As advocates look ahead to opportunities to shift narratives around disability, a new guide aims to help them develop defining and persuasive messaging. The By Us, For Us – Disability Messaging Guide – produced as part of a partnership between Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA) and Australian Progress and born of a research project into shifting public narratives – was launched at a webinar on Thursday 18 April, and includes messaging tips that have been proven to be effective in building public support for social change. The guide was developed by a team including people with disab ..read more

Lived experience of chronic illness and social isolation is driving the development of a new social media platform that aims to foster community connections. Spoony, which will launch to the wider public in May, is a dating and friendship app specially designed for neurodivergent, chronically ill and people with disability. Founder and CEO Nicholas Carlton told Danielle Kutchel he has personally experienced “the profound social isolation that so often goes hand in hand with chronic illness and disability”. “It was a difficult time for me, but [it] stuck with me just how removed from society c ..read more

Colourful crowds descended on Essendon, just out of Melbourne, on Saturday night for Equal Access for Autism’s annual fundraising gala. The dress code was ‘formal with a dash of colour’, and over 1000 guests went all out to show their support for the cause. In fact, colour was everywhere: the rainbow-toned programs adorning the tables featured artwork by Dominic Gatto, the young man whose story and experiences started it all for the charity. As told to Danielle Kutchel earlier this year, Equal Access for Autism (EA4A) is raising money to build a space dedicated to autistic teens and young adu ..read more

Those looking for an accessible laugh at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF) are in luck, with plenty of steps being taken to make sure that the comedy on show is open to all. The festival – one of the world’s best known comedy showcases – has a dedicated accessibility page on its website with information for visitors with accessibility requirements. This includes details on accessing communication boards and sensory backpacks, and information about accessible parking, pubic transport, seating and bathrooms at festival venues. The MICF also has an expanding list of Auslan-inter ..read more

Publicis Groupe ANZ has taken the first step on the path to becoming a disability confident employer. The media and communications agency group recently launched its inaugural Disability Access and Inclusion Plan. Developed in partnership with the Australian Disability Network (ADN), the plan is based on an extensive feedback process with people with disabilities, according to Head of DE& I at Publicis Groupe ANZ, Jessica Farrell. She said it was high time for the company to develop a disability-specific plan, given the number of staff who had identified as having a disability or being re ..read more

Life Without Barriers has partnered with the Disability Leadership Institute to bring on a co-CEO intern, providing an opportunity break down leadership barriers for those with lived experience of disability. Debbie Heron, an experienced leader and advocate who lives with a disability, has joined the organisation and will work alongside CEO Claire Robbs. It’s a far cry from the future that was envisaged for her at birth, she said. “The trajectory for me after I was born was just that I would never walk or talk and I’d be likely to need to go to a special school and then a group home, and then ..read more

BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort has won top honours at the Queensland Tourism Awards, including the inaugural ‘Excellence in Accessible Tourism’ category. The family-owned resort is Accessible Accommodation Qualified, QTAB Accessible Accredited, with accessible facilities that cater for mobility issues, while maximising the experience for visitors with differing ages, needs and abilities. Read More in the Link Magazine ..read more

In 2023 Achieve Australia partnered with Accessible Arts to introduce the Artful Art Prize, a national art competition open to all Australian residents, regardless of ability, age, or skill level. More than just an art contest, this initiative champions inclusivity and proves that talent knows no limits. The Artful Art Prize received an impressive 640 submissions, with 60 winners selected across six categories: painting, drawing, 3-D, photography, mixed media, and textiles. The competition’s success lies not only in the diversity of submissions but in the belief that every artist, regardless ..read more

There is something endearing about lovingly restored old cars that puts a smile on everyone’s face. The ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ jalopies with their running boards, the low-slung jazz era open sports cars, WW2 camouflaged jeeps, the white walled tyred 50s limos with fins are all showstoppers. Who can resist turning at the lights to see who is driving and wonder at the pleasure these old autos have given the drivers? One such person is Brisbane woman Belinda Brandt or Binni, as her family and friends call her, who turned sharing her restored Holden car into a care business for people with disability ..read more

James Parr is hitting his stride. It’s been a whirlwind few years for the 27-year-old, who changed careers during the pandemic and now spends his days walking the runway at some of fashion’s biggest events for household names like Tommy Hilfiger and Myer. And with every step, he aims to move the world towards a more positive vision of disability. The model, disability advocate, triathlete and writer is making it his mission to promote inclusion through his work both on the runway and behind the scenes, using his lived experience of disability to champion a more realistic portrayal of disabili ..read more