Research reimagining a world where disability is not a barrier.

Supported by The Hopkins Centre, Griffith University

What is the Inclusive Futures Writing Competition?

We are asking researchers to write about their research that contributes to an inclusive future for all. Entries must be written in easy-to-understand language and tell a compelling story about published or in-progress research that positively impacts the lives of people with disability.

Who can enter the competition?

The competition is open to individuals, not groups. To enter the competition, you must be a principal or associate investigator on the research you are writing about.

How do I enter the competition?

Entries are to be submitted through the online portal [link here].

You will be required to provide:

• a photograph of yourself suitable for publication
• a biography of 60 to 80 words
• a written piece about your research of 700 to 800 words, submitted as an Microsoft Word document
• a copyright-free image that complements your written piece (optional)
• some details about the research you are writing about e.g. ethics approval number, citation of a published article, funding acknowledgement, name of chief investigator if this isn’t you

What do I include in the written piece?

Your written piece should:

• explain your research (or a specific aspect of your research)
• describe how your research will impact the lives of people with disability and contribute to an inclusive future for all
• explain why readers should care about your research.

What writing style do I use?

• Using plain language, your piece should target a non-scientific audience.
• A narrative or storytelling style that engages readers is preferred.
• Avoid exaggeration and overreach. Be open, honest and realistic.

When does the competition close, and when will the winner be announced?

Entries open Wednesday 23 October and close on Friday 22 November.

The winning entry will be announced on International Day of People with Disability, Tuesday, 3 December 2024.

How will my entry be judged?

Members of a judging panel will independently score entries.

The panel will consider:

• Has the writer explained the research in a way that is easy to understand?
• Has the writer made a clear case for how the research positively impacts the lives of people with disabilities and contributes to an inclusive future for all?
• Does the writer explain why the reader should care about the research?
• Is the piece compelling to read?

The judges are:

• Person (expert by experience)
• Person (expert by experience)
• Person (writing/journalism background)
• Person (professional in the disability and rehabilitation area)

What is the prize?

All short-listed entries will be published in ‘Research for Inclusive Futures’, a digital compendium prepared and hosted by Inclusive Futures, Griffith University. The compendium will be freely available and widely shared.

The entry voted the best by the judging panel will receive a $500 cash prize and acknowledgement as the ‘Judges Choice’.

Please read the terms and conditions for more information [Download the T&C on this link].

If you have any questions, please email inclusivefutures@griffith.edu.au

Paralympics Australia and the Australian Institute of Sport are on the hunt for talented athletes with disability who dream of competing at the highest level. Whether you're passionate about sports, exercise, or already competing, this could be your moment to shine! 🌟

If you're 13 or older on or before 31 December 2024, why not see if you have what it takes to be a future Paralympian?

Wheelchair athletes for 100m to marathon events are in high demand, as well as seated throw athletes (discus, shot put, javelin, and club throw).

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity!

Find out more about The Start Line Program: https://www.paralympic.org.au/the-start-line/

Read more: https://www.paralympic.org.au/2023/08/australian-government-boosts-paralympians-talent-search-for-brisbane-2032/

👉 Apply now! Fill out the form via the link below and share this exciting news with your friends, family, and networks. Let's make dreams happen! 💫

Talent Search: https://shorturl.at/l5Grm

Athletes with disability at the recent Come n Try Day at Griffith University

We're thrilled to congratulate our Director, Professor Elizabeth Kendall, on being appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the King’s Birthday 2024 Honours List!

On 19 September, Elizabeth attended the Government House Investiture Ceremony, where she was presented with this prestigious award by Her Excellency, the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young, Governor of Queensland.

For over 40 years, Elizabeth has been a trailblazer in disability and rehabilitation research, making groundbreaking contributions that have truly transformed lives. Her leadership at The Hopkins Centre and Griffith University’s Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability has driven impactful, user-centered research and policy reforms, all while mentoring the next generation of researchers.

We're incredibly proud of Elizabeth's tireless advocacy and commitment to creating a more inclusive world. This recognition is so well-deserved!

Her Excellency, the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young, Governor of Queensland, alongside Professor Elizabeth Kendall AM. Photo credit: Stu Riley Photography (Official Photographer).

READ MORE:

IF Hub News: https://inclusivefutures.griffith.edu.au/news/news_feed/honoring-excellence-prof-elizabeth-kendall-appointed-member-of-the-order-of-australia-in-2024-king-s-birthday-honours

Griffith News: https://news.griffith.edu.au/2024/06/10/leading-disability-advocate-honoured-in-kings-birthday-list/

Griffith Inclusive Futures, a proud member of the Queensland Para Sport Network for Performance Enhancement and Applied Research (QPSN) is thrilled to host:

Winning Medals with Equity and Diversity: A symposium championing equity and diversity in Paralympic sports

Friday, 8 November 2024, 9 am–3:30 pm, Online Event

This symposium, hosted by Griffith University’s Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability, as a member of the Queensland Para Sport Network, brings together interdisciplinary researchers, community partners, and athletes to amplify the vital role equity and diversity can play in improving the performance of Paralympic teams and enabling athletes to compete at the highest possible standard.

The symposium will explore equity and diversity in elite paralympic sport through the lens of exercise and sport science, social justice, tourism and leisure, sport management, disability rehabilitation and inclusion. Building toward the Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032, this is a key opportunity for participants to incorporate the pillars of equity and diversity into their performance programs and research to drive performance.

EVENT SCHEDULE

9.00 am–9.30 am
Keynote Introduction: Winning Medals with Equity and Diversity

10.00 am–12.30 pm
Performance Priorities Lightning Round
Gender Equity and Paralympic Sport
Optimising Participation and Performance for First Nations and CALD Athletes
The Paradox of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Paralympic Classification
Equity and Design Thinking in Technology Innovation for Improved Performance
Creating Environments to Optimise Performance of Athletes with High Support Needs

1.00 pm–3.00 am
Panel Discussion: “Ethical Decision Making - Inclusion Versus Equity?”

3.00 pm–3.30 pm
Closing remarks and event concludes

SAVE THE DATE

Friday, 8 November 2024
9 am–3.30 pm

The symposium will be hosted online on Microsoft Teams.

This is an accessible event with live captions. Auslan interpreting is available upon request.

Register now: https://forms.office.com/r/LBHEY9iktm

CONTACT US

Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability
inclusivefutures@griffith.edu.au

Dr Kelly Clanchy
Program Director – Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology
Griffith University
k.clanchy@griffith.edu.au

Dr Maretta Mann (Griffith University) and Dr Noni Creasey (University of Queensland) at the ARMS Annual Convention.

Last week, Inclusive Futures team member Dr Maretta Mann, together with Dr Noni Creasey from the University of Queensland (UQ), presented “Disability Inclusive Research Management” at the Australasian Research Management Society (ARMS) annual convention in Darwin (#ARMS24).

The presentation gave an overview of disability in Australia, and introduced the terms accessibility, inclusion and belonging in the context of a research organisation.

The presenters shared some practical strategies for including people with disability in research development activities. The benefits for inclusive research management range from supporting pathways for academics in your own research institution to contributions to a more equitable and just society. Why wouldn’t anyone want to do that?!

The talk was well received by research managers from other universities being inspired to adopt disability inclusive practice in their own settings. If you would like to know more, please contact our team!

Find out more about hosting Inclusive and Accessible Events and access our Inclusive Events Checklist: https://inclusivefutures.griffith.edu.au/inclusive-and-accessible-events

Email us:

inclusivefutures@griffith.edu.au

Dr. Lisa Stafford, ARC Future Fellow

Griffith University researchers have secured over $8.5 million in funding for eight out of 22 projects announced in the latest Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellowship round. With eight fellowships granted, totalling $8,587,849, Griffith achieved an 36.4% success rate—one of the highest in the country.

Among these outstanding researchers, we’re excited to welcome Dr. Lisa Stafford to the Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability team. Dr. Stafford has been awarded $1,052,822 for her project, "Transport Equity for All".

This project builds on Lisa’s existing body of work and aims to enhance how transport equity is understood, included, and applied in transport planning. Through a collaborative approach with people with disability and transport planners, the project will co-design a practice framework and tools to guide more inclusive decision-making. By co-creating this knowledge and developing practical methods, the project seeks to significantly advance transport equity for people with disability across Australia.

About Dr. Lisa Stafford

Lisa is passionate about inclusive sustainable communities and transport equity. With over 25 years of experience as a researcher, educator, and planner across government, non-government, and university sectors, Lisa continues to lead change at the intersection of disability participation, urban planning and transport. Her work also champions inclusive participatory and co-creation methods to ensure the ‘voices’ of all people, particularly children and people with complex communication needs are heard in research and public planning.

Lisa has lead research, practice and strategic transformation in inclusive community planning and mobility/transport equity to improve social-economic participation of people with disabilities. Her recent work has included:

• 2020-2023 - Planning Inclusive Communities research project produced with 138 participants in total the Makings of Inclusive Communities – the Five Core Elements and Change Needed Framework for Planning Inclusively as well as co-writing a discussion paper with a community of practice of urban planners on Planning for Disability Equity and Inclusion. https://www.planninginclusivecommunities.com/the-makings
  https://www.planninginclusivecommunities.com/planning-to-enact-change
• 2022 Co-research Trips Not Made research project in Lutruwita/Tasmania for Anglicare Tasmania with Young Adults with disabilities producing report with outline of practical and strategic change needed actions to improve transport equity. https://www.anglicare-tas.org.au/trips-not-made/
• 2022 NZ project lead by MRCagney Dr Doran producing report – 690 transport experiences of disabled people in Aotearoa New Zealand for the Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency to shape NZ Government’s response to transport inequality; https://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/research/reports/690
• Contribute to important Discussion Papers - 2022 Transport Australia’s Universal Design for Transport Discussion Paper https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sites/default/files/2022-04/Universal-Design-for-Transport-TAs-discussion-paper-20220421.pdf and 2023 Engineer’s Australia Future of Transport Discussion paper https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sites/default/files/2023-01/future-transport-discussion-paper-jan-2023.pdf
• 2023 co-facilitated with social deck roundtables for people with disabilities and transport industry (government and providers) on the Disability
  Standards for Accessible Transport (DSAPT) review 2023 for Australian Government;
• 2023 - Keynote speaker Inclusive Street Design for inclusive active transport for Australian Walking and Cycling Conference
• 2024 – Deputy Chair of Transport 2024 Conference for Transport Australia’s Society, Engineers Australia with inclusive planning being one of the key themes.

Lisa brings valuable insights from her lived experience as a woman with disability. Lisa lives with multiple autoimmune diseases and uses a walking stick and power wheelchair for daily mobility. Additionally, her leadership experience across various boards and committees continues to be instrumental in advancing inclusive communities and cities, systems, transport, and disability rights for all Australians. Currently Lisa serves as an Australian Human Rights Commission Includeability Ambassador and recent appointment as Chair of Disability-Informed Ethical Oversight Panel for National Disability Data Asset. Lisa is also a member of the Transport Australia Society (TAs), Disability Leadership Institute, and the Planning Institute of Australia (MPIA).

She will join us in 2025 to begin the next chapter of her important work on transport equity.

Photo credit: Justin Cooper Photography, Transport Conference 2024.

How Lisa’s project will benefit Australians

Better ways of planning transport to ensure its fair and accessible for all Australians is a significant need.

Transport is essential to everyday life yet remains one of the most reported forms of discrimination experienced by Australian with disabilities.

Every Australian will have an experience of disability in their lifetime, and transport equity is a way of ensuring access needs are met for the most disadvantage to ensure same level of services as everyone.

Problems persist due to little knowledge and practice know how, and gaps in existing national standards. Without fit-for-purpose knowledge to guide planners, applying equity in transport will remain makeshift.

This research will work directly with Australian transport planners and people with disabilities to co-create new knowledge and practice tools, and will be freely available on public website, public information hubs, professional bodies magazines, and through free professional seminars. Applying the new knowledge will inform better planning of transport for everyone, removal of barriers to social-economic participation, and creating fairer access and increased opportunities to work, education, health, recreation, and family/friends critical to everyday life.

An inclusive fit-for-purpose transport systems will reduce spending on expensive disability transport support for some due to improved access to public and active transport, as well as lowering emissions with mode shift and increase usage.

Transport Equity for All – Project Summary
Read more: https://dataportal.arc.gov.au/NCGP/Web/Grant/Grant/FT240100262

More information

inclusivefutures@griffith.edu.au

lisa.stafford@griffith.edu.au

Summary by Dr Maretta Mann

I had the great pleasure of hosting Dr. Sarah Brooker, author of "My Lucky Stroke” at our recent Inclusive Futures Book Club online event on Tuesday 13 August 2024. Having just finished reading Sarah’s book before our event, I found her presentation to contain the same honesty, insight and humour that I enjoyed when reading her story. Here is my summary of our event.

Dr Sarah Brooker and Dr Maretta Mann.

A life-saving accident

Sarah shared her story about her life journey pre- and post-stroke. She began by telling us about her fascination as a young child with the brain and her ambition to become a neuroscientist. She was about to begin her Honours degree, when an accident changed the course of her life. While driving with her two sisters in the car, she had a stroke causing her to crash into a pole. That car accident, while giving her multiple serious injuries, probably also saved her life by preventing a sub arachnoid haemorrhage.

Visible and invisible injuries

Sarah explained that whilst she suffered broken bones and other serious injuries from the car accident, the biggest effects on her life, caused by trauma to her brain, were not apparent for days, months and years afterwards. The first of these changes was the discovery that her pituitary gland was missing, and later she learnt that she was deaf in one ear and had lost her sense of smell. These diagnoses took time because Sarah’s brain injury meant that she had no knowledge or recollection of what it meant to hear or to smell from before her accident.

The ”new” Sarah

Sarah’s rehabilitation journey involved learning again how to eat, walk, dress, cook and to socialise with others. In some ways she was like a child learning about “the new Sarah” and the world around her. However, some parts of her memory were functioning very well. Remarkably, Sarah could remember every fact that she had learnt about the human brain and she was still really passionate about neuroscience.

Trying to fit in was the biggest challenge

Once Sarah left the rehabilitation unit, she found it very difficult to fit into the outside world. Her occupational therapist recommended getting a therapy dog, and so Harvey the fluffy Maltese terrier entered her life. He helped her by providing her with another being to care for and in her interactions with other people. So, with Harvey in her life she went back to university and finished her Honours degree in neuropharmacology, and later a PhD. But the ”new Sarah” found that she didn’t fit into the scientific world. She found it difficult to make friends other than with other people with disability.

A friend and a diagnosis

Two important things happened gave Sarah purpose and a feeling of belonging. She met Alan, who became her friend and later her husband. Alan did not make excuses for her and helped her to navigate a social world. Also, she finally got a diagnosis for her brain injury – orbitofrontal syndrome. Sarah told us how powerful it was to have this diagnosis. It helped her to explain and to manage her own behaviour.

The importance of disability disclosure

Sarah tried several career paths but eventually found happiness as a teacher. She recounted a time when she was studying to become a teacher and someone from the university’s Disability Liaison Unit said to her class:

“‘If you need our help, we are here and don't worry, we won't disclose anything.’ And I was so offended. In my mind, a failure to disclose perpetuates ignorance and ignorance only made it harder to survive.”

In Sarah’s view, disclosure was important both for protecting her from harm in her job, as well as helping others to understand that “the silly little foibles that are Sarah” are due to the golf ball-sized hole in her brain.

Sharing experiences of brain injury

In the discussion following Sarah’s presentation, some attendees shared their own experiences of life after brain injury. As always with these events, I sensed a warmth and connection in the virtual room, where people felt safe to be open, and support each other.

'My Lucky Stroke'

My Lucky Stroke is sadly out of print. I was fortunate to find a second-hand copy, but otherwise you can purchase the e-book on Amazon, here: https://www.amazon.com.au/My-Lucky-Stroke-Sarah-Brooker-ebook/dp/B084ZTG7BH

The book is available as an accessible 16pt large print paperback edition from Better Read Than Dead Bookstore in Newtown, purchase here: https://www.betterread.com.au/book/my-lucky-stroke-16pt-large-print-edition.do

Watch the Author talk on YouTube (An accessible transcript in large print or other formats is available upon request): https://youtu.be/DTPWXlcW7Ao?si=Lg709dg8-zx_4vbm

You can also listen to Sarah’s 2018 interview with Richard Fidler on ABC Conversations here: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/conversations-sarah-brooker-rpt/9926380

More Information:

inclusivefutures@griffith.edu.au

This weekend, the excitement is palpable as the AFL Wheelchair Morningside Panthers prepare to compete in the Grand Final at Nissan Arena. Their journey to the Queensland Wheelchair Football League (QWFL) Grand Final is a testament to their unwavering strength, remarkable skill, and exemplary sportsmanship.

AFL Wheelchair: A New Era in Sports

AFL Wheelchair, which emerged from a series of "come and try" events, has rapidly gained momentum since the Queensland Wheelchair Football League's inception in 2023. Played as a five-a-side game on a basketball court, this adaptation of Australian Rules Football redefines the sport, promoting inclusivity and equity. In AFL Wheelchair, a kick is performed with a handball, and a handball is an underarm throw, offering a unique twist that challenges players to adapt and excel.

Foundation and Growth

The inaugural season saw teams from Beenleigh, Morningside, Ormeau, and Redcliffe lay the foundation for the league. The QWFL not only provides a competitive platform but also serves as a pathway for players to be drafted into the Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast SUNS AFL Wheelchair squads for a two-game QClash series which acts as a selection ground for the Queensland State team for the Toyota National Wheelchair AFL Championship.

Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability

As a proud sponsor of the Morningside Panthers AFL Wheelchair Team in 2024, Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability celebrates the spirit of sportsmanship and the opportunities that AFL Wheelchair creates for athletes. The support from organisations like Pathways to Care, acting as AFL Queensland’s Inclusion Partner, and Claro Aged Care & Disability is instrumental in fostering an inclusive environment that empowers all players.

Join the Action

This Sunday, the action kicks off with the Pathways to Care Kids Come n Try Clinic at 9:45 am on the center court. Following this, the curtain raiser featuring the Morningside Panthers begins at 11:00 am. Captain Michael Dobbie-Bridges will lead the team into the Grand Final, and spectators are welcome to join in cheering them on at Nissan Arena.

The AFL Wheelchair Grand Final is more than just a game; it is a celebration of strength, skill, and sportsmanship. Come along and witness the rousing performances of these athletes as they redefine what it means to compete with passion and equity in sports. Everyone is welcome to be part of this groundbreaking event!

Who: AFL Wheelchair Morningside Panthers vs Redcliffe Tigers

Where: Nissan Arena

Date: Sunday, 21 July

Time: 11am (Gates open at 9.30am)

Clinic: 9.45am (Centre Court)

Cost: Free entry

Can’t make the game? Watch the Live stream: https://www.youtube.com/@OfficialAFLQ

More information:

Michael Dobbie-Bridges
Captain, Morningside Panthers
michael.dobbiebridges@gmail.com

Jeff Neumann
AFLQ Participation and Programs Manager
Schools, Inclusion and Diversity
jeff.neumann@afl.com.au

Website: https://www.aflq.com.au/afl-wheelchair/

Get Social:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AFLQUEENSLAND

Twitter: https://x.com/AFLQ

INCLUSIVE FUTURES BOOK CLUB

A Conversation with Dr Sarah Brooker - Neuroscientist, teacher and author of My Lucky Stroke.

Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability invites you to attend our Author Talk with esteemed guest Dr Sarah Brooker (author of My Lucky Stroke), hosted by Dr Maretta Mann.

In 2002 Sarah Brooker was only 20 years old and on the brink of realising her dreams. She had graduated from Monash University and was about to become a neuroscientist. Then, a series of catastrophic events – a stroke, a car accident, a coma – and she was robbed of that life forever.

I woke up in her place. I was a broken body, with little memory of who I had been, and little understanding of the world I was in. I have spent the past 22 years trying to put my life back together. In that time, I have had to learn to walk, talk, and eat again. That was easy.

I have completed several University degrees, including returning to Neuroscience to complete my PhD. That was easy too. What has been difficult has been learning and re-learning my place in the world, and what it means to live with an acquired brain injury.

I have been a rehabilitation counsellor, a radio DJ, a student support officer and have finally found my place as a teacher. I am Dr Sarah Brooker and I have come along today to share the story of my recovery with you.

Find out more about Dr Sarah Brooker and her book “My Lucky Stroke” here.

EVENT DETAILS

Tuesday, 13 August 2024
12 noon–1 pm AEST | 11.30 am–12.30 pm ACST
This online event will be hosted on Microsoft Teams. A meeting link will be shared with you upon registration.

RSVP

Please register your attendance before Thursday, 9 August here or via the QR code.

MORE INFORMATION
inclusivefutures@griffith.edu.au

THIS WILL BE AN ACCESSIBLE EVENT WITH LIVE CAPTIONS AND A TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE POST EVENT.

The Hopkins Centre and Griffith Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability invite all members, subscribers, individuals with lived experience of pain, practitioners and anyone with an interest in chronic pain management to join us for this very special Hopkins Hour for National Pain Week, 2024.

Originally created by Chronic Pain Australia, National Pain Week is Australia’s annual awareness event for chronic pain and aims to draw attention to the experience of people living with chronic pain. National Pain Week is a significant awareness campaign for many people who have experienced brain and spinal cord injury, who experience persistent pain, as well as those living with other disability. It’s equally important for pain researchers, clinicians, allied-health industry professionals and all others working in the field to comprehend the pain experience for our clients, collaborators and cohorts.

This National Pain Week, The Hopkins Centre and Griffith Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability are inviting "painchangers', clinicians and pain researchers Dr Nicholas Aitcheson and Kim Talaber to host this Hopkins Hour, where they will share the latest research into the chronic pain experience, including strategies for management and the latest therapeutic models.

Dr Nick Aitcheson is a rehabilitation and pain medicine specialist at Metro South Health Pain Rehabilitation Service. He has a particular interest in spinal injury rehabilitation, social prescribing, and the management of polypharmacy. Nick's current areas of research are pressure injuries in spinal cord injury, chronic chest pain, social education groups for social integration, and low dose naltrexone in the treatment of chronic pain.

Kim Talaber, is a trained Physiotherapist and current PhD candidate with The Hopkins Centre and Griffith University. Her research investigates brain mechanisms to treat chronic neuropathic pain following spinal cord injury. Kim is completing her research with the Musculoskeletal Health & Persistent Pain Research Group, with support from a Seed Grant from The Hopkins Centre.

During the session, Dr Aitcheson and Ms Talaber will be joined by special guest and Inclusive Futures Engagement Council member, Mark Berridge, to explore how individual experiences of pain can be influenced by personal perceptions and beliefs.

Mark Berridge is an experienced business leader, TEDx speaker and multi-award-winning author. Mark’s extensive corporate expertise combined with the life changing lessons he gained overcoming a severe spinal injury provides a unique lens to inspire people and organisations to pursue their potential, undaunted by the uncertainty of their circumstances.

We hope you can join us for this fascinating discussion.

Head to our website to join this online event, live on Wednesday 24 July, 2024, at 12:30pm: https://lnkd.in/gBDvUKQm