Community people
Every year countries across the world celebrate the International Day of People with a Disability on 3 December. Since 1992 the United Nations has set aside this day to encourage the broader community to recognise the abilities of people with a disability and to promote inclusion in their communities.
With this in mind, we have devoted this edition’s Community People section to those who are making a difference every day in the lives of Queenslanders with a disability.
Among them are Disability Action Week Award winners who have demonstrated that innovation and inclusion are the keys to a vibrant and welcoming community. We also profile people with a disability who inspire others with their stories and achievements, and we highlight some of the important work that our community partners are doing to assist people with a disability to fully participate in our society.
The International Day of People with a Disability is a chance for us to yet again see beyond the disability and to recognise the achievements, abilities and contributions of people with a disability in our Queensland community.
Linda Apelt
Director-General
Ian Houston - Volunteer
Ian Houston’s ability to build, fix or remodel almost anything has given hundreds of children with a disability toys they can learn from and enjoy. Ian says each toy is designed around noise, colour and movement, and the individual needs of the child. “The key is simplicity,” Ian says. “I talk with teachers and occupational therapists and then nut out an idea.” His inventions include a somersaulting car to strengthen eye movement, shake boxes for hearing improvement and threading boards to improve coordination.
By making toys for the Noah’s Ark Toy Library and tailoring devices for children at Narbethong Special School in Brisbane, Ian has helped more parents afford specialised equipment. He is a volunteer with Technical Aid to the Disabled and was recently recognised with a Premier’s Award for Seniors.
Technical Aid for the Disabled 1300 663 243.
Jeffrey Finlay - Artist
Bringing his culture to people through art and performance has always been a part of Jeffrey’s life. As a young man in Gordonvale, Jeffrey performed as a traditional dancer and didgeridoo player for visitors to the Mossman Gorge in Far North Queensland. After a serious accident in 1992 left him with quadriplegia, Jeffrey turned his attention toward mouth painting, pictured left, developing his newfound abilities and passion for this art form.
It is Jeffrey’s ambition to inspire people through his art with the message that people have abilities beyond their own expectations. Jeffrey has shown his work in two public exhibitions, and is sharing his experience in the Share Your Story calendar published by Disability Services Queensland.
“Once I was a traditional dancer,” Jeffrey says. “Now I am a person with a disability - I dance through my painting.”
Julie Williams - Client services manager
Seeing people grow strong and happy is the greatest joy for Julie Williams, client services manager at Open Minds. For almost 10 years Julie has worked alongside other dedicated staff at Open Minds providing services to Queenslanders with mental illness, intellectual disability or acquired brain injury. Open Minds was rewarded with a Disability Action Week Award for their exceptional work supporting Queenslanders with a disability.
Starting out as a support worker, Julie’s passion for working in mental health grew with her knowledge and experience. Today Julie works with a team to support people to grow more independent and to transition into the community. “We support clients and their families, which lightens the load on the community in so many ways,” Julie says. “We are committed to providing quality services and strive for our clients to participate and be included in the community.”
Murka Smiechowski - Disability advocate
As a polish refugee who arrived in Australia 21 years ago, Murka Smiechowski knows how difficult it is to function in a new country without the language and knowledge of the systems and culture. Now at Amparo Advocacy, Murka advocates for refugees and migrants with disability. Language and cultural differences can make negotiating systems and services far more complex.
“Refugees often fear authority and don’t feel safe to challenge the authority.” Murka says. “We are here to protect the rights of people with a disability from non-English speaking backgrounds and to ensure their fundamental needs are met.
“Amparo advocates for individuals on issues such as homelessness, abuse, neglect, and isolation as well as making community and government services more responsive to the needs of people from non-English speaking backgrounds with a disability.
Stephen Muir - SES volunteer
If you found yourself in an emergency, Stephen Muir is the kind of guy you would want around. In 25 years as a State Emergency Service (SES) volunteer in the Noosa shire, Stephen has helped people through severe storms, road accidents and the search for missing children and adults.
Steve joined the SES to give something back to the community who had helped him win gold for Australia in track and field at the 1984 Los Angeles Paralympics. “I loved the SES work so much I just kept going,” Steve says. “The joy and relief on people’s faces when you show up makes it worth it.”
Steve was born without hands and says people are shocked when he arrives. “When they see me start to operate equipment they relax,” he says. “There’s no such word as can’t.”
SES volunteers 1300 369 003
Robert Heron - Learning and Development Director
For Robert, making a difference in the lives of the most vulnerable Queenslanders has been a lifelong pursuit. Starting out in clinical work with Queensland Health, Robert is now at the new Centre of Excellence for Behaviour Support devoted to improving the lives of people with an intellectual or cognitive disability who exhibit challenging behaviours. The centre is a partnership between Disability Services Queensland and the University of Queensland.
In his new role Robert will work closely with non-government organisations to develop the capacity of support staff to deliver best practice services to assist people with a disability to participate more fully in community life.
“In this job I can make a contribution and really see a difference right up front in the lives of Queenslanders who are the most vulnerable,” says Robert.
Michelle Boles - Social campaigner
As a mother of a child with a disability, Michelle knows that sometimes the most basic assistance can make the biggest difference. In 2004 Michelle founded the Disability Enhancement Fund in Mackay to provide grants to people with a disability to enhance their quality of life.
Grants have been used to help with the purchase of equipment like wheelchairs, and also for more creative solutions including the erection of a fence around the house of a teenager with a disability who was in danger of running away, getting lost, or being hit by a car.
The Disability Enhancement Fund owes much of its success to Michelle’s ability to get the community involved in supporting people with a disability. The fund now receives substantial corporate donations and has partnerships with businesses and organisations across the region.
Willie Prince - Disability advocate
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders with a disability have a voice thanks to a passionate advocate, Willie Prince. Willie is a member of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Disability Network of Queensland (ATSIDNQ) which acts as a link between government services and the community and raises awareness about cultural needs and how services can be improved, particularly in rural and remote areas.
Willie was a sick child in the 1960s when he was separated from his family in Cherbourg and raised in an institution. It took 17 years for him to reconnect with his culture. “I don’t want any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander with a disability to go through what I had to,” Willie says.
Today Willie shares his culture where he works, at the Indigenous Knowledge Centre at the State Library
of Queensland.
ATSIDNQ 1300 363 783