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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.

INCLUSIVE FUTURES: REIMAGINING DISABILITY - INDUSTRY ADVISORY BOARD

Griffith Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability (IFRD) Industry Advisory Board is a rare collective of amazing leaders, influencers and achievers in business, industry, and society. The Board’s role is to advise on strategic direction and identify and review sustainability pathways and opportunities for growth and influence.

They are passionate about extending the Beacon’s work into industry, by connecting our cutting-edge research and researchers with real-world commercial possibilities, applications, and solutions.

The Advisory Board members are mentors, connectors, and supporters, they help grow researcher’s skills, networks and impacts by providing personalised guidance, introductions, resources, and feedback.

They listen to the needs and challenges of both sides and help the researchers find and seize commercial opportunities and industry to connect and engage with our researchers and programs.

They also create and oversee their own industry projects that combine and leverage the expertise, research and capabilities across different researchers and IFRD research specialities, which deliver innovative and practical products and services for the disability sector and into industry.

Our incredible team of Industry Advisors include:

• Morris Misel – Board Chair, Industry Fellow, and Global Foresight Strategist
• Prof. Abby Bloom – Adjunct Professor and Industry Fellow
• Dawn Adams – Industry Fellow and Founder/Imagination Coach, Imagination Session
• Sharon Hunneybell – Industry Fellow, and CEO, The Gold Coast Innovation Hub
• Scott Chapman – Industry Fellow, and Co-Founder, Able Digital Wellness Pty Ltd
• Justin MacDonald – Industry Fellow, and Managing Director, Just SDA Management Pty Ltd
• Ali Galadari – Industry Fellow, and CEO, Compago

For more information, contact:

Morris Misel, Board Chair

m.misel@griffith.edu.au

Education is more than a privilege; it’s a pathway to success.

Griffith’s Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability research alliance is committed to supporting students with disability to achieve their educational aspirations.

To this end, we are pleased to announce an exciting opportunity for a student with a permanent disability to undertake a HDR program at Griffith University in 2024.

The Griffith University Disability Scholar Research Scholarship provides a stipend of AUD $32,192 (2023 rate, indexed annually) — paid as a fortnightly stipend, to support a commencing candidate of exceptional research potential, who has a permanent disability and who may have experienced educational disadvantage, while they undertake a higher degree research program at Griffith University.

In addition to the usual research allowance allocated to HDR candidates to support the cost of their research period, a GUDSRS awardee is provided an additional research support allowance of up to $6,000 for the entirety of a Doctoral Program (or a pro rata amount for a Masters Research program) to support research related costs associated with a disability.

This scholarship is available for international onshore and domestic students.

Apply before 5 September for intake 1, 2024.

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

For more information contact:

Griffith Graduate Research School

Phone: 07 373 53817
Email: hdr-scholarship@griffith.edu.au
Web: Griffith Graduate Research School

NATIONAL STROKE WEEK 7-13 August 2023

Living Well: Promoting adherence to stroke secondary prevention behaviours by imparting behaviour change skills (GU ref no: 2022/308)

National Stroke Week 2023 encourages the community to fight stroke together, so that you and your loved ones can continue to enjoy life during and after recovery.

Fighting stroke together aims to bring people together to share knowledge, support and resources to help prevent strokes form occurring and to aid in the recovery process for those who have experienced stroke.

People who have had a stroke are at a higher risk of having another stroke.

Making healthy changes can help reduce this risk, but not everyone gets the right support after they leave the hospital. That's why National Stroke Foundation, along with experts at Griffith University, developed "Living Well After Stroke".

This program teaches stroke survivors how to manage their own health by helping them make changes to their behaviour like eating more healthily, increasing physical activity, and taking medications regularly.

The intervention is expected to improve patients' healthy behaviours and teach them how to make further changes independently. The goal is that this program will help prevent recurrent stroke and transform how we care for stroke patients in Australia.

Chief Investigator:

Professor Kyra Hamilton, Director, Health and Psychology Innovations (HaPI), School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University

Co Investigators:

Professor Joy Parkinson - ACU, Dr Stephanie Smith – Stroke Foundation & Griffith University, Tom Caitens, Andrea Sanders and Dr Lisa Murphy – Stroke Foundation

Get involved or find out more:

https://strokefoundation.org.au/what-we-do/prevention-programs/living-well-after-stroke

Contact:
Professor Kyra Hamilton

kyra.hamilton@griffith.edu.au

or

Dr Stephanie Smith

Living Well After Stroke Coordinator

Stroke Foundation

ssmith@strokefoundation.org.au

Visit our websites:

HaPI Lab: hapiresearchlab.com

Stroke Foundation: https://strokefoundation.org.au

DESIGN CAFÉ PILOT

Co-designing solutions people want and need

Last Saturday, 22 July at Griffith University’s Gold Coast Campus, “Design Lab” Lead - Mathew McShane delivered our first Inclusive Futures Design Café Pilot program.

The Design Cafe is a community building and technological engagement project that brings together engineers, designers, and occupational therapists with people with disability, to explore engineering and technology solutions to challenges people face every day.

Together with people who have lived experience, the program put forward new, co-created solutions for development, and thus provided valuable enhancements to people’s lives.

“We had an amazing opportunity to collaborate on inclusive designs during this event, truly embracing the essence of co-design. It was remarkable to directly learn from users and understand their unique challenges, while actively involving them in the design process. Such involvement has often been overlooked when designing for disability, but this event showcased a refreshing approach to human-centred design.”

For more information on future Design Cafés, please contact:

Matt McShane

m.mcshane@griffith.edu.au, or

Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability

inclusivefutures@griffith.edu.au