Inform issue 28 – Spring 2019

FEATURE 

Revolutionary Radio 

NDIS FEATURE 

NDIS 101: Support Coordination 

COVER FEATURE 

Jumping to new heights

Inform is 

Independence 

Australia’s crossdisability 

magazine. 

We encourage readers to 

submit suitable content 

for consideration by 

Independence Australia. All 

correspondence of this nature 

should be directed to: 

inform@iagroup.org.au 

While every effort has been 

made to ensure the accuracy 

of the information in this 

publication, Independence 

Australia assumes no 

responsibility for errors 

or omissions of any 

consequences of reliance in 

this publication. The opinions 

expressed in this publication 

do not necessarily represent 

the views of Independence 

Australia. Medical information 

included is not intended to be 

a substitute for professional 

advice. 

Your NDIS journey 

of care starts here 

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) 

is a new way to provide support for Australians 

with a disability, their families and carers. 

CORE 

SUPPORTS 

Daily activities: In-home 

& in the community. 

Consumables & 

continence products. 

CAPACITY 

BUILDING 

Therapy, skills 

development & 

co-ordination 

of support. 

CAPITAL & 

ASSISTIVE 

TECHNOLOGY 

Household aids & 

mobility equipment. 

As a leading service provider, our dedicated team of co-ordinators are here to 

support your journey to the NDIS. We’ve got you covered with a wide range of 

products, equipment, services and supports for your NDIS package, all from our 

one organisation. 

ABN 80 973 805 243 

Building 1, 9 Ashley Street 

West Footscray VIC 3012 


www.independenceaustralia.com 

independenceaus 

independenceaus 

STEP 1. 

Preparing 

your plan. 

STEP 2. 

Developing 

your plan. 

STEP 3. 

Getting your 

plan approved 

by the NDIA. 

STEP 4. 

Choosing your 

providers and 

implementing 

your plan. 

Visit independenceaustralia.com/ndis 

to learn more about the NDIS 

and how it affects you. 

STEP 5. 

Reviewing 

your plan.

Welcome 

informonline.org.au 

3 

ISSUE #28 

contents 

4 

A running 

start 

In this issue of Inform we celebrate the change-makers 

and risk-takers who have helped to form the world as 

we know it. In our feature story we visit the athletics 

track and talk to Caytlyn Sharp, a T20 professional 

athlete from Western Victoria. In her story we see 

the importance of determination and passion as she 

prepares for the upcoming INAS Global Games in 

Brisbane. 

Also in this issue we chat with Alex, an NDIS Support 

Coordinator. In this article Alex explains the intricacies 

of the Support Coordination service and provides us 

with advice on how to make the most of the service if 

you have received funding for it. Support Coordination 

is a great gateway into the NDIS, so if you have recently 

received funding for it this article is a must read! 

Inform has also moved online, with our website 

InformOnline.org.au launching recently. InformOnline is 

your one place for disability information – with articles 

and contributors from all over the country. To find out 

more visit www.informonline.org.au 

The Inform team is committed to bringing you quality, 

informative content wherever you are in Australia, so we 

encourage you to get in touch with us if you have a story 

of independence to share. You can reach the team at 


Alison Crowe 

4 

Jumping to new heights 

9 

NDIS 101: Support Coordination 

14 

Taking to the trails 

18 

Spring News 

20 

Lights, Camera and 

Accessible Action 

24 

Revolutionary Radio 

26 

Driving and the NDIS 

29 

Inform Online 

Managing Editor: Alison Crowe 

Deputy Editor: Kirby Fenwick 

Design: Mark Lovatt 

Cover Story Photography: 

Meredith O'Shea

4 informonline.org.au Feature

Feature 


5 

Jumping 

to new 

heights 

It’s an overcast Tuesday afternoon 

in Warrnambool, a regional city 

perched on the south-western 

coast of Victoria. At Brauerander 

Park, the local athletics facility, 

the air is cool and the grey clouds 

overhead are threatening rain. 

But none of that bothers Caytlyn 

Sharp. The seventeen-yearold 

from Terang is focused, her 

attention turned to her coach as 

they discuss minor improvements 

to her technique: ways she can 

jump further and run faster. 

Pics: Meredith O'Shea

6 informonline.org.au 

Feature 

For Caytlyn, the track is home. A 

place where she feels comfortable. 

A place she feels free. But it wasn’t 

always like that. While today she 

has a collection of Australian records under 

her belt, Caytlyn’s entry into the world of 

athletics was anything but smooth. 

‘It wasn't a great start,’ Caytlyn’s mum Cindy 

recalls, explaining that when Caytlyn’s older 

siblings decided they wanted to try athletics 

she had no choice but to follow. 

‘Her first athletics experience at 

Camperdown Little Athletics was running 

the 100 metres. She screamed the whole 

way.’ 

‘And basically, we dragged her to athletics. 

Literally. I had to lift her into the car for 

the first probably 10 weeks of the 14-week 

season. And towards the end, we could get 

her in, but she still didn’t want to be there.’ 

‘And then we had the end of year 

presentations, and she actually got an 

improvement medal,’ Cindy said. 

That first medal was a turning point for 

Caytlyn, who credits it as the moment she 

fell in love with athletics. 

‘First of all, yeah, I hated it. And I didn't want 

to go and screamed and just didn't want 

to be there. But then after a year or so of 

doing it, I won a medal at a presentation 

night and I fell in love with it. And I was like, I 

got a medal! And I kept going back and just 

kept wanting to do better and keep winning 

medals and I ended up loving it,’ Caytlyn 

said. 

Cindy agrees, smiling at the memory. 'Once 

she saw the medal [she said] I want to go 

back Mum, I want to do this again.' 

Caytlyn has Autism Spectrum Disorder 

(ASD) and an Intellectual Disability (ID). She 

was diagnosed nearly ten years ago and 

competes in the T20 classification. The 

combination of ASD and ID poses some 

challenges for the young athlete, with 

noisy crowds cheering and clapping and 

unfamiliar tracks among them. But Cindy 

believes athletics has had a positive impact 

on Caytlyn. 

‘She basically found her thing.’ 

‘It was the first time [I’d] actually seen 

her focus and her meltdowns went from 

probably every day, and you know, very 

extreme meltdowns to maybe two, three 

times a week. And then down to maybe 

once a week,’ Cindy said. 

Still, challenges remain. 

‘A child with ASD can look like any other 

child in a classroom, on a sporting field,’

Feature 


7 

‘When I get 

out there, I 

just feel so 

free. And like 

nothing else 

matters.’ 

Cindy said. ‘And it can be really frustrating 

for her as well.’ 

‘At competitions a lot of the officials think 

because I do have a disability, a learning 

disability, that [they] have to treat me like I’m 

a little kid and I don’t understand anything 

but, when it comes to athletics, I probably 

understand more than what they do,’ 

Caytlyn said. 

Despite her rocky entry into the world of 

athletics, Caytlyn’s potential was spotted 

early. The Terang College student was 

named in the Australian Squad for the 2017 

World Athletics Championships run by 

the International Federation for Athletes 

with Intellectual Impairments at only 14. 

She travelled to Thailand with the team, 

something Cindy says was ‘pretty scary’ 

for her as a parent. But Caytlyn triumphed, 

coming home a World Champion after 

winning gold in the High Jump and Bronze 

in the Triple Jump and the 4 x 100m Relay. 

Now that she’s found her thing, Caytlyn has 

big dreams. And a big training schedule to 

match. Although that too came with a rocky 

beginning. 

‘[At] first it was like, oh this is horrible. But 

then it started getting more fun,’ Caytlyn 

said. 

‘I just started to enjoy it and think this is 

what’s going to help me improve so it’s all 

worth it.’ 

Today, when the teenager talks about 

her training schedule or the cities she 

has visited in the last twelve months for 

competitions—Sydney, Cairns, Adelaide, 

Darwin—a grin spreads across her face. 

‘When I get out there, I just feel so free. And 

like nothing else matters.’ 

Coach Jeremy Dixon, himself a former world 

class sprinter, works with Caytlyn three to 

four times a week and describes her as a 

pleasure to coach. 

‘She's very determined, I think she really 

switches on when it comes to training and 

athletics. She listens which is fantastic. And 

she's not afraid to give me a few comments 

back as well,’ Jeremy says, laughing. 

Cindy credits the coach-athlete relationship 

Caytlyn and Jeremy share as instrumental in 

her daughter’s success.


Feature 

Below: Caytlyn with her 

coach, former sprinter, 

Jeremy Dixon 

‘She’s just coming 

along in leaps and 

bounds with Jeremy, 

coming along in 

leaps and bounds in 

distances’ 

best again. And I’m also looking forward 

to competing in the long jump as well. I’m 

hoping to get a big [personal best] there 

as well and just try to get closer to the 

Paralympics,’ Caytlyn said. 

‘She’s just coming along in leaps and 

bounds with Jeremy, coming along in leaps 

and bounds in distances,’ Cindy said. 

Jeremy is confident that Caytlyn has more 

success coming her way. At the Arafura 

Games in Darwin earlier this year, she broke 

her own under 18 long jump record. 

‘She still jumped from miles behind the 

board so there's certainly more to come 

and you can already see the confidence 

from some of those successes after all the 

training really sort of lift her energy and 

passion for the future which is great,’ he 

said. 

Despite her busy training and competition 

schedule, Caytlyn still finds time to 

encourage other young people to take up 

sport, whether through her role as an INAS 

Ambassador or her work training younger 

kids at her local Little Athletics Club. She 

wants to inspire others, especially women, 

to get involved in sport. 

‘I love trying to encourage people to get 

into the sport. It's just what I love to do as 

well, because I know how happy it makes 

me feel. So as long as it can make another 

person happy, then I'm happy.’ 

While not her favourite event, long jump has 

become Caytlyn’s focus as her preferred 

event, high jump, is not among those 

offered to T20 athletes at the Paralympics. 

But before any conversations about the 

Paralympics are had, Caytlyn is focussed 

on the upcoming INAS Global Games in 

Brisbane. 

‘I love competing at those levels and just get 

very excited about it.’ 

‘I’m mainly looking forward to competing in 

the high jump again and hopefully winning it 

back-to-back or just at least get a personal

NDIS Feature 


9 

NDIS 101: 

Support 

Coordination 

We’ve all done it: made up an excuse or convinced ourselves 

With more of a reason than 80,000 not to people go out. accessing Maybe it was supports a colleague’s for the first party, time 

through a drink the NDIS, with old the schoolmates role of support coffee coordination with Aunt is especially Mavis. And 

important. maybe But you’ve what come exactly up is with support creative coordination? reasons, telling What can yourself 

support ‘it might coordinator rain’, ‘they do for won’t you? notice And how if I skip can it’, your and support the perennial coordinator 

help you to get the most classic: out of ‘I’ll your go plan? next time’. 

Inform It’s spoke a habit with worth Alex, breaking. a support For coordinator one, memorable who has experiences worked in the 

role 

don’t 

for almost 

just knock 

two years, 

at your 

to 

front 

get the 

door. 

answers 

But more 

to those 

than 

questions 

that, getting 

and 

out can encourage other people to venture out too. And this 

much more. 

can only be good. Being visible in our communities does more 

for disability awareness than you might think.

10 informonline.org.au NDIS Feature 

How can your Support Coordinator 

assist you? 

While they aren’t advocates or decision 

makers, there is plenty that your support 

coordinator can do to assist you. 

What is Support Coordination? 

Support Coordination is a new role within 

the NDIS. And while the scope of the role 

is quite broad, Alex says that support 

coordination is about building your capacity 

and helping you see the possibilities and 

opportunities available to you. 

The role of support coordination in your plan 

will depend on your situation and what your 

individual needs and wants are. The task 

of your support coordinator is to assist you 

to explore and determine what your goals 

are or might be, what services or supports 

you might need to achieve them and how 

you can access those services or supports. 

Support coordination can be particularly 

useful when you first get your plan and 

need help working out what those services 

and supports are and how to get them 

implemented. 

But Alex says that the role of support 

coordination is about more than just NDIS 

related supports. Your support coordinator 

can also help you access mainstream and 

community supports and support you in 

your interactions with other government 

systems. 

‘It’s like Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, once 

those needs at the bottom of that pyramid 

are met, then people have the ability to start 

thinking about other things,’ she said. 

‘It's not just, oh I'm having an issue with my 

provider that comes in every day, to help me 

with self-care, can you help me with that, it's 

also: I want to go on holiday.’ 

In addition, your support coordinator can 

work with you to support your informal 

support networks. Because if your support 

networks are better supported then you can 

be better supported. 

Support coordination could be considered 

holistic capacity building. From navigating 

a crisis to planning a holiday, your 

support coordinator can act as research 

tool providing you with knowledge and 

facilitating access to skills building that you 

can then use to engage with the people 

in your life, whether that’s your support 

workers or your family. 

‘Sometimes people just need someone 

to walk through things with them. And 

sometimes we might be that right person 

the first time or the second time, then it's 

about planning together to work out how 

you can be supported. What can we put in 

place for next time? Or is there a support 

or service we can engage to help you build 

these skills?’ Alex said. 

‘The capacity building part of our role is 

always there. But I guess you turn it up at 

certain times, and then you turn it down at 

other times. It's very dynamic.’ 

‘It's definitely about reducing barriers. What 

are the gaps in your supports? What's the 

current situation? These are your goals, 

where are we at now? And then mapping 

out some of the main barriers, and then it's 

about putting in an action plan of how you're 

going to work together to reduce those 

barriers.’ 

Alex points to something as seemingly 

simple as joining a local community group. 

‘So, what would you need to get there? Or 

what are the barriers? And those barriers 

might be: "I can't get there" or "I don't get 

up in time" or "a shift doesn't start in time to 

help me get up, so I can get to this group". 

So, it's literally about going right back to 

what is it that's getting in the way and then 

slowly breaking down those barriers.’

NDIS Feature 


11 

How to get the most out of Support 

Coordination 

While it takes time to build relationships, 

Alex has some advice for how you can get 

the most of support coordination. 

‘I think it starts right from the beginning with 

understanding what support coordination 

is and how vital it is to assist you to achieve 

your goals,’ Alex said. 

Part of that is knowing that you can choose 

your own support coordinator, and that 

before you choose, you can ask them 

questions. Alex likens it to interviewing. 

‘[NDIS] participants are consumers. And 

it’s like engaging any sort of service. 

For example, if I was looking to engage 

someone, a nanny or something like that, 

you would sit down with them and you 

would you do some screening. You'd ask 

them questions. It's the same, participants 

have the same choice. People have control 

over who provides their support to them.’ 

In those initial conversations, Alex suggests 

discussing what your goals are and asking 

how the support coordinator could help you 

achieve those goals. 

‘Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don't be 

afraid to ask your support coordinators 

those hairy questions. There are no silly 

questions,’ Alex said. 

In addition, don’t shy away from expressing 

your needs, from telling your support 

coordinator what’s working for you and 

what’s not working. Alex says that can help 

your support coordinator to have a better 

understanding of how to work with you to 

best achieve your goals. 

‘Sharing how you communicate; how do 

you best receive information? How do you 

learn?’ 

‘Some people need information mailed out 

to them. Some people can read emails, and 

it's fine. Some people need a text. Everyone 

has got different communication styles. So 

being really clear with any service providers 

about how you need your information.’ 

Although the role of a support coordinator 

can be complex, Alex says she’s excited 

about the ‘innovative power of the role’ and 

what it can mean to people with disabilities 

exercising choice and control. 

‘Working with participants, helping them 

maximise what's in their plans, and thinking 

of it in new ways. And being really creative 

about how to get what it is that they want 

and achieve those goals. 

‘I think that it's comforting to know that 

eventually, if we work really well with people 

and actually really deliver on that capacity 

building aspect of our role that eventually 

those people will be exercising those 

choices and will feel in control.’ 

‘I think it starts right from the 

beginning with understanding 

what support coordination is 

and how vital it is to assist you 

to achieve your goals’ 

Questions to ask potential 

Support Coordinators 

Once you’ve received funding for support 

coordination, the next step is choosing a 

support coordinator. Alex has some advice 

for the kinds of questions you can ask a 

support coordinator to determine if they are 

a good fit for you. 

• How long have you been a support 

coordinator? 

• What sort of experience do you have? 

• How many participants are you working 

with right now? 

• What kinds of complexities do these 

participants have? 

• What hours do you work? 

• Do you attend workshops/professional 

development? 

• What’s your reporting style like? 

• These are my goals; how would you 

help me?

Depend ® Super Unisex 

Underwear Extra Small 

Extra small leg opening 

Leak Lock System with overnight absorbency 

and leakage protection 

To request a free sample, 

call 1300 788 855 toll free 

or fax 1300 788 811. 

®/TM Trademarks of Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. or its affiliates. © KCWW.

14 informonline.org.au Feature 

Taking to 

the trails 

Anthony Bartl remembers the moment clearly. He 

was in the Grampians National Park, north-west of 

Melbourne in Victoria, when he came to a clearing in 

the forest and found himself taken aback by what he 

saw. 

‘There was this whole family of kangaroos, so 

there were joeys, their parents, it was just a pretty 

awesome, awe-inspiring sight. I'd never seen anything 

like it. The kangaroos just sat there, and they weren't 

perturbed by the sight of me being in a TrailRider,’ 

Anthony said.

Feature 


15 

After an accident left him a 

quadriplegic, Anthony’s access 

to the natural wonders of the 

Australian bush shrunk. He 

credits the TrailRider with giving him some 

of that access back. 

‘[It] takes me back to before the accident. 

I used to go for long walks with my family 

before my accident. Yeah, it's just like being 

back there and amongst the people again 

and not feeling excluded because I'm in a 

wheelchair,’ he said. 

‘You can lift it across riverbeds and [take it 

to] inhospitable terrain. I love that fact, that 

you can access a lot more places that are 

usually inaccessible in a wheelchair.’ 

‘I'm a real lover of the bush and the 

outdoors so to be able to get more amongst 

that it was just a wonderful feeling and 

experience.’ 

‘It's just liberating. It's just a fantastic feeling 

and sensation.’ 

Today there are TrailRiders at parks 

across the country. And that is thanks to 

the advocacy of one man: David Stratton. 

David had seen the innovative design in 

action while holidaying in Canada. When 

he returned home to Victoria, he contacted 

Parks Victoria immediately. 

‘He was the real instigator and motivator,’ 

said Shauna Jones, Senior Manager of 

Health & Community Activation at Parks 

Victoria. 

‘He came back to Parks Victoria and said, 

I've seen this fantastic apparatus that 

allowed me to get out into the mountains 

and go reconnect with nature in a way that 

I used to as a boy. And he set about really 

advocating very strongly to Parks Victoria to 

consider buying these TrailRiders, a number 

of them, to try and open up parks to people 

with mobility issues.’ 

David’s persistence paid off and Parks 

Victoria purchased a number of TrailRiders.


Feature 

‘I'd say to not 

have any fear 

and to give it a 

go even though 

you might have 

reservations’ 

Below: Thanks to the advocacy 

of David Stratton, there are now 

TrailRiders across the the country. 

Today, Shauna says the TrailRiders are in 

‘pretty much constant use’ with a steady and 

upward trajectory of usage. 

‘We have them down on the Mornington 

Peninsula and in the Grampians and up in 

the Dandenongs. We have one in Listerfield 

Park, which is a metropolitan park out in 

southeast Melbourne. We have one down 

at Wilson's Prom. So, they are in positions 

that are in fantastic either locally accessible 

parks or national or state parks that are 

actually well used,’ Shauna said. 

‘And what we also try to make sure of is that 

there are other amenities which are going to 

support the visit so that [includes] disability 

access toilets, car parking, some of those 

sorts of things that actually just help the 

individual and their carer and their families 

to actually get to the site where they can 

actually use it.’ 

In addition to providing the TrailRiders 

free of charge, Parks Victoria also provide 

volunteers who are trained to operate 

the TrailRider. The ‘sherpas’ as they 

are affectionately known, can assist in 

manoeuvring the TrailRider throughout the 

park. 

The TrailRider is just one way that Parks 

Victoria is working to make their parks 

more accessible. From social scripts for 

people with sensory disabilities to inclusive 

playscapes and accessible boat ramps and 

canoe launchers, accessibility and universal 

design is something that is a ‘driving mantra’ 

for the organisation, Shauna said. 

‘I would absolutely encourage everyone to 

give [the TrailRider] a go. And bring friends 

or family with them so that everybody can 

join in because it's going to broaden their 

horizons, going to take them further than 

just an afternoon at a picnic table in a park. 

It's going to get them out in nature, on the 

trails, like everybody else,’ Shauna said. 

It is sentiment echoed by Anthony, who 

encourages people to ‘give it a go’. 

‘I'd say to not have any fear and to give 

it a go even though you might have 

reservations,’ he said. 

‘Just to give it a go and [don’t] be put off by 

a new experience. If you don’t try it, you'll 

never know what places it could take you 

and how it will feel.’

Feature 


17 

Where you can find 

TrailRiders 

ACT 

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, Canberra 

E: info@tidbinbilla.com.au 

New South Wales 

Kamay Botany Bay National Park 

Dorrigo National Park 

Kosciuszko National Park 

E: parks.accessibility@environment.nsw. 

gov.au 

Victoria 

Buchan Caves Reserve 

P: (03) 8627 4700 

Grampians National Park 

P: (03) 8427 2058 

Dandenong Ranges National Park 

P: (03) 9755 2888 

Wilsons Promontory National Park 

P: (03) 8427 2122 

Colac Otway Shire (Manual TrailRider) 

E: gorvic@colacotway.vic.gov.au 

Hepburn Shire (Manual TrailRider) 

E: events@hepburn.vic.gov.au 

Loddon Shire (Motorised TrailRider) 

E: loddonvisitorinformation@loddon.vic. 

gov.au 

Moorabool Shire (Manual TrailRider) 

E: info@moorabool.vic.gov.au 

Mt Beauty Visitor Information Centre 

(Manual TrailRider) 

P: 1800 111 885 

Surf Coast Shire (Manual TrailRider) 

E: surfcoastsrc@surfcoast.vic.gov.au 

Warburton Visitor Information Centre 

(Motorised TrailRider) 

E: info@visitwarburton.com.au 

Tasmania 

Cradle Mountain Park 

E: cradle@parks.tas.gov.au 

From little things 

big things grow 

When a skiing accident left Canadian teenager Sam 

Sullivan a quadriplegic in 1979, he was determined 

to continue the active life he’d always led. Despite 

playing wheelchair basketball and rugby, Sam really 

missed getting out in nature and feeling the ‘sun on 

his face and the wind in his hair’. Knowing he couldn’t 

be the only person with a disability feeling like this, he 

founded the British Columbia Mobility Opportunities 

Society (BCMOS) in 1988. The society’s mission 

was to facilitate access to the parks and trails in the 

Vancouver area. But Sam wanted to do more than that. 

In the early years of the society, he worked on the idea 

of a battery-powered cart that could get him out on the 

trails, but the design was riddled with problems. 

It wasn’t until the mid-90s when Sam caught up with 

Paul Cermak, a retired engineer who had helped Sam 

previously with some home modifications that the idea 

really took off. Over coffee, the pair devised the idea 

for a ‘one-wheeled access device’. The first plans for 

what would become the TrailRider were drawn on the 

back of a napkin. By 1995, BCMOS had begun building 

TrailRiders. 

From an idea, to a sketch on a napkin, to Paul 

Cermak’s garage, to Everest Base Camp: the Trail Rider 

has come a long way. Some twenty years after the 

initial idea, Trail Riders can be found in parks around 

the world and at places as majestic and previously 

inaccessible as Mt Kilimanjaro, the floor of the Grand 

Canyon and Machu Picchu.


News 

Dylan Alcott wants to remove the barriers faced 

by people with disabilities. 

Elly Desmarchelier is sharing her story of discrimination with 

the Remove the Barrier campaign to inspire change. 

Tennis champ breaking down barriers 

He may be a Wimbledon champion, but that 

doesn’t mean Dylan Alcott hasn’t experienced 

unconscious bias and discrimination. And it’s 

exactly this that he is determined to dismantle 

as he works to breakdown the barriers that 

people with disability face in the workforce with 

the new campaign Remove the Barrier. 

Find more information 

about Remove 

the Barrier at 

removethebarrier.com 

‘One of the hardest things to overcome 

is actually the barriers that you can’t 

see,’ Alcott told Triple J’s Hack. 

‘Those invisible barriers are things like 

unconscious bias and discrimination.’ 

‘You can’t see unconscious bias, but I 

promise you, as someone who’s faced 

it, you can feel it,’ he said. 

Dylan points to things like the 

assumption that people with disability 

are broken, or less capable because of 

their disability and a lack of expectation 

as just some of the bias faced by 

people with disability. 

The campaign features the stories of 15 

people with disability and the barriers 

they have faced finding work. 

Twenty-six-year-old Elly Desmarchelier, 

a communications professional with 

cerebral palsy, is often the ‘first one 

at the table who’s ever been in a 

wheelchair’. 

‘I’ve often come across these really 

outdated, kind of odd ways of thinking 

about disability,’ Elly said. 

‘And a lot of that comes from just never 

having anyone else in the workplace 

that is disabled.’ 

Despite her considerable experience, 

Elly has still faced discrimination and 

bias in the workplace and during 

interviews. But she’s committed to 

making change. 

‘If we’re going to create workplaces 

that are inclusive and creative and 

productive and reflect the best parts 

of our society, you are gonna have 

to look for different people. And that 

means people with disabilities, it means 

women, it means people of colour and 

I just really hope that there are leaders 

out there who go ‘OK. You didn’t take 

the same path I took to get there, but 

that’s OK. And we’re gonna make your 

path work for this business because I 

can see that you’re gonna add to it.’

News 


19 

Health Services 

Funded 

In a positive development for NDIS 

participants, daily health services 

including swallowing therapy, catheter 

cleaning and wound dressings will 

soon be funded via the NDIS. The 

news comes after a ruling by the 

Administrative Appeals Tribunal that 

the NDIA should fund necessary 

swallowing supports for a 34-year-old 

man with dysphagia and cerebral palsy. 

Following the ruling, the Council 

of Australian Governments (COAG) 

agreed that the NDIS should fund 

daily health services that are needed 

because of disability. It’s estimated that 

up to 60,000 people with conditions 

such as dysphagia, diabetes and 

epilepsy will be entitled to funding. 

Accessible formats 

NDIS correspondence will now be available in a greater 

range of accessible formats thanks to the advocacy of 

Blind Citizens Australia. Large font, audio, e-text and braille 

formats will be available to NDIS participants over the coming 

months as the NDIA moves away from a manual system 

to an automated system that will recognise the preferred 

communication format of NDIS participants. 

'This is a tremendously important step forward for people 

who are blind or vision impaired. Blindness is often referred 

to as an information-based disability. Access to information 

is often the only thing that prevents a person who is blind 

or vison impaired from carrying out tasks and activities that 

they otherwise could,’ said Rikki Chaplin, Acting CEO of Blind 

Citizens Australia. 

‘To be able to easily read your NDIS plan is vital if you’re 

going to be able to take full advantage of the supports in your 

plan,’ Chaplin said. 

NDIS participants will need to update their preferred format 

via the contact centre or the portal. 

Specialised support 

National Disability Services have launched a pilot project that 

will recruit support workers with specialised skills for specific 

roles. In reporting the news, Pro Bono News highlighted the 

case of drummer Bryan Casey, who hadn’t performed for 

nine years after a brain tumour affected his mobility. To get 

back on stage, Bryan needed the support of someone with 

specialised experience working with drum equipment. The 

pilot project connected Bryan with Marco, and the pair have 

worked together to get Bryan back performing. 

National Disability Services Workforce Impact Collective cochair, 

Wendy Prowse, told Pro Bono that there couldn’t be a 

‘one size fits all approach to support work’. 

‘Recruiting personalised support that is based on shared 

interests between a person with a disability and the individual 

who will be supporting them is allowing people like Bryan to 

really pursue their goals,’ Ms Prowse said. 

Virtual resource for 

women and girls 

Women and girls with disability around 

the country are leading the design 

and development of a new virtual 

information source from Women with 

Disabilities Australia. The Virtual Centre 

website will ‘provide accessible and 

inclusive information and resources 

across four areas: leadership and 

opportunities; decisions and choices; 

sexuality, women’s health and family; 

and safety from all forms of violence’. 

No date has been released for the 

launch of the Virtual centre, however 

more information can be found at 

www.wwda.org.au


Feature 

Lights, 

Camera, 

Accessible 

Action 

Founded in 2009, Bus Stop Films is a not-for-profit organisation 

creating award-winning films that feature people with disability 

behind and in front of the camera. The organisation also offers 

educational opportunities and advocates for the employment of 

people with disabilities in the film industry. 

Inform caught up with Bus Stop Films CEO, Tracey Corbin- 

Matchett and student, Shay Bell to find out more about the 

organisation and inclusivity in the 

film industry.

Feature 


21 

A 

desire to connect people and 

a passion for film and inclusion 

are just a few of the things that 

drive Tracey Corbin-Matchett. 

Married to her best friend and raising three 

children, two of whom live with disability, 

Tracey made the switch to the film and 

TV industry five years ago after working 

in social housing and domestic violence 

services. Shaped by her childhood and her 

experiences growing up in public housing, 

Tracey wants to change the way the world 

supports vulnerable people. But film is 

not her only passion. Sport also features 

largely in her life. A director of Deaf Sports 

Australia, Tracey, who is hard of hearing, 

loves the way sport, like film, can bring 

people together.


What and who are Bus Stop Films? 

Bus Stop Films is a pioneering, not for 

profit organisation based in Sydney. We 

are dedicated to building the confidence, 

English skills and work ready skills of people 

with an intellectual disability and others from 

marginalised communities, through giving 

them access to a ‘film school experience’. 

We use filmmaking and the film industry to 

raise the profile of people with disability 

on both sides of the camera. We educate 

through our award-winning Accessible 

Film Studies Program, we create amazing 

films which win many awards and screen 

at festivals all around the world and we 

advocate for authentic casting and open 

employment pathways for people living 

with disability in the film and TV industry. 

We deliver our programs in Sydney through 

AFTRS, in Parramatta through Information 

and Cultural Exchange and in Mongolia 

through the Arts Council of Mongolia. In 

2020, we are expanding to Canberra in 

partnership with Screen Canberra and 

returning to Wollongong in a soon to be 

announced partnership. 

Our program is so unique, 

there is no one else delivering 

a structured professional 

level film school program to 

people with disabilities. 

Why are programs like those delivered by 

Bus Stop Films and work produced by Bus 

Stop Films so important? 

Our program is so unique, there is no one 

else delivering a structured professional 

level film school program to people 

with disabilities. There are a lot of craftbased 

programs, but the importance 

of our program is that it offers students 

professional work opportunities to make 

a film with industry mentors and gain 

experience on professional productions. 

This year we have had students work 

on the production of a comedy series 

The Other Guys with Aquarius Films and 

MasterChef with Endemol Shine and a suite 

of commercial projects with our partner 

organisation Taste Creative and much more. 

Additionally, the films we make are 

high quality entertainment, they are not 

traditional “student films”. We show that 

inclusive filmmaking does not inhibit 

production costs or quality and that through 

film, we can show the world the capacity 

and capability of people living with disability. 

We use film to show what people living with 

disability can achieve if they are given the 

opportunity to.


23 

Shay Bell attended a free workshop 

held by Bus Stop Films when they 

launched their western Sydney 

program last year and the rest, as 

they say in the movies, is history. The year 

12 student, who cites musicals Mamma Mia 

and Grease as his favourite films, joined 

the organisation’s Parramatta program 

this year and has fast become a valued 

member of the class. Tracey describes 

Shay as a ‘brilliant student, very switched 

on and knowledgeable about filmmaking, 

especially the technology’. Sport is also on 

Shay’s agenda. The nineteen-year-old plays 

basketball and soccer and regularly attends 

rugby and soccer games. But it’s theatre he 

sees his future in. 

How did you become involved with Bus 

Stop Films? 

I became involved in Bus Stop Films by 

going to a trial class last year and attending 

the red carpet event at Event Cinemas 

George Street put on by Bus Stop Films. 

What sort of work do you do with Bus Stop 

Films? 

At Bus Stop Films this year we are making a 

virtual reality film. We recently learned about 

mise en scène, analysing different films like 

Presto, The Lion King, The Wizard of Oz, Toy 

Story 2, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s 

Stone and The Hobbit. We have also been 

learning about different types of shots like 

extreme wide shot, wide shot, extreme close 

up, a two-shot, over-the-shoulder-shot, 

point-of-view-shot, medium close up, close 

up and a mid shot. We have been analysing 

the shots in films like Star Wars I. We have 

also been learning about camera angles 

and the different types. For example, eye 

level, high angle, low angle and dutch tilt. 

We watched Batman Forever to analyse the 

shots and camera angles. We have recently 

started learning about what happens in preproduction, 

production and post-production. 

What do you enjoy about working with film? 

I enjoy learning how to use the camera and 

editing. 

What do you hope to do after you finish 

high school? 

After completing my Year 12, I hope to work 

as a backstage crew member doing sound 

and lighting at live theatre productions. 

What would be your advice to anyone 

thinking about studying or working in the 

film industry? 

I would recommend to anyone thinking 

about studying or working in the film 

industry to expect to have a lot of fun but 

also be prepared for quite a lot of theory 

work that you have to do. It’s not all 

practical work.


Feature 

Revolutionary 

Radio 

Tune your radio dial to 1197AM on a Monday 

morning in Melbourne and you’ll hear 

readings from The Age and The Herald Sun 

on The Morning Paper Round. Swing back 

at 1pm for Afternoon Live and two hours 

of ‘light, bright and entertaining readings’ 

and if you’re looking for something a little 

more serious, try The Conversation at 

5pm, a current affairs and news show that 

features readings from The Conversation 

website. These programs can be found on 

Vision Australia Radio, a radio service for 

people with a print disability with a monthly 

audience of more than 700,000 people. 

Five million Australians have a print 

disability. From learning and literacy 

disabilities like dyslexia to physical 

disabilities including arthritis, spinal 

disability, multiple sclerosis and cerebral 

palsy to vision impairments, the audience for 

radio services like Vision Australia Radio is 

as diverse as it is large. 

The origins of today’s Vision Australia 

Radio services can be found in programs 

broadcast on radio stations in the 1970s 

in Melbourne. One of those shows was A 

Blind Affair. With a dual goal of providing 

information and resources for people with 

vision impairments as well as educating 

the wider public about the lived experience 

of people with a vision impairment, A 

Blind Affair was the precursor to the 

establishment of specialised radio services 

for people with a print disability in 1978. 

For Conrad Browne, the manager of Vision 

Australia Radio, the revolutionary roots 

of the radio services broadcast by Vision 

Australia in Victoria, South Australia and

Feature 


25 

Western Australia are matched by their 

contemporary innovation. 

‘It was a quite an interesting way of using 

the community radio network to deliver 

this service publicly. In a way, it was really 

revolutionary, because you were using 

something that reaches a lot of people in a 

way that was truly accessible. Everyone had 

a radio in their home,’ he said. 

‘As time has gone on, a lot of changes 

have occurred within the space. But still, 

to this day, we primarily deliver readings 

of newspapers, books, and magazines 

alongside specialist programming,’ Conrad 

said. 

‘It's a really interesting format for radio 

as well. It literally is relaying information. 

There's no editorialising, there's no 

commentary. It's a skill. And it's a really 

interesting way of delivering that 

information. But using radio to do it just 

makes a lot of sense,’ Conrad said. 

Vision Australia Radio broadcasts shows 

covering news and current affairs alongside 

specialist programming about topics as 

wide-ranging as film, finance, health, 

gardening, politics, pop culture and sport. 

More recently, the organisation has worked 

to engage people within the blind, low vision 

and print disability community to share their 

stories and lived experience, shifting them 

from the audience and into the studio. 

’We're branching out into what I think of as 

really traditional community radio, which is 

having more programming being delivered 

by our community of interest,’ Conrad said. 

With more than 800 volunteers across 

the country and an audience of more than 

700,000 monthly listeners, the Vision 

Australia Radio network includes 15 AM 

radio services in Melbourne, Adelaide and 

Perth, seven services in regional Victoria 

and five digital radio services available 

online or on digital radio. 

You can support the work of Vision Australia 

Radio at www.varadio.org 

Vision Australia 

Radio Shows 

Afternoon Live 

A ‘daily breath of fresh air’, 

Afternoon Live features 

entertaining readings from 

newspapers and magazines and 

can be heard from 1pm-3pm, 

Monday to Friday. 

Computalk 

Airing on Mondays at 3pm, 

Computalk discusses new 

technology and gadgets, providing 

advice on computers. The show 

is hosted by Tony Egan and is 

repeated on Saturdays at 4pm. 

The Uncertainty Principle 

Reading articles from New 

Scientist, Scientific American, 

Australasian Science and Cosmos, 

The Uncertainty Principle explores 

all areas of science. The program 

airs on Tuesdays at 6pm and is 

repeated on Thursdays at 8pm. 

Cover to Cover 

If you love short stories, you’ll love 

Cover to Cover. Airing on Fridays 

at 8pm and replayed on Sundays at 

1:30pm, Cover to Cover sees host 

Tim McQueen deliver readings 

from books and short stories. 

On This Day 

A short, sharp jump back in time, 

On This Day is hosted by Nick 

Green and covers interesting, 

intriguing and historical events 

in politics, sport, science, crime, 

among other topics that happened 

on the day in question. 

Talking Law 

As the name suggests, Talking 

Law looks at what is happening 

in the courts and features both 

commentary and analysis. The 

program airs on Sunday at 2pm 

and is repeated on Monday 

at 8pm.


NDIS Feature 

Driving and 

the NDIS 

The ability to drive can mean independence and freedom. But what if 

you have a physical or cognitive disability? Thanks to developments in 

technology and driver education there are now fewer barriers to getting 

behind the wheel. If getting your licence and taking to the open road is 

one of your goals, read on to find out how you might make that happen. 

For Antonio, getting back behind 

the wheel gave him freedom and 

independence.

NDIS Feature 


27 

‘Driving has given me the freedom to 

go where I want when I want.’ 

Antonio Vecchio was nineteen when 

a car accident left him a quadriplegic. 

Forced to relearn how to drive, Antonio 

describes a process involving rehabilitation, 

physiotherapists and occupational 

therapists, but he says it was worth it for the 

freedom driving gives him. 

‘I was in rehabilitation and through the 

goal planning meeting we spoke about 

the possibility of driving and the process 

involved,’ Antonio said. 

‘I started with working with a physio to get 

the skills to get in and out of the car and get 

my wheelchair in and out of the car. I had 

the driving lessons whilst in rehabilitation 

to get used to driving with hand controls 

and to assess what type of controls and 

accessories I would need to be able to 

drive.’ 

For Antonio, getting back behind the wheel 

means he doesn’t need to rely on friends or 

family or pay for taxis. 

Driving and the NDIS 

Making driving one of your goals is the first 

step towards getting behind the wheel. And 

the NDIS can help you achieve your goal 

with funding through Capital and Capacity 

Building support provided your disability is 

likely to affect your ability to drive or to learn 

to drive. 

The NDIS may provide funding for 

vehicle modifications, access to allied 

health services like physiotherapists and 

occupational therapists and driver education 

and training. 

According to Austroads Medical standards 

for licensing, an important early step 

towards getting your licence is a medical 

review. It’s something most driver licensing 

authorities will require and can be 

completed by your doctor. Next, depending 

on the outcome of your medical review, 

the driver licensing authority will likely 

request a practical driver assessment. 

This assessment is designed to assess the 

impact of your disability on your driving 

skills. These assessments are generally 

conducted by occupational therapists who 

are trained in driver assessment. 

What does a practical driver 

assessment cover? 

Depending on your disability, the 

assessment can include: 

• Determining the need for vehicle 

modifications 

• Your ability to control the vehicle 

• Your functional status including physical 

strength, reaction time and cognitive 

function 

• Your understanding and application of 

road laws 

• Your lifestyle and your requirement for 

driving 

If you haven't held a licence before, the 

assessment will look at things like your 

cognitive or physical barriers and any 

necessary vehicle modifications. It will also 

establish your current skill level and create 

an individualised plan working with you and 

a driving instructor. 

Your doctor and allied health professionals 

can’t make the final decision about whether 

you can get your licence, that responsibility 

rests with the driver licensing authority in 

your state. And there are a variety of options 

available to you, from a full, unconditional 

licence to a conditional licence. Conditional 

licences may include vehicle modifications, 

restrictions on night-time driving or driving 

when temperatures exceed set limits or area 

restrictions. 

Occupational therapist Erin Burns says 

if driving is important to you, it’s worth 

pursuing even if the process seems 

daunting. 

‘Not being able to drive is a significant 

barrier to accessing the community and 

engaging in the activities of daily life 

and often results in social isolation and 

disengagement,’ she said.

28 informonline.org.au NDIS Feature 

‘Obtaining a driver’s licence enables 

independence with transportation, and a 

you're then able to participate in community 

activities that you want and need to do.’ 

It’s a sentiment echoed by Antonio who 

encourages anyone with a disability thinking 

about getting behind the wheel to start the 

process early. 

‘Speak with people who have the same 

level of injury [or disability] that you do to 

see how they drive and the set up that they 

use. Also, do your research on types of cars 

and hand controls,’ he said. 

‘Driving has given me the freedom to go 

where I want when I want.’ 

‘Also, a sense of independence that I may 

not feel if I was dependent on other people.’ 

Modified for action 

As technology develops, the types of 

vehicle modifications available increase. 

From additional mirrors to steering wheel 

spinner knobs, reversing cameras, hand 

controls and foot pedal modifications to 

wheelchair hoist systems and swivel seats, 

the list is long and getting longer. 

Your occupational therapist or driving 

assessor can provide you with plenty of 

information about what’s available and what 

will work for your specific needs. 

Tips for driving success: 

• Chat to your medical team and see how 

they can help you. 

• Get comfortable as a passenger. Sit in 

the front seat and navigate to familiar 

places, pointing out hazards, road signs 

and traffic light changes. 

• Allow extra time for driver training, from 

lessons to studying the road rules. 

• Breakdown the big goal of getting your 

licence into smaller goals. 

• Consider using a driving simulator to get 

familiar with driving related skills in a low 

risk environment. 

• Get your friends and family involved, tell 

them that you want to get your licence 

and see how they can support you. 

A pioneer for 

accessible 

driving 

Early iterations of the types of modern 

vehicle modifications that allow many 

people with disabilities the freedom to drive 

today have their roots in post-World War II 

Australian and the advocacy of Melbourne 

woman, Ilma Lever. 

Lever, who was two-years-old when she 

contracted polio in 1913, was encouraged 

by her father to advocate for vehicle 

modifications that would allow people with 

disabilities to drive. 

Early adaptations involving broom sticks 

and wire were far from safe and so 

Ilma set about contacting motor vehicle 

manufacturers and gathering information 

from around Australia and internationally. In 

1954, Ilma was a founding member of the 

Victorian Disabled Motorists Association, 

now known as Disabled Motorists Australia. 

The organisation was spearheaded by 

Ilma’s tenacity and commitment. Soon after 

forming the VDMA, Ilma approached Mr Sid 

Ross, a New Zealander who had invented 

the Ross Hand Controls. He crossed the 

Tasman and fitted the first Ross Hand 

Controls to an Australian vehicle at the 

Lever family home in Coburg. 

Today, Ilma’s advocacy is commemorated 

via the Ilma Lever Gardens which were 

established in the 1980s by Disabled 

Motorists Australia.

Inform Online 


29 

Highlights 

from Inform 

Online 

Informonline.org.au 

Learn 

informonline.org.au/learn 

Simple ways to get 

moving 

Doing even a little bit of 

exercise can be great for 

your physical and mental 

health. Exercise increases the 

production of endorphins, the 

feel-good hormones that can 

not only reduce our perception 

of pain but can also... 

NDIS 101: Service 

agreements 

Navigating the NDIS can be 

daunting, especially if the NDIS 

marks the first time you or 

your loved one are accessing 

supports and services. The 

Inform NDIS 101 series aims to 

take some of the confusion out 

of understanding... 

Six children’s books 

with positive 

representations of 

disability 

Historically, representations 

of disability in books have not 

always been positive. With 

many books often featuring 

harmful stereotypes... 

Write for 

Inform! 

Do you have a story to tell or an experience to 

share about disability? 

We're looking for people with disabilities and 

those who support them to submit their writing 

to be published on the Inform website. Pitch us 

your story, suggest an interview idea or maybe 

you’ve got some advice or tips that might be 

helpful for Inform readers. We want to hear 

from you! 

Get in touch by emailing us at 

inform@independenceaustralia.com

Living with incontinence: 

how to make it easier 

to manage 

Living with incontinence can be challenging, 

but it doesn’t have to be uncomfortable. 

For a lot of people, incontinence goes unspoken. It’s 

a topic that’s too often shied away from, kept under 

wraps and considered a little taboo. But for people 

experiencing it or caring for someone who is, incontinence 

is just part of the everyday. 

Incontinence can have a big impact on the way you live 

your life. If it’s not being managed effectively, you may 

find that you’re constantly having to adapt your life to 

fit in with incontinence. This might mean avoiding being 

in public places for longer periods of time or constantly 

having to take trips to the bathroom to change pads and 

clothes. Needless to say, this can be time-consuming and 

even frustrating – which, in turn, can impact your 

wellbeing and that of those around you. 

So, finding a way to effectively manage incontinence is 

vital to improving the quality of your everyday life. 

Incontinence doesn’t have to be uncomfortable or even 

inconvenient, and that’s where MoliCare comes in. 

MoliCare continence products have been medically 

tested to provide the ultimate comfort and skin protection 

– because quality care should be a non-negotiable. 

Here are just a few ways MoliCare’s continence range will 

give you greater peace of mind: 

Highly absorbent 

With a 3-layer absorbent core, MoliCare napkins lock fluid 

into the centre, leaving skin dry – meaning less leakage 

and less washing! 

Skin protection 

Our unique Curly Fibre technology sets our products apart 

for maintaining healthy pH levels and reducing the risk of 

skin irritation.* 

Comfortable fit 

With different styles, sizes and absorbency levels – there’s 

a perfect fit for all incontinence needs, making for a more 

comfortable everyday. 

And best of all, MoliCare’s absorbent products are eligible 

for funding by the NDIS where they’re considered reasonable 

and necessary. 

*Bliss et al. Absorbent Briefs Containing Curly Fibre Lower (Acidify) Skin pH 

Reducing Risk of Incontinence Associated Skin Damage in Older Nursing 

Home Residents; 2016

Finding the right fit for you 

MoliCare’s extensive range of continence products ensures there’s a right fit for your needs. With various styles, 

sizes and absorbency levels, MoliCare products offer maximum comfort, discretion and skin protection. 

There are a few considerations to make when you’re selecting your product: style, size and absorbency. 

Here’s a handy guide to help you find the best fit: 

Style 

There are different styles to suit different levels of mobility. 

Full mobility: All styles in the MoliCare range are 

suitable, so your selection is just based on personal preference. 

Restricted mobility with cognitive difficulties: MoliCare Premium 

Mobile pull up is best for you – it looks and feels like normal underwear. 

Assisted, inactive or limited mobility: MoliCare Premium Slip will be 

most suitable as it’s all-in-one for ease of use. 

Size 

Using the correct size will ensure maximum comfort and leakage protection. To 

determine what size you should be wearing, measure the largest width between 

the waist and hips. Then, select the product size based on the size guide on the 

product packaging. Otherwise, leakage may occur if the product is too large or 

too small. 

Note: Sizing should not be confused with absorbency and can vary from style to style. 

Absorbency 

Selecting the right absorbency gives you the level of protection you need. 

Light Incontinence 

Drips and dribbles e.g. 1⁄2 cup up to 1 cup 

Moderate Incontinence 

More than a dribble but not complete loss of control e.g. up to 2 cups 

Heavy Incontinence 

Complete bladder loss e.g. over 2 cups 

Severe Incontinence 

Complete bladder loss of a very severe nature. 

Want to try MoliCare for FREE? 

Independence Australia offers a range of free MoliCare samples to try in the comfort of your own home. 

To order call 1300 788 855

Independence Australia is a: 

NDIS approved provider 

TAC service provider 

DHHS service provider 

Our services include: 

In-home care 

Accommodation 

Psychology and counselling 

Case management 

Support Coordination 

Information 

Health care products and equipment 

1300 704 456 

service.enquiry@iagroup.org.au 

www.independenceaustralia.com.au 

independenceaust 

@independenceaus

Inform issue 28 – Spring 2019

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?