CANBERRA CONFERENCE

2014 Canberra

Conference

REGISTER NOW at

http://imaginemore.org.au/2014-workshops/success-transition-conference/


"Success in Transitions"

6th & 7th November

Ann Harding Conference Centre University Dr S, Bruce Canberra

Cost:

$295 Early Bird (September 30 cut off) $375 Standard registration

About the Conference
"Success in Transitions" is the theme for the 2014 Imagine More conference

This conference will present local, national and international approaches to support meaningful and inclusive lives for people with disabilities. It will identify strategies that enable people to create success out of times of change.

This conference will help people think through what the good things of life are and hear how others have begun to move towards realizing their hopes and dreams through relationships and valued roles in the community. This conference will provide valuable insights to success in life after school, preparing for work, potential focusing, promoting social relationships and developing behaviour.

Keynote Presenters
Dr Patrick Schwarz - Chicago USA

Dr. Patrick Schwarz is a dynamic and engaging professor, author, motivational speaker and leader in Education (Inclusive Education, Special Education, General Education, Educational Leadership) and Human Services. He is a professor at National-Louis University, Chicago. Patrick's company is Creative Culture Consulting LLC. His professional mission is to promote education and human services that

advance the status of people of all ages with diverse support needs. This will enable individuals to successfully be engaged, find meaning and be respected members of their learning, working and living communities.



Nathan Basha - Sydney

Nathan Basha is a motivational speaker pushing boundaries. Nathan might happen to have Down syndrome but he says, "That's not who I am". He has spoken at international and national conferences, political forums, universities, schools and workshops, sharing his insights about... Nathan is an actor, a university student,

a filmmaker and works at the "coolest radio station in Sydney". He is also an ambassador for a NSW government campaign - Living Life My Way.

Dr Robert Jackson - Western Australia

Dr Bob Jackson is the Managing Director of Include and has been working in the field of human services and education for over three decades. He has had a wide experience as a Direct Care worker, Psychologist, Manager of Disability Services, Researcher, Director of a Research Centre on Disability and Associate Professor of Education. Bob has worked as a consultant to government, private and public

educations systems, agencies and families. He is also a Registered Psychologist and a member of a national committee overseeing the quality of training in Social Role Valorization.

Jeannette Purkiss - Canberra

Jeannette Purkiss has a diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome and atypical schizophrenia. She is the author of 'Finding a Different Kind of Normal' (2006) - an autobiography - and 'The Wonderful World of Work: A Workbook for Asperteens' (2014). She has also contributed material to other Autism books including 'Autism All-Stars (2012) and 'Been There, Done That, Try This (2014,

all Jessica Kingsley Publishers). Jeanette has been an Autism advocate for many years. She maintains a supportive presence on social media and has presented at a number of Autism conferences, including for Autism South Australia and Asperger Services Australia. She has also given countless talks on Autism for school, teacher and parent groups. Last year Jeanette delivered a talk on Autism and resilience for TEDxCanberra. Jeanette also facilitates a women's group for women on the Autism spectrum and mothers of Aspergirls in Canberra.

Emma Brodie - Sydney

Emma Brodie is a young woman who sees her life as the typical, ordinary, life that other young people her age are experiencing. Emma, who belongs in a family of six, has an active work and social life that includes many valued roles. She is an Office Assistant in an IT company in Sydney, a poet, an artist, a filmmaker, a seasoned international traveller and has recently became a flatmate.

Some sessions that will interest you

Nathan Basha

The importance of a Vision and Potential Focusing

Nathan Basha is a motivational speaker pushing boundaries. Nathan might happen to have Down syndrome but he says, "That's not who I am". He has spoken at international and national conferences, political forums, universities, schools and workshops, sharing his insights. Nathan is an actor, a university student, a filmmaker and works at the "coolest radio station in Sydney". He is also an ambassador for a NSW government campaign - Living Life My Way.

Alison Oakleigh & Suzie Proctor

Suzy and Alison are an extraordinary pair. Sisters, born 18 months apart, their lives could not have been more different, due in part, to the profound intellectual and physical disabilities Suzie was born and lives with. Despite these differences, they are a dynamic duo whose tangible, loving bond helps to invite the audience to see and experience the contribution of people with profound intellectual disability. Together they move and motivate all around them to widen their horizons of diversity.

The unique and otherwise unchartered aspect of this style is that while Suzie's profound intellectual disability renders her "silent" in the mainstream - as Suzie does not use or understand words - the sensitive, loving, curious, open and empowering connection between the two sisters fosters a safe space for the audience to "hear" Suzie's vital voice, even though it's Alison who does all the talking.

Bob Jackson

Role of Development during Transitions in Life

Transitions are a time of increased uncertainty and stress and are often times when things go wrong. However research shows that focusing on development at home can be one of the most powerful strategies to maximise success at school and skilled teaching can rapidly achieve competence in novel situations. A point of concern is that many educational approaches have been shown to have minimal impact so teaching needs to be based on solid research.

Patrick Schwarz

>From Disability to Possibility

Using real life stories - from womb to tomb - of individuals with possibilities, Dr. Patrick Schwarz will illustrate what supports are successful and what else is needed for effectiveness in education and human services for all people. These compelling examples will motivate participants to re-imagine and support individuals in new and inventive ways. Be prepared for something fun and different!

Emma & Frances Brodie

Making the big move from the family home to my own home

This session will explore how Emma has been supported by her family and friends to move out of the family home. Emma's family has held a vision of Emma having her own place for many years but Emma herself did not share this vision.
It was only after Emma was supported to have more chances to make her own decisions and to explore having more independence that she began to be a part of the journey.

Emma now lives with two housemates in the inner west of Sydney. She is embracing her new found independence!

Bob Jackson

Building Belonging

It is a reality for many people with an intellectual impairment that relationships do not come easily and real belonging is difficult. In this presentation the components of belonging are analysed with specific strategies for maximising the possibility of real belonging developing. Examples are given of how people with very significant and multiple disabilities have achieved real belonging when the parents had always been told that this was impossible.



Patrick Schwarz

Give Him the Whale....

When people with Autism have deep consuming fascinations, teachers/ employers/families and support staff often wonder what to do. This concise, highly practical workshop gives people across school grade levels and beyond school a powerful new way to think about individuals' "obsessions" as positive tools that calm, motivate and improve learning. This presentation is brimming with easy tips and strategies for folding individuals' special interests, strengths and areas of expertise into classroom lessons and routines beyond school. This workshop will help the audience discover how making the most of fascinations can help people living with Autism make the most of life:

learn standards based academic content

develop social connections

minimize anxiety

boost literacy learning and mathematics skills

expand communications skills

Rhiannon Brodie, Maureen Howe & Alison Proctor

Siblings.......reconnecting or maintaining a sibling relationship

In this session Rhiannon will share her experience of being a sister who is 26 and has an intellectual disability. Along with her two brothers they have supported Emma - as they have supported each - other through numerous life experiences; school, university, employment, relationships, travelling and more recently moving out of home.
The Giant Opportunities Siblings Group was formed in Canberra at the end of 2013. It consists of adult siblings of people with a disability; and is an asset-based group who like 'disrupting' the notion that people with disability are a burden.

It has been called Giant Opportunities because siblings are like the 'sleeping giants' of the disability world - ie they have so much to contribute, but have lain idle for too long. They could be such influential and positive players in the lives of their siblings with disability, yet have been side-lined historically, or chosen to side-line themselves.
This session will examine how we're awakening the 'giant' and re-thinking the role siblings can have in the lives of their brothers and sisters with disability.

Patrick Schwarz

A friend indeed - Promoting meaningful social relationships

Social Relationships are essential for human growth, support, understanding and learning. Proven techniques to promote successful relationships in schools, classrooms, after-school settings and the community will be provided in this workshop. A major focus will be on collaboration structures and areas of interest and fascination. A hands-on approach will be utilized that will result in realistic applications for self-advocates represented by audience members. Participants will leave this workshop with practical, real-life social relationship action steps that can be immediately implemented.

Jeannette Purkiss
Nathan Basha Preparing for work - Starting early

This presentation will provide attendees with strategies and tips to empower young people with a disability to successfully transition from education to employment. The topics covered in the presentation include building work- skills, how to get the best out of education and training, even if you can't stay at school, addressing anxiety around moving into employment. It will include advice on what particular skills do people with a disability bring to the world of employment, how do you prepare young people for work, what industries are out there that are disability friendly, how to 'do' workplace communication, job applications and interviews and some strategies for succeeding in the workplace.

The presentation aims to promote discussion around employment options.



Bob Jackson

Behaviour Development versus Behaviour Management

'He/she needs a behaviour management program" is often the start of a downward spiral for many families. However it is argued that all that is needed is to learn positive ways of behaving and in particular to develop self control -- not to be always 'managed'. It is shown how this reorientation of approach is not only very effective but also more in line with the core skills of teachers (education) and service providers and puts a positive and developmental image around a normal part of everybody's learning.

Fiona May

Making the most of the NDIS

ADACAS has been closely involved in the development of the NDIS and is keen to work with individuals and families to ensure that their rights are upheld as the transition to the NDIS takes place. This presentation will seek to provide strategies and approaches for making the most of the NDIS. It will explore the role of advocates and self-advocacy in NDIS processes. A key feature of the NDIS legislation is the inclusion of complaints, reviews and appeals processes. These are already being used to test NDIA decisions in other trial sites. Knowledge of these processes and how to use them most effectively, including access to support for appeals, will empower people to achieve their goals through the NDIS process.

Patrick Schwarz

You're Welcome

Focusing on the best practices of inclusive education, collaboration and innovative design and support, essential tools and processes are highlighted for the purpose of effective person-centered service delivery. Using a person's dreams, visions, and goals will be emphasized to create effective planning, implementation and achievement of successful life outcomes.

Merrelin Robbins Sheree Henley
Circles of support Microboards

Having an only child with a disability and who is dependent on his parents can be a demand on the emotions of those parents. Merrelin and John started planning for Byron's future early. Thinking about school, social life and then housing and independent living skills have been some of the issues they have considered over the years. After his parents first tried extending their home and then living in a group home, Byron entered into a co-residency arrangement with another young man (similar to Homeshare). Merrelin & John are concerned that as they age they cannot provide the social outlets that Byron craves.

A number of years ago they read about the circle of support set up by a childhood friend and attended a meeting she held.
Using the ACT Government's Enhanced Service Offer enabled us to form such a group. We spoke to a few people within the disability sector and one offered to assist us. We had our first dinner and meeting in February and now going with the flow.

A former high school teacher, Sheree has a Master of Education and is an advocate of inclusive education. She is the coordinator of Microboards Canberra, a recently formed group of parents who are exploring the Microboards approach to building inclusive lives for their family members with complex needs. She is also the founder of Chatterbox, a social group for families who want to explore alternative methods of communication.

Patrick Schwarz

Transitioning from school to beyond

Longitudinal transitional practices from school to post-school are presented in this workshop. Definitions, key players, when to start and other important information pieces are covered. Real-life learner examples are illustrated and participants are guided into creating a plan for an individual they represent for an authentic and meaningful application that can be utilized immediately.


Register now at http://imaginemore.org.au/2014-workshops/success-transition-conference/