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International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) is a United Nations observed day held on 3 December each year. The IDPwD program aligns with Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-31 and aims to increase public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability.

The United Nations Theme for IDPwD 2023 is ‘United in action to rescue and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for, with and by persons with disabilities.’ This year, we introduce IDPwD Ambassador, Matt Levy OAM, Patron of the Matt Levy Inclusive Futures Scholarship at Griffith University.

In 1987, Matt Levy was born prematurely at 25 weeks. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and severe visual impairment and has undergone 40-50 surgeries on various vital organs. Matt's determination and resilience led him to a career in swimming, where he proudly clinched gold for Australia at the Paralympic Games.

Representing his nation at five consecutive Paralympic Games, Matt has won 3 gold, 1 silver, and 5 bronze medals. His dominance extends further, having graced the pools at five World Swimming Championships, securing an 20 international medals and holding 4 World Records.

Matt’s contributions to sport were honoured with an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2014 for ‘service to sport as a Gold Medallist at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. In 2015 Matt was named Athlete of the Year with a Disability at the New South Wales Sports Awards and in 2018 he was named Swimming Australia’s Paralympic Program Swimmer of the Year. In November 2021, he received a New South Wales Institute of Sport Academic Excellence Award and was named the 2021 Sport NSW Athlete of the Year with a Disability.

Yet, Matt's achievements aren't confined to the pool. He has earnt a degree in Business Management, an Australian Institute of Company Directors qualification, and an MBA in Leadership. He is a passionate inclusion advocate, motivational speaker and holds multiple board, advisory and ambassadorial roles with sporting, community and humanitarian organisations including Ability Options, Life Little Treasures and BlindSports Australia.

Since retiring from the pool, Matt has authored 3 books, including: ‘Keeping your head above water’ (2020), ‘Brandon Dreams Big: 7 easy steps to get where you want’ (2021), and ‘Going the distance: Identify and create your own lane to success’ (2023).

More recently, Matt has turned his hand to philanthropy and supporting young people with disability to achieve their own dreams and goals through education.

“Education has allowed me to grow and enhance what I've been able to learn and, how I can use my lived experience of disability to influence others. As part of this, it was also my mission to help other people with disability to obtain a university education.”

To Matt, International Day of People Disability (IDPwD) is “about having a sense of responsibility and belonging. A chance to give people an insight into what we go through on a daily basis. Not to feel bitter, but to help raise awareness of what can be done. I know how hard it is for someone living with a disability, so I wanted to give people opportunities that I was given”.

As a result, Matt established the Matt Levy Inclusive Futures Scholarship to support students with disability to achieve their potential at Griffith University. Open to Australian, domestic commencing students (full time or part time) enrolled in an undergraduate program, the scholarship provides up to $20,000, payable over the duration of the degree.

This year the Matt Levy Scholarship supported two (2) commencing students with disability; including Lilje Schluter, who is studying a Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

"Being a recipient of this scholarship has allowed me to afford regular access to psychology and psychiatry sessions. Not only has this greatly aided me in learning and adjusting to my first year of tertiary studies, but the support of the scholarship continues to help me move forward each and every day, which is an invaluable gift".

Matt Levy's life stands as a testament to determination, inspiring individuals worldwide to overcome adversity and achieve goals. On Tuesday, 27 February 2024, Matt will be the guest speaker at our Inclusive Futures Book Club – Author Talk event, where he will share his story, and discuss his latest book ‘Going the Distance’ with students and guests during O-Week (Nathan Campus). If you are interested in attending, please email us at inclusivefutures@griffith.edu.au.

You can also sign up for our newsletter, or keep an eye on our website for announcements.

Find out more about our Inclusive Futures Book club:

https://inclusivefutures.griffith.edu.au/inclusive-futures-book-club

Sport Access Foundation (SAF) has announced the 2023 Sport Access Foundation grant recipients, helping Aussie kids with disability to play and participate in sport.

14 Aussie kids with disability and 4 sporting clubs who provide programs to include children with a disability and/or enable children with a disability to be members of their clubs receive Sport Access Foundation grants.

The four grant categories include:

• No Barriers (aged 7-12 years) $500 x 8
• Kick Start (aged 13-17 years) $1000 x 4
• Pathway to Paralympics (aged 13-17 years) $1500 x 2
• Sporting Club Grants (all registered sporting clubs) $2000 x 4

Sport Access Foundation Founder and Director, and Paralympian Gold Medallist Katie Kelly OAM said the foundation aims to improve inclusion and access to sport and ensure no young Australian is left behind on the sporting sidelines.

"Every year we receive applications from across the country, from young Australians with disability who are seeking support to achieve their sporting goals,” Ms Kelly said.

“Their disability is not inspiring - rather it is their determination and resilience to achieve their goals, regardless of the many barriers and disablist attitudes that young people with disability experience.

“While the grants provide financial support which helps to provide opportunities, they are mostly about empowering.

“The grants ensure every young recipient knows that if they keep showing up, they will be rewarded.

“If you want to know what overcoming adversity is, or how one builds character, then you have it here among our grant recipients.

“Sport Access Foundation Honour Roll Members will not be defined by a disability, and they are determined to make a difference by leading through participation in sport to reach their potential, whatever their goals may be.”

Ms Kelly is a founding member of Griffith University’s Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability council, providing an advocacy role for one of the key pillars, Play (Sport).

In support of the Sport Access Foundation, Griffith University’s Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability beacon hosted the SAF Grant award ceremony at the Gold Coast campus on 17 November 2023.

“We are proud to host the 2023 SAF grant announcement which will help many young people with disability achieve their sporting goals,” said Inclusive Futures: Reimaging Disability Beacon Director Professor Elizabeth Kendall.

“Young people with disability are so often directed away from sport, but these scholarships and initiatives such as the Griffith Sports College make an important difference.

“Many of these young athletes will be holding our hopes for medals in the 2032 Paralympic events so we need to invest in their careers.”

Sydney 2000 Gold medal Olympian, Australian Stingers Water polo team member and Griffith Sports College Manager Naomi McCarthy said the grants are exciting and important to improving access to sport.

“At the Griffith Sports College we work hard to ensure all athletes are supported through their education while they compete in elite sport,” Ms McCarthy said.

“The Sport Access Foundation’s grants will help to ensure young people with disability can access sport and overcome barriers to improve participation - from grassroots through to high performance.”

Meet the 2023 Sport Access Foundation recipients:

For more information or to donate visit: www.sportaccessfoundation.org.au

It was great to bring together 70 passionate people on 3 November at Griffith University Southbank Campus in Brisbane, to chat all things Specialist Disability Accommodation.

With speakers and audience members joining us from interstate we welcomed open discussions around some of the hot topics facing the sector at present.

The event was proudly supported by (Griffith University – Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability, Just SDA, Just Advisory Services, H’a’fele Australia and Archr Design) and covered important topics such as:

How to build your own SDA

• Accessing Appendix H
• Updates and trends across the sector
• Best practice design approaches for SDA
• A personal journey through the NDIS

A great day was had by all, with post event celebrations hosted on the wonderful deck at the Southbank campus for some networking, canape’s and drinks.

Everyone is ready for the next event in March 2024 (Brisbane) and May 2024 (Melbourne).

More information, please email Justin MacDonald, Just Advisory Services on: pm@justsda.com.au

Visit the Inclusive Futures Hub to see the impactful work we are doing around Disability, Accessibility and Inclusion: https://inclusivefutures.griffith.edu.au

Contact us: inclusivefutures@griffith.edu.au

Ethical Data and AI-Enabled Decisions in the Context of Accessibility and Urban Living, hosted by Professor Dian Tjondronegoro

On Thursday, 9 November, Professor Dian Tjondronegoro (“LIVE” theme leader) and Professor Elizabeth Kendall (Director) of Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability hosted Toward Inclusive Digital Futures, a bilateral workshop to foster dialogue to advance collaboration between Australia and Indonesia in the area of ethical AI and inclusive urban environments.

We heard from keynote speaker Dr Bahtia ("Bobby") Rifai (Economic Researcher for the Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN)) about the roles of and interplay between different actors generating, collecting and using data, in complex regulatory and institutional environments. Overlaid on this are the social inequalities that lead to people being underrepresented or having poor access to the digital world.

A panel moderated by Dr Amber Marshall (Griffith), and including Liz Antoine (Microsoft), Dr Nagesh Shukla (QUT), Tim Mitchell (RACQ) and Fiona Gaske (RDA) discussed data, AI and digital inclusion and ethics in different contexts including transport, supply chains, regions and education.

We broke out into groups for in-depth discussions exploring issues including data transparency and governance, smart and accessible cities, and opportunities for bilateral collaboration.

It was a very thought-provoking session, and we are looking forward to progressing ideas in future research collaboration.

For more information please contact us at:

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

Visit our Inclusive Futures Hub to find out more about our research:

https://inclusivefutures.griffith.edu.au

We were honoured to welcome authors Janine Shepherd AM and Mark Berridge to our Inclusive Futures bookclub event on Wednesday, 25 October for a conversation about life after spinal cord injury, hosted by Dr Maretta Mann. Janine and Mark spoke openly about losing their sense of identity, and having to reimagine and rebuild themselves. Recovery is a full-time job in a rehabilitation unit, but they found support and kindness from angels - fellow in-patients, nurses and physios, family and friends. At many times they hit rock-bottom, and spoke of reframing their demons, and setting and working towards small, incremental goals.

Janine, who was training for the Olympics when she had her accident, said that she used skills she developed as an athlete in her recovery, but that she believes everyone "has it in them" to find their new path. For her, becoming a pilot (including an aerobatics flying instructor) "literally saved my life". Mark, who was a senior corporate leader when he had his accident, said that we need to help people to "paint a picture" for where they want to go and provide the support networks to help them get there.

They also discussed the importance of agency in a dehumanising hospital environment, where rehabilitation patients spend a lot of time, and the opportunity to make assistive devices beautiful as well as functional. A beautiful walking stick or mobility scooter can help people to feel comfortable being themselves and being visible.

We encourage you to read their books:

Defiant - A broken body is not a broken person, by Janine Shepherd

A Fraction Stronger - Finding belief and possibility in life's impossible moments, by Mark Berridge.

Join our Inclusive Futures Book Club to find out about future events: https://inclusivefutures.griffith.edu.au/inclusive-futures-book-club

CHANGE 2023 CONFERENCE

Empower, Enable, Enact

The Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability (IFRD) team had the pleasure to lead a session at Change 2023 last Friday, 20 October at Griffith University, Southbank Campus.

Change 2023 is an annual 2-day conference in Brisbane, Queensland hosted by Social Marketing @ Griffith, especially for practitioners, professionals, researchers and experts with an interest in making change happen.

In our session - Nothing About Us Without Us – Kelsey Chapman (IFRD Engagement Manager and PhD Candidate) lead a Q&A panel discussion with Professor Elizabeth Kendall (Director), Kevin Cocks, Brad Kinsela and Jim Hogan.

In this impactful discussion, they candidly shared their experiences as disability advocates and outlined challenges they have experienced in their decades of fighting for inclusion.

To find out more about Inclusive Futures and the research we do, visit our website:

https://www.griffith.edu.au/research/inclusive-futures-reimagining-disability

Griffith University has launched the Deaf Space, a dedicated and safe environment for Deaf students.

The space is fitted with features like visual smoke alarms and door-bell lights, catering to the needs of Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. With a range of facilities, including one-on-one tutoring and private study areas, the Deaf Space fosters community, allowing students to study, watch online sessions with interpreters and gather as a group.

Moreover, the Deaf Space serves as a base for the Deaf Student Support Program (DSSP), providing services such as professional support, Auslan interpreters, captioning services, access to assistive listening devices and transcription services.

The initiative promotes accessibility and inclusivity for Deaf students, and many graduates plan to teach Auslan as a second language in Queensland schools, meeting society's ever-increasing demand for interpreters.

Read article in full:

https://www.bursar.live/uni-tafe/dedicated-deaf-space-creates-greater-community-inclusion-7154

For more information, contact Cathy Easte, Student Disability and Accessibility Manager on c.easte@griffith.edu.au

Cathy Easte, Student Disability and Accessibility Manager, Griffith Universit

Professor Justin Yerbury together with Dr. Luke McAlary and Dr. Isabella Lambert-Smith

Our feature book for Inclusive Futures Book Club yesterday was “Fighting Fate” by the late Professor Justin Yerbury.

This special event was introduced by Justin's wife, Dr Rachel Yerbury. Rachel read an excerpt from the book where Justin describes the unjust discrimination as a result of ableist attitudes that he experienced as a researcher.

We then heard from researchers representing the University of Wollongong's Motor Neurone Disease research group established by Justin. Victoria Shephard, Tom Walker and Dr Isabella Lambert-Smith presented their team's comprehensive research program into MND. They are investigating the pathology of MND, and approaches for diagnosis, and therapies for slowing disease progression or reversing the damaging effects. They also spoke about their meaningful connection with the MND community and how this inspires them.

A full transcript of the event is available in accessible formats, please email us for a copy on inclusivefutures@griffith.edu.au

Please get yourself a copy of Fighting Fate - all proceeds go to MND research.

https://www.booktopia.com.au/fighting-fate-justin-yerbury/book/9781922930347.html#:~:text=Professor%20Justin%20Yerbury%20is%20a,genetic%20form%20of%20the%20disease.

Co-designing solutions to tackle the most important challenges faced by people with disability where they live, work and play.

To mark Spinal Injury Awareness Week, we had a conversation with Lindsay Nott of MyC5Life. Lindsay shares his insights on hacks he has devised, and challenges he encounters, in going about his daily life doing things such as cooking and socialising with friends. Lindsay highlights the importance of co-designing together with people with lived experience. We look forward to hosting Lindsay in our next Design Café.

Up to forty percent of Australians live with a disabling impairment or chronic condition, and many others are affected in some way. Many people are excluded from work, independent lifestyles, sport and social events. It’s vital that we come together to meet this challenge head-on for the future, and Griffith University is doing just this through the establishment of Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability.

Research, wisdom and experience shows that empowering people to live independent lives improves their outlook, employment prospects and confidence. People participating in aspects of everyday life are less isolated and more independent. Inclusive Futures focuses on assisting people with disability to tell us their stories, show us their inventions and in turn, we will make them accessible to anyone.

Our Design Lab is a place where ideas come to life, where dreams become tangible realities. It’s where a diverse alliance of people with disability, researchers, 3D printing experts, industrial designers, educators, and health and social services providers collaborate to invent unique solutions that transform lives.

Hosted within our Design Lab, our Design Cafes are short product design sprints led by people with disability via Citizen Challenges. Design Cafes can be held online or in person. This mixture of inclusive and accessible meeting styles brings participants together from any location into the one place. Usually, the first meeting is in-person and subsequent interactions are hosted online.

The complexity of a product or solution will determine how many Design Cafes are required to develop a prototype that is desirable, practical and economically efficient.

To mark the occasion of Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Week (SCIAW), we asked Lindsay Nott, of MyC5Life to be the guest of our next Citizen Challenge.

Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Week (SCIAW) is an important week for people living with spinal cord injury (SCI), rehabilitation service providers, industry, and the wider community. It is a time to get informed about the challenges people with SCI face in daily life, and the often-simple actions that you can take towards inclusion and ensuring better access for the 4.4 million people living with disability in Australia. Find out more on The Hopkins Centre Website.

Lindsay’s Story

I obtained a spinal cord injury several years ago, which sees me getting around on 4 wheels instead of 2 legs! My injury hasn't stopped me from making the most out of this beautiful life. I love travelling and having adventures!

My SCI journey began on the last day of Grade 12 at the age of 17, when I went for a celebratory swim at Southbank, Brisbane and broke my neck at vertebrae C5. My world changed at this point in my life, and whilst in the hospital recovering from my injury, my family and I learnt a lot­ – however, once I was released from the hospital, the gravity of my new life with a spinal cord injury was a big learning curve.

Over the last 29 years, I have done public speaking at universities, conferences, fundraisers, and within healthcare settings. I also work part-time, travel, attend the gym and volunteer as a peer support mentor for the newly injured and their families. Since my accident, I have become an advocate for disability awareness – and my goal is to help people and their families who are in similar situations, as well as healthcare professionals and disability design engineers.

Assistive and adaptive technology allows people to be independent, and is helpful ­– however, bespoke items can be very expensive, giving such items an exorbitant price tag, making them out of the price range for general population, unless funded through the NDIS.

In my experience, the quality behind these products does not equal to the price tag. I have a chopping board that has a few thin, short spikes and a corner guard, however, it is not user friendly, nor does it fulfil its purpose – for example, the border guard is not tall enough to support a piece of bread, should I want to butter it – and the spikes are too short to hold the likes of a potato or apple, if I need to chop or peel them and often roll off the spikes completely, which can be dangerous for me with so many sharps between the spikes and a knife, particularly when combined with my limited mobility.

Therefore, this item, amongst others ­­– is a redundant waste of money and/or funding, and like plenty of other items over the years, have gone into the back of the cupboard, collecting dust or straight to donation – as I cannot use them!

In comparison, where product design fails in its usefulness, electronic technology has been much more fit for purpose, enhancing my life in amazing ways. As an example, I currently have a GoPro and use Apple’s Siri AT, which is more user-friendly. I can sync between all Apple devices – allowing for easy upload, editing and exporting, all completed seamlessly.

Assistive and adaptive technology has advanced greatly over the past 29 years, allowing for everybody to have access too, and use, some form of technology at cheaper price points, which in turn, allows us all to live a more independent life.

This SCIAW and as part of my role as guest for the next “Design Café”, I would like us to think about people with disability and how we can contribute to making life more accessible. To do this, we need to think more carefully about the functionality and quality of accessibility products, and the best way to do this, is to co-design products with consumers at the core of concept, design and user testing.

We also need to bring the price point back into the equation, to ensure items can be accessed at a more realistic price range.

Listen to Lindsay's MyC5Life Podcast Series on Spotify.

Get Involved

Are you a product designer, engineer, 3D printing expert, philanthropist or disability design enthusiast? Would you like to like to be involved in our next Design Café with Lindsay Nott, and to be part of the innovative team who solves his Citizen Challenge – or perhaps you might like to sponsor this event?

All ideas generated can be converted into product designs that are added to the Inclusive Futures Design Library.

Our experts will work together with people with disability to refine the idea, create and test prototypes, and then produce a manufacture-ready design file. The designs can be downloaded by anyone and made in their locality with a 3D Printer.

Contact Us

Email: inclusivefutures@griffith.edu.au

Visit our Design Hub: https://inclusivefutures.griffith.edu.au/hub-page/design-hub

INCLUSIVE FUTURES BOOK CLUB
A conversation with authors Dr. Marita Heck (author of Secret Forces) and conversation partners Lisa Cox and Chantelle Otten.

Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability, Griffith University hosted our latest #BookClub event on #SexualHealth, #wellbeing and #disability, with author Marita Heck and conversation partners Lisa Cox and Chantelle Otten online, on Wednesday, 23 August on Microsoft Teams.

It is a human right to experience positive #SexualHealth and wellbeing, yet it is a topic that is often neglected and ignored. Please join us (via our online recording) for an open, honest discussion about challenges experienced by #PeopleWithDisability and how we can increase awareness, education and support.

Dr Marita Heck (PhD, Master of Midwifery, Bachelor of Nursing Science) is an Adjunct Research Fellow with The Hopkins Centre, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University on the Gold Coast in Queensland. Dr Heck is further a member of the Griffith University’s Inclusive Futures task force. In this space, Dr Heck is leading a consumer-led multidisciplinary research project in collaboration with five Australian universities promoting holistic sexual health support for people living with a spinal cord injury.

In addition, Dr Heck conducts research into supporting women living with an SCI in pre-pregnancy, antenatal, birth and postnatal support. Dr Heck is further a very experienced #clinician working with people living with a disability in the sexuality and fertility, and antenatal, birth and postnatal period in the Australian community. Besides her work in the research and the clinical setting, Dr Heck is a vivid romance novel author and published her first suspense romance novel Secret Forces in 2020.

Lisa Cox is an Internationally awarded thought leader, TEDx speaker, #authorand consultant who is working with business, government, Griffith University and others to help create solutions and change social attitudes towards disability. Her work has been recognised around the globe and featured in media like FOX, NBC News, Huffington Post, Smart Company, Vogue and AdNews Australia.

Chantelle Otten is a Melbourne based Psycho-Sexologist who is passionate about empowering people to feel great about their sexual health, self-esteem, communication and education. With a background in scientific research, sexual medicine, and counselling, she believes that sexuality and self-esteem are an integral part of life, which everyone is entitled to. Good sexual health should always be enjoyable, pain free and without prejudice.

For those who missed the event, you can access the recording here https://youtu.be/11DP3nz_Tn4 - A full and accessible transcript can be provided upon request.

For more information about the author Dr. Marita Heck:
https://www.amazon.com.au/Secret-Forces-Marita-Heck-ebook/dp/B08KTSLM2G

https://www.sexpositivecommunity.com/

For more information about Lisa Cox:

https://lisacox.co/

https://www.instagram.com/lisacox.co/

For more information about Chantelle Otten:

https://chantelleotten.com/

https://www.instagram.com/chantelle_otten_sexologist/

If you would like to stay up to date with upcoming events and join the Inclusive Futures book club community, you can join up here: https://inclusivefutures.griffith.edu.au/inclusive-futures-book-club?tool=survey_tool#tool_tab

If you have any questions or would like a copy of the transcript, please do not hesitate to contact the team at inclusivefutures@griffith.edu.au.