[00:00:00] Speaker A: Choice and Control is a podcast celebrating meaningful inclusion of people with disability in our communities. Brought to you by Carers Queensland, your NDIS Local Area Coordination Partner in the community.
Each episode provides a conversation space for people with disability, their families and carers to share their stories with you. We also hear from members of the wider community, local businesses and community leaders who share information, ideas and possibilities to give you more opportunity and more choice and control in your life.
Each year on December 3, people around the world participate in International Day of People with Disability. The day is dedicated to celebrating the contributions and achievements of people with disability while also promoting awareness, understanding and acceptance within our communities.
The day provides a chance to positively impact the lives of the 5.5 million Australians living with disability.
First up, I speak with 55 year old Laurel who is a highly active volunteer in the Gympie community, a Special Olympics athlete and a member of the Queenslanders with Disability Network.
After being born with Turner's syndrome, Laurel overcame adversity to achieve independence and now wants to give back to the community. I started by asking Laurel about her personal journey and early lived experience.
[00:01:32] Speaker B: My personal journey began when I was small when my parents knew that there was something wrong with me because I had to have a double blood transfusion when I was born.
But then the doctor, I was born, the doctor came back three days later but mum and dad didn't, didn't make the connection that it, it affected me so much like it did.
So basically through school I didn't achieve any help that I probably could have achieved had my mum and dad, my mum going down the path of, you know, going to get self checked out. Yeah, I received fully a lot did affect, affect one school I think being bullied. But now I'm out of school and I'm and I'm able, able to do, do more things. It's, it's. Yeah, I'm feeling a lot, a lot better now. Yeah, yeah please. I'm glad I'm not back at school. Yeah, yeah, yep. Having Turner's syndrome because that's why I'm shorter in stature and that, that also affects cognitive, cognitive, cognitive developmental stages as well.
But all the way through school I've been like, well I repeated grade one.
But that was all that I got help doing that because I wasn't able to keep up and do year one stuff. So I did it twice.
But then I did go through school all the way through to year 12. But in saying that the guidance counsellor at my high school told my parents to take me out at year 10 because year 11 and 12 were way too hard for me and I didn't do that good. So they were told to take me out. Then, I don't know, maybe try and find me a job or something.
[00:03:59] Speaker A: I would like to think that schools nowadays can provide support for people like yourself who went. Who are in school. Don't you think?
[00:04:08] Speaker B: Yes, yes.
Yes, definitely. It needs. That needs to. Needs to put more emphasis on people being students, being respectful of other students, even if they are a.
A little different, like if they're different in some form or other. But that respect needs to go all the way through and they need to be treated like that. Yep. Yep.
[00:04:43] Speaker A: You could apply the same idea to society in general. Don't you think that we all need to be respectful of each other?
[00:04:50] Speaker B: Exactly right. And it's. And it's not out there at all.
I mean, I see some good things, but then there's some other things that aren't. That aren't so good, so. Yeah.
[00:05:06] Speaker A: And is that part of the reason why you're so active in the disability community and volunteering? Like, you're really trying to get some change out there, aren't you?
[00:05:16] Speaker B: Yes, I am, because I know what I went through and I would like the future to be a future of respect and inclusivity. Yeah.
[00:05:42] Speaker A: Now, Laurel, you've been part of the Special Olympics. Can you tell me all about that? You've won so many medals.
[00:05:51] Speaker B: I certainly have been involved in Special olympics for about 20 years, and I thoroughly love competing and just having fun while I'm doing it and just hanging out with. Hanging out with my friends and just cheering them on and just, just being excited to be able to compete because I probably wouldn't be able to do athletics and bocce or anything like that in mainstream because of my disability.
So I'm very, very happy to be able to do that and to. And to compete.
My favorite event is race walking. I'm really good at the race walking. I do 400 meters and 100 meters race walking and I love it. I've just got the technique down pat.
[00:07:01] Speaker A: You've won a lot of medals over the years. Can you tell me about some of those wins?
[00:07:07] Speaker B: Yes.
Just recently in October, I competed in the Botchy State Games down in Brisbane where I got two bronze medals and a gold medal.
And that is a real social sport and it's a real technique. You've got to have the technique to go closest, closest to that pallini.
And I. Sometimes I get it, sometimes I don't, but when I do it really excites me.
I get excited.
[00:07:47] Speaker A: What do you love about playing sport?
[00:07:52] Speaker B: Being able to see myself grow as a person and gaining confidence as well. Confidence and the ability to somehow get better each time I compete in sports in. In all my sports that I do. Yeah.
[00:08:27] Speaker A: How many sports do you do, Laurel?
[00:08:32] Speaker B: I currently do bocce Soccer. I'm not. I'm not that good at soccer, though. Soccer, I'm. I'm in C grade because I'm not. I'm not that good. But I love it. I just love it. I love it. And athletics. Athletics. Where I've been, I've competed nationally for athletics over the last few years where I've come away with gold in nationals and I came away with some gold, silver and bronze in the recent state game, which were held.
[00:09:19] Speaker A: Congratulations.
[00:09:21] Speaker B: Yeah. In October this year. October this year, Yep. So I love.
I just love getting out there and showing to myself what I can do. Really, like, you know, because. Yeah, that's. That's really important. Important to me to.
To be able to see where I've been and where I've come to.
[00:09:45] Speaker A: And I imagine that the social aspect of going to a games must be so exciting as well. You must meet so many great people.
[00:09:55] Speaker B: Yes, well, yeah. When I've been to some nationals, you see the people because our nationals are every four years.
And so you see them and it's just so good to be able to see them again and see how much they've grown and if they're doing it differently to me or what I need to work on stuff like that.
[00:10:25] Speaker A: When you go to a games, it must feel very inclusive. Does it?
[00:10:33] Speaker B: Very much so. Very, very inclusive of all differing ability. All the athletes have differing.
Differing abilities when they compete and what they bring on the day as well. On the day. Because it's quite fierce.
Fierce competition really, when we. When we get into it.
A fierce competition.
[00:11:12] Speaker A: I can imagine. And you sound like you're pretty competitive too, Lorel.
[00:11:16] Speaker B: Yeah, I am. I'm quite competitive. I probably need to cool down a bit with that.
But that's just me, I think I.
I sort of. Because. Because growing up, I could probably do. I probably didn't achieve a lot. And I'm finding that.
That I. Over the last few years in Special Olympics, that my achievements have been recognized by other people that watch me and cheer me on and special over the organization as well. The encouragement that I receive as well from competing.
And it's just like family. It's just like family because we all talk to each other.
You'll catch up when we meet up again. It's great. Catch up where we left off type thing. Yep.
[00:12:22] Speaker A: So important, isn't it?
[00:12:24] Speaker B: It is. It is very important. Yeah, very important.
[00:12:31] Speaker C: Do you have a passion or talents to share? A micro business can be a great way for people with disability to earn income, build your confidence, be more independent and be an active part of your community. Carers Queensland is supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs with our Be youe Own Boss project. It's a free opportunity to find out what it means to start a micro business, whether it's a good fit for you. Connect with business mentors, learn from existing micro business owners and showcase your goods and services in the Be youe Own Boss marketplace.
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[00:13:22] Speaker B: 1990 I started volunteering.
I studied childcare, but it was like I was living in Manly and I was traveling all the way up to Butcher, so I only lasted six months because I couldn't. That was the work that had to be done and everything like that.
And then I started volunteering in 1990 at Family Daycare in Wyndham. They had Bayside in Wyndham and I did four mornings a week doing that as well as doing. I think I was still doing my bit of study then a little bit and then after that I went, I went to Cambridge Point and did childcare but I didn't pass that either. So I thought I would want to do childcare but it didn't work out.
[00:14:17] Speaker A: I was just going to say you mentioned there volunteering. You've done so much volunteering in your life, Heart of Gold Festival, various things. Can you tell us about your volunteering and what you enjoy so much about doing that?
[00:14:31] Speaker B: I love to volunteer because I feel like that I'm giving back to the community and helping people out who need help and showcasing some of the events as well to the community by me being involved in it.
[00:15:02] Speaker A: Now we have the big event coming up, International Day of People with Disability and I know Gympie has a few things planned. Can you tell us about the events coming up?
[00:15:13] Speaker B: Yes. On Tuesday, 3rd of December, which is International Day of People with a Disability, we are going to have a walk up Mary street. All the people with disabilities going to walk and we're going to have celebrities in wheelchairs like the mayor, Glenn Hartwick, big, really big tour guide. It's Going to be so funny to watch him in a wheelchair. Yeah, Just saying.
But. But, yeah, so that is on the Tuesday and that going from 10 to 1 and walking up one side and back down the other, and then we're gonna, like have a bit of a sausage lunch after it or something like that. Yeah. And so not going to that. We have to wear bright colors.
[00:16:01] Speaker A: And is that event to highlight accessibility in the main street of Gympie there, or lack of accessibility to some of the shops?
[00:16:11] Speaker B: We need.
We need to do something about that. Definitely. That should be a high priority because there's a lot of people that can't get into some of the shops because they're in wheelchairs and stuff like that. So, yeah, I've.
Maybe we could address that at one of our QDN meetings because we have a member who. Who is the qdn, like, second in charge and that she's in a wheelchair.
So we should discuss it and have like a bit of a roundtable discussion about it. Yeah. Or otherwise get the council to hold meetings with the. We'll go to the Chamber of Commons meetings, maybe say stuff about it. Yeah.
[00:17:04] Speaker A: You're very passionate about improving the lives of people with disability, aren't you, Laurel?
[00:17:12] Speaker B: Yes, I am, yes. Very, very passionate, yes. Because we need it. We're not given our own voice in some aspects. In some aspects.
And I feel that something that we could work on that could become a stronger thing, a stronger thing in the community.
[00:17:35] Speaker A: You mentioned there about being included and having a voice.
It's really important that society listens to the voices of people with disability, isn't it? What would you like to say to communities? What do. What do we need to hear more of?
[00:17:52] Speaker B: We need people to look beyond our disability and actually see our abilities that we have that we can bring to community and not. And not full on, just be shoved on the table, you know what I mean? Like, just to be included and stand up and speak about what it means to be.
Have a disability and joining with mainstream things, if we are invited to those.
[00:18:29] Speaker A: How would you say that your life has changed since you've been able to get the support of the NDIS in your life?
[00:18:41] Speaker B: Yes, well, because I took it took me like seven times to get it. And, well, I was thinking, well, I'm not going to get it because I work, but I did get it about three, four months ago, so I'm very happy and it's slowly changing my life.
I'm getting more confident, but there are still areas that I'm lacking skills in as well.
But yet the NGIS is brilliant. And yeah, I really like the ngis. It's good.
[00:19:21] Speaker A: You said they're building skills and things. What are some of the skills that you'd really like to learn in the future, moving forward?
[00:19:32] Speaker B: Cooking.
Not really good cook. I've got a support worker every Friday.
His name's Andy and he'll always just take me out because the last two days I've worked 20 hours. So I'm actually a bit tired today.
Yeah. Because I work at Coles and on the checkout. So that to me is a lot of concentration and it's good. When Friday comes around I can say, ah, I can relax and be myself because at work I feel like I have to move to be normal somehow, if that makes sense.
Because I'm serving customers and you know, that sort of thing.
[00:20:17] Speaker A: I imagine it's physically, physically and emotionally pretty exhausting for you.
[00:20:23] Speaker B: Yeah, it is. Because. Well, because a lot of customers say they only come through my register. Register.
And if they say that to me, I say, yeah, I love to talk to people and give them the time of day like yesterday as an older lady and I actually took her groceries and put them into the trolley for her and helped her out with paying for her groceries as well. So, yeah, just a little things that I think can make people say and show that I'm a caring person, which I think I am. Yep.
[00:21:00] Speaker A: I think you have a heart of gold, Laurel.
[00:21:03] Speaker B: Thank you very much, Tracy. Thank you.
[00:21:06] Speaker A: And that was 55 year old Laurel from Gympie. QDN Member, Special Olympics athlete and active volunteer here at Keris Queensland. We acknowledge the work of ant paid carers in our community, many of whom care for family members with disability, like Jennifer from Gympie, who's the mother and carer of Indy. I started by asking Jennifer about why celebrating International Day of People with Disability is important to her and her family.
[00:21:41] Speaker D: People with disability have a unique set of skills and outlook on life that you can't get any other way.
And I would love for the world to see that and recognize the valuable contributions they make because of the way that they are.
[00:22:06] Speaker A: Can you tell me a little bit about your journey as a carer of indie?
[00:22:10] Speaker D: Yeah.
So Indy was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when she was 3 and then diagnosed with autism when she was 5.
For the most part, she's lived a very normal, typical childhood. She doesn't let anything hold her back. So even though she suffers with weakness and spasticity on her left side, she still gets in there, runs around, does Everything to, you know, to keep up. She's the youngest of four children, so, yeah, she has to keep up with her brothers and sisters. She's a very active child.
I think for us, finding out that she had cerebral palsy was a bit of a shock to find out so late. Most people, people, it's probably half and half, but I think most people probably find out a bit younger than that.
So I think just recognising that was. That was going to change our lives in that we thought the things she was struggling with, she would outgrow, but to find out, no, that those things would be permanent and that our life would now involve specialists and therapy, essentially. Essentially for the rest of her life. Yeah, it was quite a shock. But we've met some incredible people along the way and it's.
I think before having children, I always had this idea that I was afraid of having a child with a disability because I wouldn't know what to do. But it's been an incredible blessing because you meet so many incredible people and then you see the things that they can do and you're just like, wow. They look at life so differently.
And, yeah, like, her life is probably like. In a lot of ways it looks very much like every other kid, but in the same way it is, it is different and for the most part it's a good different.
It's hard and it's hard for her too.
But, yeah, I think we've really just gained a lot of valuable experiences.
[00:24:31] Speaker A: Kerras Queensland is your NDIS partner in the community and we're here to support you throughout your NDIS journey. Our website has a wealth of information on the ndis, such as how to apply for the scheme or make an appointment with one of our local area coordinators. Read good news stories of people with disability, their families and carers. Listen to our podcast Choice and Control to hear groundbreaking interviews. Watch videos of our work with first nations people and the LGBTQIA community, and follow us on Facebook. Check out the Carers Queensland
[email protected] au and keep in touch with us. You said that you want to focus on ability and what people can do, and there are some unique abilities there. Can you tell me what you meant by that?
[00:25:25] Speaker D: Well, I think so. One of the things that I find with kids with disability and my other three are all diagnosed as on the spectrum as well, one of the things I noticed the most is that they, they don't judge people the way that I think a lot of people judge other people. They're just they kind of take people for who they are.
Probably part of that is they, you know, they take things quite literally and at face value. So there's no hidden. There's no hidden agenda.
Yeah. What you see is what you get.
And they're just. They're very insightful.
[00:26:12] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:26:13] Speaker D: The things that. The things that they. They see in the world or in people just think. Most people don't even notice.
And, like, it's given us an opportunity to really slow down. You can't do life at quite the same cracking pace with kids with disability. You really do have to slow down and, you know, you spend a lot of time waiting and.
Yeah, I think it's. It's given me the opportunity to spend more time with my children than I would have had they not had these disabilities.
Indie homeschools.
So, yeah, so we do get to spend all our time together, which is lovely.
And we wouldn't have had the opportunity to.
To be involved with Special Olympics. I didn't even know that was a thing. Before Indy started gymnastics, we took her along to the gymnastics club because she wanted to try gymnastics. And we met the lovely Natalie, who is amazing.
And she said to me, we have a Special Olympics class. And I'm like, what is that?
Yeah, it's this group of incredible kids who just. They just work so hard, and it's just beautiful to see. Yeah. How much? Especially. Well, especially with Indy, I've seen how much she has grown in physical strength and in emotional strength as well.
It must be so important for Indy to have those opportunities. Oh, yeah. And she wouldn't have those opportunities anywhere else.
She's not going to be able to compete at a regular gymnastics competition.
Her physical disabilities, they would make that impossible. But having said that, even regular kids don't necessarily get the opportunity to compete at that level, the state and national level, unless they're incredibly good. You know, there's such a small window of opportunity for that. Whereas, you know, we're so blessed to have a special O club in Gympie, and we've got a really strong team, so, you know, we get to go away to state events, national events. Some of our kids have gone to international events. Yeah. One of our older girls went away to the World Specialized Games in Berlin last year, so just. Yeah, and you just meet. Yeah. So many beautiful people there. And every year you get to see them, you know, grow in their confidence, in their abilities and. Yeah, it's just. Yeah, it's been really beautiful. And it doesn't have that same really tense, competitive environment. Everyone's there encouraging each other, supporting each other, cheering each other on. All the other clubs, you know.
Yes, do. Well, you're not out loud necessarily, the mums do, but, you know, they are all there supporting and encouraging each other.
[00:29:12] Speaker A: Is it also important for you to be in that community of other parents?
[00:29:16] Speaker D: Yeah, it is, yeah, really important. Because I think if you didn't have that, we didn't have that, I think we would probably, you know, get a little bit of that, you know, oh, woe is me. You know, my life's so much harder compared to everyone else.
Yeah. Or just feel very isolated because, you know, we do notice those differences.
But yeah, when you're in that community and, you know, everyone is just so beautiful and encouraging and, you know, and we're all coming from that same place, like, we all, we all understand what each other's going through. Yeah.
[00:29:55] Speaker A: And that was Jennifer from Gympie, Mother and Carer. To find out more about how Carers Queensland is celebrating International Day of People with Disability, visit our website and download our resources on celebrating inclusion and creating opportunities.
Thanks for joining us at Choice and Control, a Carers Queensland podcast. If you've enjoyed this podcast episode, please take a moment to leave a rating and review and share it with your community. For more information about the National Disability Insurance Scheme or Carers Queensland, contact us online at www.carersqld.com or call us on 1300999636 or head to Facebook and look for Carers Queensland NDIS.
