LeagueNews - Cerebral Palsy League

The Choosability
Fund
New way to access
disability equipment
and support
THE Choosability Fund is
designed to assist people with
disabilities and their families to
pay for equipment, maintenance,
modifications and support and
can also provide a new financial
resource for unfunded people with
disabilities and families.
It operates on a cooperative basis
with members contributing $10
per month into a common pooled
fund.
After a period of membership and
regular contributions, fund
members can borrow, from the
fund on interest-free terms.
By enabling all members to utilise the
pooled contributions to meet a
financial need, the overall benefit to
individuals is much greater than if
members had been acting alone.
After six months, members can
receive $500; after 12 months they
can receive $1000 and after two
years they can receive $2500.
The fund works differently to a grants
program in that it requires members
to pay the financial benefit they have
received back.
This method of generating finance is
known as ‘mutual aid’ and comes
from the ‘friendly societies’ that have
a heritage of more than 100 years in
Queensland.
The Choosability Fund is an initiative
of Foresters ANA Mutual Society
Limited developed with funding
through the Gambling Community
Benefit Fund.
Foresters ANA Mutual Society is
a non-profit company formed
from the merging of two ‘friendly
societies’ in 1999 and aims to
create opportunities for its
members through pooling
resources in the modern
economy.
Foresters ANA Mutual Society
makes no profit from the
Choosability Fund.
The Choosability Fund is now
open and is seeking its first 100
members.
If you are interested in finding out
more, please contact Cassandra
Sheppard at Foresters ANA on
07 3210 6772 or talk to your
support worker.
Further information:
Cassandra Sheppard
Foresters ANA Mutual Society
Phone: 07 3210 6772
Mr CHOOSABILITY
JOHN Rynn has cerebral palsy.
He also has a highly creative
approach to living with his
disability.
Rather than considering himself
to be a victim of cerebral palsy,
Mr Rynn said he was a, “victim
of social attitudes,” and has
spoken to audiences about the
need for a greater ability to
choose the life he wants rather
than having to fit into a system.
Hence, he coined the term,
‘Choosability’.
Mr Rynn presented a keynote
address incorporating the word
‘Choosability’, on behalf of the
Cerebral Palsy League at the
Medical Aid Subsidy Scheme
(MASS) symposium held at the
Royal Brisbane Women’s and
Children’s Hospital.
In addition to presenting, Mr
Rynn has chosen to apply his
talents to poetry, writing, sailing,
and as an advocate for disability
services by pursuing Certificate
IV Community Services,
Disability Work.
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