The Disability Information and Resource Centre

Please note the following urgent change of date and time regarding the Disability and Ageing Expo, Mount Gambier which was to be held Friday 23 March 2012.

Through circumstances outside our control, it has been necessary to change the date of the Disability and Ageing Expo to Friday 1 June 2012.

We sincerely hope that this will not cause you any inconvenience and encourage you to attend at the new date in June 2012.

Registrations can be made at http://exporeg.dirc.webfactional.com/.

Registrations for exhibitors will now close on 1 May 2012.

Further, taking into account the valuable feedback from Sponsors and Exhibitors from the Disability and Ageing Expo 2010, we have decided to implement a number of changes:

• In response to comments regarding the entertainment and music being too loud, the event will only have soft acoustic background music.
• In response to concerns about the event being too long, this year the Expo will be open from 10.00 am to 3.00 pm.
• Several other positive inclusions to the day will be in the format of a number of workshops of interest to both people with disabilities and people who are ageing. These will be publicised closer to the event.
• Several exhibitors also requested the provision of an area to sit and have a coffee and something to eat. We are working to provide this.

The venue is relatively large and we aim to make it as welcoming and friendly as possible.

There is still the need for additional sponsorship support for this event. We sincerely encourage you to consider being a sponsor and ask that you contact us to discuss this if you feel your organisation or business would be in a position to provide support to this worthy event. If you have not already received a Sponsorship Prospectus, we would be happy to send one to you. Alternatively, if the sponsorship levels in the prospectus do not meet your needs, we can discuss other options for supporting the Expo financially.

If you have any concerns or questions regarding these changes, please contact Events Coordinator Jennie Liebich on 0400929873 or at jennie@dircsa.org.au on Thursdays and Fridays.

Join over 200 delegates from 100 regional and rural towns in Australia and New Zealand at the 3rd Australian Rural & Remote Mental Health Symposium

The conference “Impacts & Outcomes” will be held at the Mercure, Ballarat from 14th — 16th November 2011.

The conference will examine the mental health implications of Social Change, Financial Factors and Environmental Adversities.

These factors and others can severely impact on the mental health of individuals and upon community functioning, cohesion, and resource availability.

1. What lessons can be learned from our response to these changes?
2. How can mental health professionals prepare themselves, their clients and their communities, to deal more effectively with future negative occurrences in rural and remote areas?
3. How can the resources of government, mental health professionals, emergency services, and private practitioners, be better utilised for optimal benefit?

You can view or download the program on the conference website: http://anzmh.asn.au/rrmh11.

SAFE in Oz in partnership with GROW SA will be presenting ‘An Introduction To Working With Individuals Who Self-Abuse’ a 2 day training workshop in

Hove-SA on 3rd & 4th August 2011

SAFE in Oz will also be presenting the same 2 day training workshop, in partnership with UnitingCare Wesley – Reconnect in

Port Augusta-SA on 19th & 20th October 2011

SAFE in Oz aim to give workshop participants an insight into the headspace of one who self-abuses in order to better understand their ‘real’ world and experiences; focussing specifically on their thoughts, feelings and behaviours.

Throughout the workshop participants are encouraged to employ strength based practice, in collaboration with their clients, as a means to discovering a myriad of healthier alternative behaviours to use in response to their inner trauma.

As self-abuse does not impact solely on the physical aspect of an individual’s life, self-abuse is linked to its impact on the, mind, spirit and social aspects of life and explore the related long term effects.

SAFE in Oz also discuss the connection between self-abuse and suicide, BPD [Borderline Personality Disorder], mental illness, sexual assault, domestic violence and adolescence.

The presentation mode for the workshop is both interactive and activity based and includes ‘real’ case studies, PowerPoint presentation and DVD.

Each workshop participant is provided with a SAFE in Oz brochure, pen and presentation folder. The folder includes a workbook for each day which contains a copy of the PowerPoint presentation, activity pages and additional subject related reference and resource materials. The activity sheets include strategies and tools for use with clients, while the reference material acts to enhance understanding and give insight into related topics.

There are limited places for the workshops.

Hove Workshop Flyer

Port Augusta Workshop Flyer

Registration Form.

The Loop Conference to be held in Murray Bridge, South Australia has been rescheduled. The Conference will now be held on Tuesday, 18th May 2010. Please see this flyer and registration form for further information. Send in your registration ASAP to book your place.

Julia Farr Association’s The Loop Conference is also presented in several country areas.

The focus of this years conference is on quality in human services.

These one-day conferences are aimed at people living with disability, older persons, people living with mental illness, other people receiving personal assistance, service agency leaders and staff, policy makers and other people interested in supportive communities.

2010 Locations and Dates

• Murray Bridge – 24 March
• Port Pirie – 19 April
• Whyalla – 20 April
• Port Lincoln – 23 April
• Mt Gambier – 27 April

For more information and to register please view this document.

The Independent Living Centre’s Mobile Unit Outreach Service is a free government service for people living in rural and remote South Australia.

Visitors to the wheelchair-accessible caravan are able to discuss their individual needs with an experienced health professional (Occupational Therapist) and view and trial a wide range of equipment.

Further details and full schedule can be found here.

To obtain other Disability SA information sheets please complete this form and send to Disability SA Information Resource Unit (details as listed on order form).

The Lampshade Shop invites you to a a public play reading of work from the creative development of the play

BREWING (formerly Costume Change)

by Robert Moore. Director: Daniel Clarke
The play explores issues of hiv, domestic violence and family relationships from a country perspective.

Date:      Thursday December 10
Venue:   Higher Ground, 9 Light Square Adelaide.
Time:      7.30pm
Cost:      $5

The theatre has wheel chair access and accessible toilet facilities. Disablity parking is available in the car park adjacent to Higher Ground.

For further information contact:

Vel Shepherd Artistic Director The Lampshade Shop  Ph: 8212 4342
Robert Moore:  Ph: 8278 1708  email: cludgeon@adam.com.au