This was a hard year for everyone
COVID-19 showed some negative and positive things.
Some negatives
- People with intellectual disability have been more isolated.
- They are also more vulnerable to COVID-19.
- Not many people with intellectual disability have access to internet and technology.
- Some people with intellectual disability have access to technoloyg and internet but do not have support to use it.
Some positives
- Everybody had to learn to use technology very quickly.
- Technlogy allowed some people with intellectual disability to connect with others.
- That helped to overcome loneliness.
- It showed that technology can be used by self -advocacy organisations to support others.
There is a Royal Commission in Australia. This is positive as people with disability can have a voice.
This is a chance to change things for the better.
But it is also a negative:
Violence and abuse happened so much to people with disability that this Commission was needed.
What we found difficult this year:
- We were not able to see each other and work together in person.
- We struggled with technology.
- We could not present at confeerences, as planned.
What worked for us this year:
- We used FaceTime, Zoom and Workplace to see each other almost every day.
- We were able to work together online.
- We were able to work with others.
- For example we created a video about self-advocacy.
- This was done with Jan Walmsley and Liz Tilley from Great Britain.
- We continued data analysis with Joanne Danker, Michelle Tso and Brydan Lenne (thank you ladies.)
We have been working with the Department of Education on a project.
It aims to give voice to people with high support needs.
See this link for more.
- We piloted together with IDRS their Rights and Relationships program at Matraville High School.
(thank you Jessica Mooney and the team, Janene Cootes, Ben Garcia-Lee, Liz Dore, Joanne Danker, Alison Carter and Rosemary Malouf).
It was a great success.
- We started to work with Mary O’Malley and created our blog.
- Julie was a guest speaker in Iva’s courses via Zoom.
This was a new experience for us.
We did both pre-recorded and live lectures.
It was a hard year but we have a lot to be thankful for.
It was the year when Julie received the National Award for Disability Leadership in Change Making.
What are our plans for 2021?
- Continue our blog – hopefully more frequently.
- Share our blog with more people.
- Continue our research work. We have many projects together
- We will continue working with IDRS.
Their Rights and Relationship program is fantastic. We want to bring it to schools.
It will help students with intellectual disability to learn about rights, relationship and sexuality.
- Finish writing our book.
It is about girls and women with intellectual disability.
- Edit together with Mike Wehmeyer a special issue about transitions.
- This is for the British Journal of Learning Disabilities.
- We will present at conferences.
So stay tuned!
There is a lot you will hear about from us next year.
Thank you for reading our blog and writing to us.
It means a lot.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.