Disability Awareness - "That's The Normal Thing To Do "

Disability Awareness - "That's The Normal Thing To Do" is a personal experience which raises awareness of the practice of forced cotenancy by the Queensland Government. This is as a direct result of block funding, whereby a service provider is funded for the number of individuals they can provide care for. This creates institutions that are not client focused and does not offer people choice as to who they live with. We would like to see more individualised funding for people with disability in Queensland. This shall offer people choice over WHO provides their care, WHAT that care is and WHERE they live. These are basic human rights. Individualised funding is more affordable and personalised which ensures people receive the care they want, not the care organisations feel they should have.

If you are in a similar situation to Jean and Mike, or their daughter Samantha, we'd love to hear from you. We have a vision that this video shall inspire others to share their stories of dealing with forced cotenancy and how block funding is destroying their lives. We want to hear from you. We need to hear from you.

Suggestions:
Use the 'film' option on your digital camera
Record a video using your mobile phone
Use the camera on your computer (the one you use for Skype)
If you want to edit, use the basic software that should come free with your computer

The video doesn't need to be fancy and it doesn't need to be complicated. It just needs to be you sharing your story. The more stories we have the more the powers-that-be shall see this is not as an isolated case but rather that Jean and Mike's story is representative of a large and motivated population!!!

Get keen!!!

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• disability awareness
• disability services
• disability rights
• problems with funding
• block funding
• lack of support
• SUFY
• normal
• normal thing
• lack of choice
• lack of freedom

[ViewsFromHear]

DudleysMa,

Thankyou for your comments and I'm sorry to hear that you and your daughter are facing similar challenges. It's frustrating to think that despite so much information out there about different funding models available, our policy makers seem unable to consider them, let alone implement them. There is some great work being done out there. I'll add some links to some groups in South-East Queensland that may be able to give you some support. You may have already heard about them.

[ViewsFromHear]

Just google the word in bold to find their websites

Mamre (MAMRE). Is a service provider and advocacy organisation that has great workshops and facilitates some individualised funding models.

Queensland Parents of People with Disability (QPPD). An advocacy and support group for parents.

Queenslanders with Disability Network (QDN). An advocacy and support network for people with disability.

Community Resource Unit (CRU). Rungs great workshops. Aims for systemic change

[DudleysMa]

crying as I watch this. I too have a daughter with a disability. Did we really bring people out of institutions so they could live in mini institutions as they become adults. Please someone listen to parents and their adult children with a disability. Is an ordinary life really too much to ask?

[bellacasss]

This video raises awareness about lifestyle choice for young people with disabilities. The viewer is strongly engaged because we all feel the need to be connected with our parents and so do our children. We empathize with Sam's parents and Sam who can't connect to their family without the obstacle of bureaucracy. It's time the government investigated their funding procedures to give people with a disability the dignity and choice they deserve.

[MrTWeissMA]

Forcing people into institutions based on supposed, 'financial reasons,' when it is less-expensive to provide equivalent supports in the person's home is tantamount to a crime against humanity. Such actions are being taken by governments around the world, to include the United States of America. Despite the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, MONEY is being used as an excuse to marginalize and institutionalize people with disabilities.