This is the Get That Good Life! Conference replay. This podcast series features most of the presentations from Imagine More’s 2021 conference.Imagine More is a family-led, not-for-profit organisation based in Canberra Australia that inspires people with disability and their families to get the good things of life.What to expect from this podcastWe all want the Good Life: for ourselves and for the people we care about.But, traditionally, people with disability have been denied access to (or given a watered-down version of) many of the things that make life meaningful, purposeful and interesting.The 2021 Get That Good Life! conference was all about identifying the things that make life good and how to ensure that people with disability have access to the same opportunities as everybody else. It provided attendees with countless ideas and strategies that help create wonderfully ordinary lives for people with disability.The conference unashamedly shared ideas and stories that have high expectations for the lives of people with disability. In it, you’ll hear many examples of people with disability whohave chosen an ordinary life pathhold meaningful and valued roles, andparticipate in and contribute to their local communities, all with the right support.The presentations are from an exciting group of local, national, and international speakers that joined us to share their insights, stories, and best practice strategies.  Expect to come away with plenty of actionable ideas from every episode!The podcast is free and is available on your favourite podcast app.You’ll find more information, resources, and inspiration about getting the good things in life for people with disability on our website, imaginemore.org.au.

According to the Disability Standards of Education, every child has the right to access and participate in teaching, learning and assessment experiences on the same basis as their peers. But what does this look like in reality? As a parent, how do you ensure it’s happening for your child? As a teacher, how do you make sure you are providing it for your students?Many children with disability have individual learning goals. These are often formalised into an Individual Education Plan. As a result, the student often ends up doing different work than their classmates. In this presentation, Sarah Humphreys shared examples of how these personal goals can instead help provide access to the same learning as the rest of the class. Her goal was for participants to feel confident to not settle for “doing something else”.This session has been split into three parts. This is part one.IntroductionThis session was introduced by Laura EsplinHello, I'm Laura Mary Esplin. I'm a Year 4 student, a sister, and a gymnast. I am here to tell you about Sarah Humphreys. Sarah lives in Sydney. She is a big supporter of Inclusive Education. She works with schools to help them practise UDL (Universal Design for Learning). Today, Sarah will tell us how kids can learn the same things in different ways. And I hope you enjoy listening to Sarah.Meet Sarah HumphreysSarah Humphreys is an inclusion consultant and co-founder of Inclusive Schools Australia. She is passionate about developing and promoting curriculum access for all. Sarah promotes the use of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to achieve this goal.She presented at the UDL Implementation and Research Network, USA, on how the principles of UDL were applied to the development of the Australian Curriculum. She now works with schools supporting its implementation.Sarah has a Master’s Degree in Special Education from London University.Resources related to Sarah's presentationResources by Sarah Humphreys in Padlet- your electronic webinar handoutUDL vs DI: The Dinner Party Analogy by Dr Katie Novak - the video that Sarah shared in part one of her presentationContact detailsWebsite: https://inclusiveschools.com.au/Twitter: https://twitter.com/inclusiveschausFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/inclusiveschaus

According to the Disability Standards of Education, every child has the right to access and participate in teaching, learning and assessment experiences on the same basis as their peers. But what does this look like in reality? As a parent, how do you ensure it’s happening for your child? As a teacher, how do you make sure you are providing it for your students?Many children with disability have individual learning goals. These are often formalised into an Individual Education Plan. As a result, the student often ends up doing different work than their classmates. In this presentation, Sarah Humphreys shared examples of how these personal goals can instead help provide access to the same learning as the rest of the class. Her goal was for participants to feel confident to not settle for “doing something else”.This session has been split into three parts. This is part two.In part one Sarah talked about how a group of people can all do the same thing but can go about it in different ways. She highlighted the importance of presuming competence, "all students can learn" and providing choice and flexibility through the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework.Meet Sarah HumphreysSarah Humphreys is an inclusion consultant and co-founder of Inclusive Schools Australia. She is passionate about developing and promoting curriculum access for all. Sarah promotes the use of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to achieve this goal.She presented at the UDL Implementation and Research Network, USA, on how the principles of UDL were applied to the development of the Australian Curriculum. She now works with schools supporting its implementation.Sarah has a Master’s Degree in Special Education from London University.Resources related to Sarah's presentationResources by Sarah Humphreys in Padlet- your electronic webinar handoutHandsOptional - Next Star - the video about Christopher Hills that Sarah shared in part two of her presentationContact detailsWebsite: https://inclusiveschools.com.au/Twitter: https://twitter.com/inclusiveschausFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/inclusiveschaus

According to the Disability Standards of Education, every child has the right to access and participate in teaching, learning and assessment experiences on the same basis as their peers. But what does this look like in reality? As a parent, how do you ensure it’s happening for your child? As a teacher, how do you make sure you are providing it for your students?Many children with disability have individual learning goals. These are often formalised into an Individual Education Plan. As a result, the student often ends up doing different work than their classmates. In this presentation, Sarah Humphreys shared examples of how these personal goals can instead help provide access to the same learning as the rest of the class. Her goal was for participants to feel confident to not settle for “doing something else”.This session has been split into three parts. This is part three.In part one Sarah talked about how a group of students can all do the same thing but can go about it in different ways. She highlighted the importance of presuming competence, "all students can learn" and providing choice and flexibility through the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework.In part two we heard how well thought out goals can support access to the same learning.Meet Sarah HumphreysSarah Humphreys is an inclusion consultant and co-founder of Inclusive Schools Australia. She is passionate about developing and promoting curriculum access for all. Sarah promotes the use of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to achieve this goal.She presented at the UDL Implementation and Research Network, USA, on how the principles of UDL were applied to the development of the Australian Curriculum. She now works with schools supporting its implementation.Sarah has a Master’s Degree in Special Education from London University.Resources related to Sarah's presentationResources by Sarah Humphreys in Padlet- your electronic webinar handoutContact detailsWebsite: https://inclusiveschools.com.au/Twitter: https://twitter.com/inclusiveschausFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/inclusiveschaus

In this second pre-conference webinar, Milton Tyree joined us from the US to discuss the significance of suitable employment for people with disabilities. The session focused on the evolution of open employment services over the last 40 years.One of the most challenging decisions facing employment supporters is determining their own role. It can be hard to know when to get involved and when to step aside. So Milton discussed the best way to instruct and support an employee with a disability.Related to this role dilemma, Milton examined the relevance of two frameworks for the role of the employment supporter:Social Role Valorisation (SRV) theory’s Culturally Valued Analogue (CVA)Marc Gold & Associates (MG&A) 7-Phase SequenceMilton then introduced the concept of Discovery. Discovery is an alternative to competitive, comparative methods of traditional vocational assessment. He explainedthe benefits of devoting time to peoplehow to discern interests related to workhow to identify conditions for the employee to be at their best, andhow to let employers know the contributions that the person can offer to the workplace.Finally, Milton explained the distinctions between customised jobs and labour market jobs. He introduced the concept of personal representation in job development.This session has been split into three parts. This is part one.IntroductionThis session was introduced by Max Grinsell-JonesHi, my name is Max. I would like to introduce Milton Tyree. Milton lives in the USA. He helps people with disability to have strong work roles. He has been doing this for many years. Milton helps people and workplaces to be more inclusive. He shows them how to create work roles to suit each person. His work is based on SRV. Milton will show us how to get a job set up well right from the start.Today Milton will be talking about “Doing a Good Job of Getting a Good Job in Open Employment”. I hope you enjoy listening to Milton. Meet Milton TyreeMilton, who is based in the US, has professional and personal experience over decades of helping people with disabilities have strong work roles. He uses the principles of SRV (Social Role Valorisation) as a foundation for his work.Milton helps individuals and organisations include, involve, and appreciate people who are so often unknown, misunderstood, and rejected. He’ll be sharing his insights about customised employment and how to get the job set up well right from the start.In 2013, Milton received The Marc Gold Award for Employment. This award is presented annually to an individual who has made a significant contribution to increasing access to community and integrated employment for people with significant disabilities.Milton is a Project Associate for the University of Kentucky. He owns Milton Tyree Employment Consulting LLC.Resources related to in Milton’s presentationMarc Gold and AssociatesBellamy, G. T., Rhodes, L. E., Mank, D. M., & Albin, J. M. (1988). Supported employment: A community implementation guide. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. Nazarov, Z. E., Golden, T. P., & von Schrader, S. (2012). Prevocational services and supported employment wages. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 37 (2), 119 - 129.Sandra Stokley (2016) For Transition-Age Students, Mock Store Offers Job Training. The Press-Enterprise/TNS (March 1 2016)

Milton Tyree joined us from the US to discuss the significance of suitable employment for people with disabilities. The session focused on the evolution of open employment services over the last 40 years.One of the most challenging decisions facing employment supporters is determining their own role. It can be hard to know when to get involved and when to step aside. So Milton discussed the best way to instruct and support an employee with a disability.Related to this role dilemma, Milton examined the relevance of two frameworks for the role of the employment supporter:Social Role Valorisation (SRV) theory’s Culturally Valued Analogue (CVA)Marc Gold & Associates (MG&A) 7-Phase SequenceMilton introduced the concept of Discovery. Discovery is an alternative to competitive, comparative methods of traditional vocational assessment. He explainedthe benefits of devoting time to peoplehow to discern interests related to workhow to identify conditions for the employee to be at their best, andhow to let employers know the contributions that the person can offer to the workplace.Finally, Milton explained the distinctions between customised jobs and labour market jobs. He introduced the concept of personal representation in job development.This session has been split into three parts. This is part two.In part one Milton talked about why employment is important for people with disabilities and explored some ways that open employment has raised the bar for suitably challenging, fitting employment possibilities for people with disability.Meet Milton TyreeMilton, who is based in the US, has professional and personal experience over decades of helping people with disabilities have strong work roles. He uses the principles of SRV (Social Role Valorisation) as a foundation for his work.Milton helps individuals and organisations include, involve, and appreciate people who are so often unknown, misunderstood, and rejected. He’ll be sharing his insights about customised employment and how to get the job set up well right from the start.In 2013, Milton received The Marc Gold Award for Employment. This award is presented annually to an individual who has made a significant contribution to increasing access to community and integrated employment for people with significant disabilities.Milton is a Project Associate for the University of Kentucky. He owns Milton Tyree Employment Consulting LLC.Resources related to Milton’s presentationMarc Gold and Associates - Discovery SeriesNisbet, J., & Hagner, D. (1988). Natural supports in the workplace: A reexamination of supported employment. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 13(4), 260–267.Mank, D., Cioffi, A., & Yovanoff, P. (1997). Analysis of the typicalness of supported employment jobs, natural supports, and wage and integration outcomes. Mental Retardation, 35(3), 185–197.Keys to the Workplace: Skills and Supports for People With Disabilities (1997) by Michael J. Callahan and J. Bradley Garner Marc Gold and...

Milton Tyree joined us from the US to discuss the significance of suitable employment for people with disabilities. The session focused on the evolution of open employment services over the last 40 years.One of the most challenging decisions facing employment supporters is determining their own role. It can be hard to know when to get involved and when to step aside. So Milton discussed the best way to instruct and support an employee with a disability.Related to this role dilemma, Milton examined the relevance of two frameworks for the role of the employment supporter:Social Role Valorisation (SRV) theory’s Culturally Valued Analogue (CVA)Marc Gold & Associates (MG&A) 7-Phase SequenceMilton introduced the concept of Discovery. Discovery is an alternative to competitive, comparative methods of traditional vocational assessment. He explainedthe benefits of devoting time to peoplehow to discern interests related to workhow to identify conditions for the employee to be at their best, andhow to let employers know the contributions that the person can offer to the workplace.Finally, Milton explained the distinctions between customised jobs and labour market jobs. He introduces the concept of personal representation in job development.This session has been split into three parts. This is part three.In part one Milton talked about why employment is important for people with disabilities and explored some ways that open employment has raised the bar for suitably challenging, fitting employment possibilities for people with disability. In part two Milton provided an overview of Discovery and an introduction to Job Development.Meet Milton TyreeMilton, who is based in the US, has professional and personal experience over decades of helping people with disabilities have strong work roles. He uses the principles of SRV (Social Role Valorisation) as a foundation for his work.Milton helps individuals and organisations include, involve, and appreciate people who are so often unknown, misunderstood, and rejected. He’ll be sharing his insights about customised employment and how to get the job set up well right from the start.In 2013, Milton received The Marc Gold Award for Employment. This award is presented annually to an individual who has made a significant contribution to increasing access to community and integrated employment for people with significant disabilities.Milton is a Project Associate for the University of Kentucky. He owns Milton Tyree Employment Consulting LLC.Resources related to Milton’s presentationMarc Gold and Associates - Discovery SeriesMarc Gold and Associates - Job Development Series

When Families and Paid Supporters share a vision of the role and value of paid support in bringing about a fuller, contributing life in the community, then anything is possible!Families don’t have time or resources to waste, so this session will focus on tactics that are immediately actionable. You’ll learn ways to ensure that paid support leads to meaningful and rich lifestyles that are filled with opportunities for contribution and relationship.During this two-hour presentation, Janet will focus on the unique role of paid support. She’ll explain how the role can be powerful when both family and paid supporters understand what “effective support” actually means.You’ll gain clarity about the most crucial role of the supporter: being a bridge to community and relationship. Janet will share stories, strategies, and examples of effective bridge-building. These are based on many years of combined experience with families and supports.You will learn:about support as an essential bridging rolehow to create situations that will provide rich opportunities for building a bridge.Then Janet will provide some practical tactics, includinghow to turn everyday situations into moments of possibilityhow to think through all support actions and requirements using the “bridge lens”, andhow to provide direct support to make a lasting difference in people’s lives.This presentation is a must-see for families and the support workers, coaches, and mentors they employ.This session has been split into four parts. This is part one.IntroductionThis session was introduced by Gus ReicheltHi, my name is Gus. I would like to tell you about Janet Klees. Janet lives in Canada. Her work is very important. It is based on SRV (Social Role Valorisation). She helps people with disability to get the good things in life. Janet believes that it's important to build strong communities that welcome everyone. People with disability do best when they live in their local community. Janet is very good at teaching the best way to support people with disability.Today Janet will speak to us about "Building a Powerhouse Team: Families and Their Support." I hope you enjoy listening to Janet.Meet Janet KleesJanet Klees is the Executive Director of the Durham Association for Family Resources and Support, a family-centred, SRV-anchored resource and support centre for families interested in building good, ordinary lives in community for and with their family members with disability.Janet has spoken many times at our events over the years. She is a popular presenter because of her ability to communicate the nuances of supporting people with disability to enjoy the good things of life.Resources related to Janet’s presentationBuilding a Context for Relationship - Janet abbreviates this to "BCR" during her presentationSocial Role Valorisation (SRV)Resources on SRV on the Imagine More websiteInternational Social Role Valorisation AssociationAustralian SRV Association (ASRVA)

When Families and Paid Supporters share a vision of the role and value of paid support in bringing about a fuller, contributing life in the community, then anything is possible!Families don’t have time or resources to waste, so this session will focus on tactics that are immediately actionable. You’ll learn ways to ensure that paid support leads to meaningful and rich lifestyles that are filled with opportunities for contribution and relationship.During this two-hour presentation, Janet will focus on the unique role of paid support. She’ll explain how the role can be powerful when both family and paid supporters understand what “effective support” actually means.You’ll gain clarity about the most crucial role of the supporter: being a bridge to community and relationship. Janet will share stories, strategies, and examples of effective bridge-building. These are based on many years of combined experience with families and supports.You will learn:about support as an essential bridging rolehow to create situations that will provide rich opportunities for building a bridge.Then Janet will provide some practical tactics, includinghow to turn everyday situations into moments of possibilityhow to think through all support actions and requirements using the “bridge lens”, andhow to provide direct support to make a lasting difference in people’s lives.This presentation is a must-see for families and the support workers, coaches, and mentors they employ.This session has been split into four parts. This is part two.In part one Janet talked about how crafting and sharing a vision for a good life provides a path forward to a desirable future.Meet Janet KleesJanet Klees is the Executive Director of the Durham Association for Family Resources and Support, a family-centred, SRV-anchored resource and support centre for families interested in building good, ordinary lives in community for and with their family members with disability.Janet has spoken many times at our events over the years. She is a popular presenter because of her ability to communicate the nuances of supporting people with disability to enjoy the good things of life.Resources related to Janet’s presentationBuilding a Context for Relationship - Janet abbreviates this to "BCR" during her presentationSocial Role Valorisation (SRV)Resources on SRV on the Imagine More websiteInternational Social Role Valorisation AssociationAustralian SRV Association (ASRVA)

When Families and Paid Supporters share a vision of the role and value of paid support in bringing about a fuller, contributing life in the community, then anything is possible!Families don’t have time or resources to waste, so this session will focus on tactics that are immediately actionable. You’ll learn ways to ensure that paid support leads to meaningful and rich lifestyles that are filled with opportunities for contribution and relationship.During this two-hour presentation, Janet will focus on the unique role of paid support. She’ll explain how the role can be powerful when both family and paid supporters understand what “effective support” actually means.You’ll gain clarity about the most crucial role of the supporter: being a bridge to community and relationship. Janet will share stories, strategies, and examples of effective bridge-building. These are based on many years of combined experience with families and supports.You will learn:about support as an essential bridging rolehow to create situations that will provide rich opportunities for building a bridge.Then Janet will provide some practical tactics, includinghow to turn everyday situations into moments of possibilityhow to think through all support actions and requirements using the “bridge lens”, andhow to provide direct support to make a lasting difference in people’s lives.This presentation is a must-see for families and the support workers, coaches, and mentors they employ.This session has been split into four parts. This is part three.In part one Janet talked about how crafting and sharing a vision for a good life provides a path forward to a desirable future. Part two included ideas to thoughtfully get to know who the person is at their core. Janet also investigated the essential role of (paid) support being the bridging of relationships, not the relationships itself.Meet Janet KleesJanet Klees is the Executive Director of the Durham Association for Family Resources and Support, a family-centred, SRV-anchored resource and support centre for families interested in building good, ordinary lives in community for and with their family members with disability.Janet has spoken many times at our events over the years. She is a popular presenter because of her ability to communicate the nuances of supporting people with disability to enjoy the good things of life.Resources related to Janet’s presentationBuilding a Context for Relationship - Janet abbreviates this to "BCR" during her presentationSocial Role Valorisation (SRV)Resources on SRV on the Imagine More websiteInternational Social Role Valorisation AssociationAustralian SRV Association (ASRVA)

When Families and Paid Supporters share a vision of the role and value of paid support in bringing about a fuller, contributing life in the community, then anything is possible!Families don’t have time or resources to waste, so this session will focus on tactics that are immediately actionable. You’ll learn ways to ensure that paid support leads to meaningful and rich lifestyles that are filled with opportunities for contribution and relationship.During this two-hour presentation, Janet will focus on the unique role of paid support. She’ll explain how the role can be powerful when both family and paid supporters understand what “effective support” actually means.You’ll gain clarity about the most crucial role of the supporter: being a bridge to community and relationship. Janet will share stories, strategies, and examples of effective bridge-building. These are based on many years of combined experience with families and supports.You will learn:about support as an essential bridging rolehow to create situations that will provide rich opportunities for building a bridge.Then Janet will provide some practical tactics, includinghow to turn everyday situations into moments of possibilityhow to think through all support actions and requirements using the “bridge lens”, andhow to provide direct support to make a lasting difference in people’s lives.This presentation is a must-see for families and the support workers, coaches, and mentors they employ.This session has been split into four parts. This is part four.In part one Janet talked about how crafting and sharing a vision for a good life provides a path forward to a desirable future. Part two included ideas to thoughtfully get to know who the person is at their core. Janet also investigated the essential role of (paid) support being the bridging of relationships, not the relationships itself. In part three Janet shared some intentional design and implementation strategies focused on building valued roles.Meet Janet KleesJanet Klees is the Executive Director of the Durham Association for Family Resources and Support, a family-centred, SRV-anchored resource and support centre for families interested in building good, ordinary lives in community for and with their family members with disability.Janet has spoken many times at our events over the years. She is a popular presenter because of her ability to communicate the nuances of supporting people with disability to enjoy the good things of life.Resources related to Janet’s presentationBuilding a Context for Relationship - Janet abbreviates this to "BCR" during her presentationSocial Role Valorisation (SRV)Resources on SRV on the Imagine More websiteInternational Social Role Valorisation AssociationAustralian SRV Association (ASRVA)

In this presentation, you will hear how Jacob’s family thoughtfully and intentionally crafted a Good Life for him.Jacob leads a life full of meaning, purpose, contribution, and belonging. Amongst other roles, he is aWoolworths employeesmall business ownercoffee trailer volunteersurfer and surf club memberdancergym and music enthusiastand much-loved brother and uncle.Together, Jacob’s family made intentional choices about critical life elements such as education, community and work. The strong Vision they hold for Jacob’s life has guided this process every step of the way.This presentation will highlight the importance of having a Vision for a Good Life. It will emphasise the value of seeking typical experiences and holding high expectations for people with disability. And it will demonstrate how community connection can lead to opportunities, enduring relationships, and a life filled with rich experiences.IntroductionThis session was introduced by Jessie Ward.Hello everyone. My name is Jessie Ward.  I am a year 12 student, and I am here to introduce you to Annette Bush and Jacob Bush. Jacob is a young man of 22 years. He lives in NSW. He is a surfer, a gym member, dancer and an Essential worker at Woolworths. He has followed an ordinary inclusive life throughout school. This has given him many opportunities for getting good things in life. Annette is Jacob's mother.  She is a big believer of inclusion. Annette has presented at many workshops about the benefits of having an inclusive life for people with disability. She thinks having an inclusive start at school is very important in getting the ‘Good Things in life’. Today Annette will share Jacob’s journey with us. She will talk to us about the importance of having a vision and how this helped her son walk an ordinary life path to get the good things in life. Meet JacobJacob is a young man of 22 years. He is a surfer, gym member, bike rider, and dancer. Pursuing these interests has broadened his connections to his community while also keeping him fit and healthy.Jacob graduated from Year 12 in 2018. Throughout his school years, Jacob was fully included in regular classes alongside his peers. This typical school journey provided many opportunities, including numerous work experience placements during high school. These experiences led to Jacob’s current employment as an essential worker at Woolworths.Meet AnnetteAnnette is the mother of five children and grandmother to two. She is passionate about inclusion and belonging in community.Annette believes that inclusion in the school setting is where the Good Life journey starts. In her experience, inclusive education was the critical factor that created community belonging for her son.Annette has been affiliated with Family Advocacy NSW for 18 years. She has spoken at and facilitated many workshops promoting inclusion in education, the community, and the workforce.Resources related to Annette’s presentationVision - Resources about Vision on the Imagine More websiteInclusive education - Resources about inclusive education on the Imagine More websiteEmployment - Resources about employment on the Imagine More websiteAccept Difference Inclusive Employment - This is the video shared in the presentation that...

In this practical, interactive session, Janet Klees will zero in on some essential elements and strategies that ensure that you and your team are on their way to making a lasting and positive difference in the lifestyle and experience of your family member.Together, we will:Discover which elements to focus on to make the most significant difference in a good life in community with your family memberZero in on the different perspectives of every team member – the person, family, support – and why this mattersDefine “good support” – what does it look like, feel like, sound like when it happens, and what gets in the wayLearn how to orient new staff to the position of being a bridge to communityExplore the concept of being a bridge:how your presence can impact belongingwhat “fading” can look like, andthe inherent but essential tensions to masterLearn how to harness resilienceDiscover the power of thinking in metaphorThis session has been split into three parts. This is part one.Introduction This session was introduced by Gus ReicheltHi, my name is Gus. I would like to tell you about Janet Klees. Janet lives in Canada. Her work is very important. It is based on SRV (Social Role Valorisation). She helps people with disability to get the good things in life. Janet believes that it's important to build strong communities that welcome everyone. Janet is very good at teaching the best way to support people with disability.Last time Janet spoke about "Building a Powerhouse Team: Families and Their Support." Her presentation today is called “Towards Mastering the Essentials of the Powerhouse Team.”I hope you enjoy listening to Janet.Meet Janet KleesJanet Klees is the Executive Director of the Durham Association for Family Resources and Support, a family-centred, SRV-anchored resource and support centre for families interested in building good, ordinary lives in community for and with their family members with disability.Janet has spoken many times at our events over the years. She is a popular presenter because of her ability to communicate the nuances of supporting people with disability to enjoy the good things of life.Resources mentioned in Janet’s presentationSocial Role Valorisation (SRV)Resources about SRV on the Imagine More websiteInternational Social Role Valorisation AssociationAustralian SRV Association (ASRVA)Vision - Resources about vision on the Imagine More websiteThe Good Things in Life - Resources about A Good Life on the Imagine More websiteWe come bearing gifts: The story of the Deohaeko Support Network (1996) by Janet Klees - available from CRUOur Presence Has Roots: The ongoing story of the Deohaeko Support Network (2005) by Janet Klees - available

In this practical, interactive session, Janet Klees will zero in on some essential elements and strategies that ensure that you and your team are on their way to making a lasting and positive difference in the lifestyle and experience of your family member.Together, we will:Discover which elements to focus on to make the most significant difference in a good life in community with your family memberZero in on the different perspectives of every team member – the person, family, support – and why this mattersDefine “good support” – what does it look like, feel like, sound like when it happens, and what gets in the wayLearn how to orient new staff to the position of being a bridge to communityExplore the concept of being a bridge:how your presence can impact belongingwhat “fading” can look like, andthe inherent but essential tensions to masterLearn how to harness resilienceDiscover the power of thinking in metaphorThis session has been split into three parts. This is part two.Meet Janet KleesJanet Klees is the Executive Director of the Durham Association for Family Resources and Support, a family-centred, SRV-anchored resource and support centre for families interested in building good, ordinary lives in community for and with their family members with disability.Janet has spoken many times at our events over the years. She is a popular presenter because of her ability to communicate the nuances of supporting people with disability to enjoy the good things of life.Resources mentioned in Janet’s presentationSocial Role Valorisation (SRV)Resources about SRV on the Imagine More websiteInternational Social Role Valorisation AssociationAustralian SRV Association (ASRVA)Vision - Resources about vision on the Imagine More websiteThe Good Things in Life - Resources about A Good Life on the Imagine More websiteWe come bearing gifts: The story of the Deohaeko Support Network (1996) by Janet Klees - available from CRUOur Presence Has Roots: The ongoing story of the Deohaeko Support Network (2005) by Janet Klees - available from CRU

In this practical, interactive session, Janet Klees will zero in on some essential elements and strategies that ensure that you and your team are on their way to making a lasting and positive difference in the lifestyle and experience of your family member.Together, we will:Discover which elements to focus on to make the most significant difference in a good life in community with your family memberZero in on the different perspectives of every team member – the person, family, support – and why this mattersDefine “good support” – what does it look like, feel like, sound like when it happens, and what gets in the wayLearn how to orient new staff to the position of being a bridge to communityExplore the concept of being a bridge:how your presence can impact belongingwhat “fading” can look like, andthe inherent but essential tensions to masterLearn how to harness resilienceDiscover the power of thinking in metaphorThis session has been split into three parts. This is part two.Meet Janet KleesJanet Klees is the Executive Director of the Durham Association for Family Resources and Support, a family-centred, SRV-anchored resource and support centre for families interested in building good, ordinary lives in community for and with their family members with disability.Janet has spoken many times at our events over the years. She is a popular presenter because of her ability to communicate the nuances of supporting people with disability to enjoy the good things of life.Resources mentioned in Janet’s presentationSocial Role Valorisation (SRV)Resources about SRV on the Imagine More websiteInternational Social Role Valorisation AssociationAustralian SRV Association (ASRVA)Vision - Resources about vision on the Imagine More websiteThe Good Things in Life - Resources about A Good Life on the Imagine More websiteWe come bearing gifts: The story of the Deohaeko Support Network (1996) by Janet Klees - available from CRUOur Presence Has Roots: The ongoing story of the Deohaeko Support Network (2005) by Janet Klees - available from CRU

People with sensory/movement differences and diversity may process the world around them in a manner that can result in behaviour that causes them trouble. In this conference session, Kate McGinnity and Anna Nikolay share their experiences of understanding and supporting individuals with sensory and movement differences. Their focus for every individual is on finding the root cause of their behaviours.Kate and Anna willexplain different types of sensory processingdescribe how the method of processing may provide clues about the function of the behaviourexplain how we can better support an individual’s processing so they may live their best lives.When people see unusual behaviours, they tend to make assumptions that may be unhelpful. So Kate and Anna will share a framework for thinking about behaviour from a processing perspective. You’ll see examples and hear descriptions of how tosupport the processingsupport new behavioursupport bigger lives.IntroductionThis session was introduced by Sethmi LekamarachchiHello, my name is Sethmi. I am a high schooler, sister and a dancer. I am here to tell you about Kate McGinnity and Anna Nikolay. They both live in the USA. They help people with Autism to enjoy the good life.Today they will tell us why some people behave differently. Sharon Hammer and Lisa Ladson work with Kate and Anna. They will join us later for the Q&A.Please welcome Kate, Anna, Sharon, and Lisa.Meet Kate McGinnityKate is an international presenter and author as well as a nationally recognised consultant/coach and teacher in the field of autism. She has over 35 years of experience working with individuals with autism and their families.During her tenure as a teacher, Kate was recognised as the National Teacher of the Year by the Autism Society of America. She is currently involved in private practice providing training and consultation/coaching to professionals and parents. She also provides counselling and yoga to individuals on the autism spectrum. Kate has taught graduate-level autism-related courses, through a variety of universities.Kate is the co-author of three books. She is committed to bringing her passion and compassion to every aspect of her work and life.Meet Anne NikolayAnna Nikolay is a special education teacher and Autism consultant in Wisconsin. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2018 with degrees in Elementary and Special Education. She has taught special education in Wisconsin since then.Anna was selected early in her career to be a member of an esteemed group of colleagues on a district-wide autism support team. After one year, Anna began co-leading the team.Anna develops and presents trainings for staff and families on a variety of autism and other special education-related topics. She is known for her ability to collaborate with individuals and students who cross her path.In 2019 Anna started her Autism consulting business Nikolay Consulting, LLC. Through Nikolay Consulting, she helps support and amplify the voices of individuals with Autism. In 2020, Anna started in the Education Policy and K-12 Leadership Masters program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Resources related to Kate and Anna’s presentationAutism Processing video - A basic visual and description of how the retrieval, processing, and storage of the autistic neurology functions.Lights! Camera! Autism! 2 by Kate McGinnity, Sharon Hammer and Lisa Ladson (2013) - This book addresses the “how” around using ‘video modelling’ to assist people with Autism with learning. Available...

Societal attitudes have failed to acknowledge that people with a disability are sexual beings. They have the same rights to sexual expression, education, and health as people without a disability. Yet, people with disability have traditionally not had access to information about sexuality. Their differing needs for sexuality education has also been widely overlooked.People with disability face many challenges regarding their sexuality and relationships. But, as Tim will show us, these challenges aren’t inherently due to their disability. The root of these challenges reveals a broader social lack of clarity and consistency about these topics.In this presentation, Tim will share ways we can support people with disability in conversations about relationships and sexuality at home, at school and in the workplace. He’ll also explain how to access health information and education that is meaningful and relevant.IntroductionThis session was introduced by Gus ReicheltHi, my name is Gus. I am here to introduce Tim Bavinton. He works with young people at Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT. He helps people with disability learn about sexual health. Today he will talk to us about how relationships and sexuality is important to all of us. I hope you enjoy listening to Tim. Meet Tim BavintonTim Bavinton is a youth worker, teacher and community educator, and manager by training. He is currently the Executive Director of Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT (SHFPACT). Before this, Tim established Service Assisting Male Survivors of Sexual Assault (SAMSSA) in the ACT under the auspice of the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre.Tim’s professional interests includeyouth healthprevention of sexual violence andthe role of education for personal and community empowerment.Tim’s personal interests include history, languages, good food, wine and coffee, and being a dad.Resources related to Tim’s presentationSexual Health and Family Planning ACTUN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)Universal Declaration of Human Rights

In this presentation, Erosha shares the story of how she successfully got her daughter Sethmi out of an autism unit. Sethmi is now physically, socially, and academically included in another school.Many professionals told Erosha that Sethmi wasn’t ‘ready’ to be fully included in a mainstream classroom. So the family moved Sethmi to a school that shared their belief that, with the opportunity of inclusion, they would see her potential.Sethmi’s achievements demonstrate just how right the family was.IntroductionThis session was introduced by Laura EsplinHello, my name is Laura Mary Esplin. I am a year 4 student, sister and gymnast. I am here to tell you about Erosha.Erosha is a mother of three children. She works at Imagine More. She is also studying psychology. She is a great believer of Inclusive Education. Today she will talk about her daughter Sethmi and their inclusive education journey. Meet Erosha BakmiwewaErosha is the mother of three children, Sethmi, Jayden and Keisha. She was a financial analyst before moving on to community services and enrolling for further studies in psychology. Currently, Erosha works at Imagine More as a facilitator, mainly in the Inclusive Education space.Erosha’s priorities in life changed when her eldest was diagnosed with ASD as a toddler. Since then, Erosha has been an active advocate of inclusion. This advocacy has been instrumental in getting Sethmi enrolled in a mainstream school.Among Erosha’s passions are many community initiatives, includingfundraising for charitiescreating awareness of Inclusive Educationand helping other families achieve good life outcomes for their family members.Erosha is a dance enthusiast. She cooks amazing meals, moves mountains for friends and family, and really enjoys a good chat, with or without coffee.Resources mentioned in Erosha’s presentationVision - Resources about vision on the Imagine More websiteDarcy Elks - Darcy is an educator, consultant, human service evaluator, and advocate on behalf of people who are socially devalued.Inclusive Education - Resources about inclusive education on the Imagine More websiteReading Mastery program - to find out more about this program please contact Erosha: erosha@imaginemore.org.au Amigos - A Bunch of Mates - Erosha Bakmiwewa created a friendship group called The Amigos around her daughter Sethmi, who is fully included in her primary school. She explains how difficult it was to first start a friendship circle because of the emotional involvement. But it’s been well worth the challenges, and the experience has been very rewarding for Sethmi.Contact detailsErosha can be contacted at Imagine More

When their daughter Katie was born 35 years ago, Sue and Neil began to make plans for the future. Katie has lived in a home of her own for the past 14 years. She is well known by her neighbours and has tasked herself with many neighbourhood roles. The impact of autism has made it difficult for Katie to be understood at times. This hasn’t stopped the family from supporting Katie to live her best life in her home and make decisions for herself.Now, with retirement on their minds, Sue and Neil are planning to move to a new town in the heart of New Zealand. Katie will be moving to her new home in the same town at the same time. This move will be the culmination of a long design phase and some powerful planning.This is a story about a family with a strong vision, resilience, and creativity. It’s about what they did when funding was available and when it wasn’t. It’s about how they respect Katie’s ongoing independence and autonomy and how they recognise and help her make the most of her strengths. And it’s about the evolution of Katie’s support team over time, preparing for the time when Sue and Neil have “fallen off their perch.”IntroductionThis session was introduced by Gus ReicheltHi, my name is Gus. I am here to introduce Sue Robert-son. Sue lives in New Zealand. She has worked with people with disability for over 30 years. Sue believes in inclusion and family leadership. Sue has a daughter named Katie.Today Sue will tell us how Katie got her own home. Her presentation is called “Preparing for when we fall off our perch”. I hope you enjoy listening to Sue. Meet Sue RobertsonSue Robertson has more than 30 years of experience in the disability sector. She has dedicated her career to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and is a fearless champion for families. Sue has spoken internationally on inclusion, family leadership and family governance. She is a facilitator of PATH plans and bespoke personal planning.Somewhere in this journey, Sue completed a Bachelor of Social Sciences and a Diploma in Care Coordination to add to her teaching qualifications. She learns constantly from leaders and mentors with lived experiences of impairment, especially about the disabling impact of societal attitudes about disability. She is encouraged by stories from people who generously share their insights and wisdom.Sue is currently is Change and Practice Manager with a large disability service provider in New Zealand. In this role, she co-designs and manages projects and initiatives that influence how current and future services are delivered.Sue is a trustee for the Disability Trustee Ltd and an Advisor for Family Network. For nearly 20 years, Sue has been a Citizen Advocate for her friend Susan. Sue has previously worked for Imagine Better as the Family Strategy Manager in New Zealand. She was involved in the development of the NZ Autism Guidelines.Sue lives in New Zealand with her husband Neil. They have three adult children. Katie, their middle child, has been in the first wave of social change since she was born in 1984. Katie lives a great life and has been a source of inspiration for all members of their family.Resources related to Sue’s presentationInclusive Education - Resources about inclusive education on the Imagine More websiteVision - Resources about vision on the Imagine More websiteInclusive Living Network ManifestoA Good Life - Resources about the Good Life on the...

Follow Tia and her team on their journey of discovering meaningful employment for Tia, driven by her interests.Tia’s journey began with a desire to ensure her post-school life was not dominated by screens and solitude. She had an interest in fashion, design, and modelling. Her team explored this interest with her and tested creative methods of designing that didn’t involve sketching or drawing. As a result of this process, Tia has created her successful fashion label, Funk N Soul 97, and has become a runway model.In this presentation, Tia walks us through every step of creating her Polynesian-inspired fashion ranges to show the unique ways she works.You will learn aboutthe support Tia received along the wayhow Tia’s business is structured to be sustainable, andhow you can get started on your own Microenterprise journey.IntroductionThis session was introduced by Laura EsplinHi, I am Laura Mary Esplin. I am a year 4 student, sister and gymnast. I am here to introduce Tia Semi, Gina Semi, and Samantha Powell. Tia is a fashion designer and a model. She lives in Western Australia. She owns a fashion business. Gina Semi is Tia’s mother. She helps young people with disability reach their work goals. Samantha Powell works for Valued Lives. She helped Tia to start her business. I hope you enjoy listening to Tia, Gina, and Samantha.Meet Tia SemiTia Semi is the founder, owner and creative force behind Funk N’ Soul 97. She is a proud Polynesian-Australian woman with disabilities, living in Western Australia. Her vision is to create, push boundaries and inspire. Tia aims to make connections with people, teach people to see her abilities, accept her for who she is, and teach them to accept differences.Tia designs and creates culturally inspired fashion ranges which have featured in local, interstate, and international runways. She also is a successful model. She has walked the runway in Australia and New Zealand.Tia has been invited to participate in New York Fashion Week’s Flying Solo “Ones to Watch” event as a model and designer in 2022.Meet Gina SemiGina is a hairdresser by trade and has owned her salon for seven years. She could see that there were no suitable employment options for her daughter, Tia. Local service providers did not offer the support Tia needed to reach her goals. So Gina started building connections with other like-minded parents and working with Tia to discover what work would look like for her.When the Valued Lives Microenterprise Project was born, Gina worked there in a volunteer capacity. During this time, she started building Tia’s business and supported others to do the same. Gina now works as an Innovative Employment Advisor and helps people to fulfil their employment goals.Meet Samantha PowellSamantha is a West Aussie with a lifetime of experience in disability. She has held volunteer roles and governance positions in the Not For Profit sector. She has qualifications in business, community services, advocacy and education support, including a Bachelors degree in Community Development. These have allowed her to put her unique perspective to use and to empower people with disability.Samantha is values-driven and approaches everything she does with authenticity. Her work at Valued Lives allows her to follow her passion for creating more employment opportunities for people with disability. In doing so, she hopes to change attitudes around disability employment.When not at work, Samantha is busy being a soccer Mum and cat lady.Contact detailsFunk N Soul 97’s WebsiteFunk N Soul 97 on...