Wednesday, October 24, 2012

WARRINGAH DISABILITY NEWSLETTER No 289 - 24 October 2012



Today’s newsletter has information about the activities or resources listed below.  Your suggestions are welcome, as always!   

The next newsletter will be sent on 12 November 2012

      ACTIVITIES

Second Skin – Free Catalyst Dance Masterclass Series Finale
Accessible Dance Showcase Event
Activities at Wheelchair Sports NSW
Holroyd Disability Sports Expo
Sports Camp for Adults living with Mental Illness
Sport Recreation Camp for Young Adults living with Mental Illness
Sunnyfield presents the Theatre Production “UnBard”
Free Girls Boxercise in Lane Cove
Free Great Boccia Bash – Participate and Watch
NARA Soccer starting in New Centre at Mt Ku ring gai
International Day for People with a Disability in Warringah

First Speaker at the Emerge Young Leaders Conference — Krystel Keller

      CARERS

Metro North Behaviour Intervention & Support Workshops for Parents and Carers
Vacancies in Weekend Recreation Groups of Centacare Waitara
UCMH Family and Carer Support Groups and Programs
Bradfield Park Carer Support Activities in October
What About Me?  Free Information Night for Parents of Children with Disability
Dr Wendy Lawson:  Inclusion and Hope for the Future
Better Start for Children with Disability
      FUNDRAISING / FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
‘To Rome with Love’ to raise Funds for Northern Beaches Interchange
Achieve Australia’s 57th Annual Fete - ‘’Fifties Festival’’
Bev Gallop Memorial Event for LifeCircle Australia
Inaugural Par 3 Golf Challenge Fundraiser
      RESOURCES
For School Leavers
National Week of Deaf People is celebrated from 20 to 26 October 2012
The CanTeen Counselling Service
Vision Loss and Transition Planning
Peninsula Senior Citizens Toy Repair Group Inc.
      PARTICIPATION COUNTS
Warringah’s Community Strategic Plan (CSP)
Put the Kettle On for the NDIS on 26 October
Don’t DIS my ABILITY – Events Open to the Public in NSW
      CONFERENCES, TRAINING, SEMINARS
Information Breakfast:  Depression and How to Survive It
Free Workshops by NSW Office of Fair Trading
Quarterly Meeting of the Northern Sydney Disability Network
Reminder:  Arts Activated 2012 – Desire and Destination
Chinese Information Session on Preparing for Hospital Visits and HACC Services
Parents, Professionals and Teachers Support and Information Group (PATSI) Talk
Northern Beaches Interchange 30th Birthday Celebration
Afternoon Tea with Andrea:  Mental Health Drug and Alcohol Area Service
Annual General Meeting of The Housing Connection
Annual General Meeting of Northside Enterprise Inc
An Introduction to Working with Individuals who Self-Abuse
Common Legal Issues for Disability Service Staff and Case Manager
Two Workshops by The Information Generation Group
Managing Challenging Behaviour - Using A Pro-Active Approach Workshop &/or DVD
Free Professional Board Member Development Opportunity
Play & Expressive Therapy Workshops at the Be Centre Foundation
Free Clinical Network Workshops 2012
The 2nd Australasian Clinical Networks Conference - Network to Network 2012
23rd PANDDA Conference – Great Expectations

Achieve Australia's 60th Anniversary Dinner Celebration

Free Community Education on Tenants Rights and Responsibilities with a focus on:
21st Annual Conference of Psych DD - Changing Times in Psychology
Courses at UnitingCare Institute of Family Practice in November

Regards,
Marjorie Janz, Disability Information Officer

Monday, October 22, 2012

Neale Parnaby letter 11Oct12 - 5 claims

There are five claims in Neale’s letter that together, I feel,  present a misleading and incorrect picture of Neale’s style, intent and progress.  They are:


Each is discussed in detail below.  Click on any heading above to go to the posting.  Make a comment - what’s your view?


Neale Parnaby claim - Funding Packages:

These are allocated by ADHC. To the best of my knowledge Sunnyfield works wherever requested by families to help improve these if and when possible.

You say “these [packages]... are still not right and that equity and compassion have been removed from the equation”.

When did you present a paper on your recommended solutions about this to the management or Board?

What do you think other families, who do not get the $120,000 housing & accommodation funding package, feel about your concerns and efforts towards “equity & compassion”?

Neale Parnaby claim - Departmental and Ministerial Representations:

You have apparently recently addressed a number of subjects with Ministers and their staff without first consulting management and your Board colleagues. 

All too often you seem to work alone on subjects dear to your heart but not in any way as part of the Sunnyfield team. 

Neale Parnaby claim - Upholding Members Interests:

At recent Auxiliary meetings, regrettably, your previous open and democratic Chairmanship has displayed an apparent bias towards a small disaffected family group while seemingly ignoring the needs and wants of the large majority of families.

You allow frequent bitter personal complaints & attacks against other members and management.
  
When a blunt but democratic, business like and reasonable comment is made about that fact you allow more bitter personal insults directed at the person involved. And you pretend that a sham motion was moved and seconded after you did not call for a vote and by which time half the attendees had departed because of the way the meeting had been allowed to deteriorate?

Are you upholding the majority of Members Interests or only a small few?

Neale Parnaby claim - NDIS:

I am afraid you are completely wrong on this point and it appears you have not recently sought to discuss with the Board or CEO the progress of Sunnyfield’s NDIS plans.

Make no mistake, those plans are still draft and in need of lots of positive input, but I believe that Sunnyfield is investing a sensible amount of time in preparation. 

Unfortunately NDIS may prove to be an event that may turn out be a total mirage.  See the posting below from LISA in Adelaide here...

...it’s one pessimistic point of view but over the weekend I read there is a $21B hole in the budget.  Will they still spend +$6B p.a. on disability?

I am troubled that NDIS may become an “aspirational” target (a “non-core promise”) for both sides of politics for many many years to come.

But Sunnyfield does already have detailed plans. You are wrong to say Sunnyfield “is not prepared”.

Neale Parnaby claim - Fundraising:

You say you “have personally delivered approx. $60,000 through sponsorships...” 

The sum of $60,000 has never, to the best of my knowledge, been confirmed or qualified in writing with Sunnyfield and not one dollar of that money has been “personally delivered” to Sunnyfield.

You told me 4-5 years ago that Harness Racing NSW had offered you a 3 year $30,000 p.a. sponsorship package. This was presumably an offset against he very large earth moving contract you then had with them.  You generously transferred this from another charity, with whom you were then involved (but unhappy with their first year response you said), to Sunnyfield for 2 years; your $90,000 decision was taken before you were involved with Sunnyfield.

For $30,000 p.a., for two years, Sunnyfield got:
  • seats in the VIP tent and a fine lunch for a few Sunnyfield guests;
  • one race on the day was called “The Sunnyfield Mile”;
  • the winning horse was photo’d with a blanket logo’d “Sunnyfield” and this photo appeared in some racing media.

This also gave Sunnyfield volunteers the valuable chance to sell raffle tickets at the premier HRNSW event for the 2 years which was gratefully accepted. Neale, it was a great opportunity for Sunnyfield to develop a fundraising effort around your unique position in harness racing. It was undoubtedly a good thing. Pity was we could not make it work.

Friday, October 19, 2012

Sunnyfield Central Coast Auxiliary - October Meeting


Hello again everybody,
Time for our meeting once again. A lot has been happening since our last meeting.  Notice/Agenda attached.
Another interesting presentation this month, provided by Clea Wallace. This is a subject of interest to anybody involved with disability, and is right up to date.
Highly recommended!

Regards Allan

Thursday, October 18, 2012

‘Peninsula Pals’ Melbourne Cup Luncheon,

Hosted by Mayor Jean Hay AM – Tuesday 6th November 2012 at Murray’s at Manly

Dear Sunnyfield Member,

We currently have 10 places available on the Sunnyfield table at the forthcoming Melbourne Cup Luncheon hosted by Mayor of Manly, Jean Hay.

As you may know, Councillor Hay is a Life Member of Sunnyfield. She is also a foundation member of Peninsula Pals, a group of three charitable organisations including Sunnyfield, Peer Support Australia and Bear Cottage.

This year’s Melbourne Cup luncheon is a very special fundraising event because it will be Councillor Hay’s last one after running it for the last 30 years.

We’re selling tickets at $95.00 per person and it includes a two-course luncheon and champagne on arrival. All proceeds from ticket sales, raffles and sweeps will go to support the Peninsula Pals group of not-for-profit organisations. The activities for the day include raffle prizes, sweeps and “Fashion in the Field” competition.

We hope you can join us. Alternatively, please feel free to share this with anyone you think may wish to support Sunnyfield and attend.

Anyone interested in buying a ticket should contact Julieri De Florio on 02 9412 8653 or by email j.deflorio@sunnyfield.org.au

Kind regards


The Marketing & Fundraising Team


Marisa Chilcott
Executive Manager  Fundraising & Marketing

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Real NDIS - A bridge too far!



"What is a real NDIS, and a bridge too far?"
Real NDIS is that which provides full entitlement quality of life 
services on an appeal based assessment of a person's needs. 
A bridge too far, is a broken, jokin' or token NDIS. 

 It is hard not to see the NDIS concept was ever more than a very hurtful slight-of-hand on the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in our community - people with an intellectual or multiple disability and their families.

Any loss of intellectual capacity removes one's ability, and makes one vulnerable in this world like no other loss of function.  It is almost impossible for those with normal IQ, to understand how demeaning life would be without this.

People saw the NDIS as the light in an otherwise very dark tunnel of hopelessness, and helplessness of begging and praying for a few crumbs of hand-out help.

NDIS was flagged to be a fair-go for such disadvantaged Australians.  Whereas, in the cold-light-of-day, it is looking like being little more than a token gesture in the foreseeable future.

No matter what is said about well-to-do Australia, those with disabilities and their families are well down the pecking-order.

Even the high pecking order is suffering from the present economic slowdown - defence, education, health services, national dental, aged care, budget surplus etc, etc.  Disability was never seriously considered against these heavy weights.

The publicly funded universal health care system
first called "Medibank", now "Medicare", was almost defeated at its inception in the 1970s. Like most in the USA still, no one wants to pay for universal benefits.

At the time universal health was mooted in Australia, people were content to pay their private health insurance, but considered those wanting a service should pay.

Seeing this applying to NDIS, the Productivity Commission opted for NDIS to be funded from government general revenue.  The problem with this is, disability will always be the smallest hand in the lolly jar.

The general population expects to pay few taxes, but expect all the regular generic services - education, health care, dental care, aged care, defence.

Everyone has empathy with these - but not with disability.  Most in the general population don't ever expect to be disabled, or know anyone who is.

Whilst the economic climate ( LINK) is not conducive to the government's lolly jar providing a real NDIS, and that few are prepared to pay more taxes for better services, the disability fraternity should use their combined energy to actively encourage current services to be better in providing the level, quality, consistency, relevance, and the customer service and accountability they are intended to provide. 


From:
LIFESTYLE IN SUPPORTED ACCOMMODATION (LISA) INC.
Tel:  03-9434-3810:  Email: 
info@lisainc.com.au or vk3qq@optusnet.com.au 
Web:  www.lisainc.com.au :  www.lisa-aus.blogspot.com

Monday, October 8, 2012

WARRINGAH DISABILITY NEWSLETTER No 288 - 4 October 2012




The next newsletter will be sent on 25 October 2012

Discobility – Summer Dance party
Art Exhibition and Auction  ICAT 2012 (Inspire Creative Adventure Therapeutic)
Art Exhibition in Chatswood by the Monday Art Group
Bella Arts Program for Students with Specific Needs
Win Passes to Attend the Arts Activated 2012 Conference
Arts Activated 2012 – Desire and Destination
Brookvale Show at Brookvale Oval on Sunday 7 October
Outdoor Table Tennis at Dee Why Beach Reserve

                  CARERS

Meeting of North Shore Support Group (NSSG)
Meeting of Northern Beaches Mental Health Support Group
Stepping Stones –  Free Triple P for Parents of Children with a Disability
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for Carers
Carers Wellbeing Survey
Warringah Carers are Gems!
Circles of Support - All you need to know to get started and keep going!
                  FUNDRAISING / FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Fighting Chance Annual Ball 2012
Community Building Partnership 2012/13
Aged & Disability Project Officer, Willoughby Council, Chatswood
Aged & Disability Development Officer, Warringah Council, Cromer
Dementia Advisor, Community Care (Northern Beaches) Ltd, Mona Vale
Community Care Assistants, KOPWA LTD
                  RESOURCES
Warringah Community Legal Service
Career Development Guidelines for Working with Young People with Disability
National Safe Work Australia Week  - 21 to 27 October
Booklets from Association for Children with a Disability NSW (ACD NSW)
Vacancies at Lower North Shore Community Transport
Mental Health Month – October 2012
Mental Health Line 1800 011 511
                  PARTICIPATION COUNTS
Review of the NSW Mental Health Act 2007
Information Session on LifeCircle Australia to recruit Volunteer Mentors
Put the Kettle On for the NDIS on 26 October
Grandparents Day on Sunday 28 October
Camp Kedron’s 50th Year Celebration on 17 Nov 2012
Volunteers for Artability and Advanced Art Classes
Volunteers for Sailability Pittwater
                                    CONFERENCES, TRAINING, SEMINARS
General Meeting about Reforms of the NSW Mental Health System
Free HSNet Hands-on Training
Annual Adult ADHD Conference - “Taking Charge Of My Life”
Chill Out Tuesday in Warriewood
NSW Industrial Relations - SCHADS Award workshop

Lindamood-Bell to address Learning Difficulties in Northern Sydney

DRUMBEAT - Building Resilience Through Rhythm
TABISS Presents “Nutrition to Optimise Positive Health in Children with ASD”
Free Information Session for Bilingual Workers, Volunteers and Seniors Group Leaders
Response Ability Pathways (RAP)
Fighting Fair - Mediation and Conflict Resolution (Level 1)
Ku ring gai Council’s Training and Development Workshop for Community Groups
"Building Resilience in Vulnerable Adolescents"

Writing for the Web:  a user experience approach

Effect of Carer Use of Drugs / Alcohol on a Child’s Wellbeing
Carers NSW Inaugural Founders’ Lecture 2012
‘Care without Coercion: Critical Conversations in Mental Health’
Training by Brain Injury Association of NSW Inc
Funded Qualifications For Mature Workers - Assessment Only Pathway - No Admin Fee
HACC Training at Northside Community Forum in October and November
Metro North Behaviour Intervention & Support Workshops
 
Regards,
Marjorie Janz, Disability Information Officer