, to discuss strategies to convey the key messages.
3. Tell us your story!
Tell us your family story in 400 words or less. If you are waiting for equipment,accommodation, respite or in home support let us know how long you have been waiting and what the struggle is really like.
We would like to hear from people with a disability, their families and carers that are facing challenging situations and discuss how we can share your story and highlight the despair that exists. Please email us at disabilityspeaks@internode.on.net . With disability representing the largest category of complaints received by the South Australian Equal Opportunity Commission, we would like to hear first hand about how long you have been waiting and the challenges that you face in being given a fair go.
Access to the Disability Speaks online database is available to other groups, service providers and agencies to communicate key information about the SA disability sector. Whilst Disability Speaks has no affiliation with any government bodies, political parties or service providers the concept of delivering important information from a variety of sources is fundamental to the key aims of Disability Speaks in promoting the sector, including both the outstanding achievements of people with a disability and the challenge of addressing unmet service and support needs of people with a disability throughout metropolitan and country areas.
Material to be distributed online by Disability Speaks will need to be
- Of State or National disability interest,
- Contemporary and relevant to disability sector issues,
- Ethical and written in an appropriate format
- Promote the disability sector and people with a disability in a positive manner
The Steering Group of Disability Speaks reserves the right not to distribute any material without explanation. Disability Speaks seeks to advance awareness and discussion on major initiatives, issues and events.
Organisations wishing to avail themselves of this free offer to distribute information via the Disability Speaks powerful distribution network (which is now heading towards 5,000 recipients) should send requests via the link below.
Organisations with online contact lists are invited to add their recipients directly to the Disability Speaks database file. Our target is to build over 10,000 disability supporter recipients. In order to meet the requirements of the Privacy Act such a database transfer should be executed after contacts are advised that such a transfer will occur and are given the opportunity to decline. Disability Speaks can supply technological support to assist in this transfer mechanism.
The Disability Speaks website will be launched shortly at www.disabilityspeaks.com.au. It is not currently available online .
Please distribute this information as widely as possible.
DAVID HOLST
Further information: 0418 555 683
