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Living with chronic pain can be an alienating experience.  You feel lonely and uncomfortable, and perhaps unable to share that experience with others for fear of judgement. You might desperately want to ask for accommodations to make getting through the work day easier, but feel like a burden if you do.  But the reality is,… Read more: Conversations about chronic pain

When you think of sustainability, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? It’s likely things like recycling, or electric vehicles or solar panels.  Sustainability in accessible technologies are probably not top of mind in that list. But it is top of mind for Tyrex, which specialises in recycled rubber products including access ramps and… Read more: Sustainability in accessibility

Nerida Sleaman said she has the best job in the world. She’s the project manager of Employing 100 at Australian Disability Network (ADN), an employer demand-led inclusion framework. Over the past week, the program has celebrated a milestone as it concluded, having successfully secured jobs for almost 240 people with disability – over and above… Read more: Employing 100 program smashes target as DEI scales up

Parenting is hard work – but add in the unique challenges of parenting while using a wheelchair, and the difficulty increases.   Now, a world-first invention aims to minimise those difficulties by making it easier for parents in wheelchairs or with other disabilities to care for their babies.  Called the Care Station, it’s been welcomed around… Read more: Aussie invention simplifies caring for parents with disability

The Create Space Arts Initiative is working to make the arts more accessible for the neurodivergent community.  It was born from work done at The A List, a national platform that helps autistic and neurodivergent people to find opportunities for social connections. One of the things the team at The A List noticed was that… Read more: Building neurodivergent-led art spaces for all

Gerry Smith’s dream has always been to perform his music on stage.  He was brought up on the classics: the Beatles, Sinatra, early jazz. His father was into instrumentals, so a young Gerry grew up with varied tastes. He attended gigs at venues across Melbourne.  But he never thought he would make it.  Smith has… Read more: Singer-songwriter Gerry Smith lives for the moment on stage 

There’s been some positive news in the realm of disability employment.  The latest data release from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has shown improvement in several measures related to employment for people with disability.  But some measures still lag, according to the data release.  It follows news last year that the labour… Read more: Employment indicators on the up for people with disability 

Australia has its first ever National Autism Strategy.  Along with an associated Action Plan, the government says the documents aim to improve inclusion, support and life outcomes for Australians on the spectrum.  It’s been designed in consultation with autistic people as a national approach to breaking down the barriers that prevent autistic people from accessing… Read more: The National Autism Strategy: now what?

So, you’re in need of a holiday. Perhaps you chose to put off that Christmas break so you didn’t run into the summer tourist rush, or maybe the break simply feels like too long ago now. Whatever the reason, you deserve a vacation.  But when you have a disability, it can be harder to find… Read more: Ready to book your accessible holiday?

Occasionally, Greg Pinson likes to throw himself out of his wheelchair. And while that might sound strange, it’s for good reason.  Pinson, who was born with spina bifida, is a keen indoor skydiver and the brand ambassador for indoor skydiving provider iFly.  In a way, his ‘flying career’ began with relearning how to have fun;… Read more: Learning to fly, no matter the disability

To say it’s been a busy year for disability policy is, frankly, an understatement. Much of what took place this year was expected, but there were a few surprises too. Here’s our recap of some of the biggest moments of 2024.  Policy and Paralympics  In disability policy, the Federal government released its response to the… Read more: The year in disability

A new dance program from Monash University is driving the development of inclusive dance programs and supporting the wellbeing of children in Australia and China living with disability.   The AllPlay partnership with the only professional dance institution in China, the Beijing Dance Academy, will, for the first time, give children with disabilities outside Australia access… Read more: Dancing all the way to China

PhD candidate Chrissy Antonopoulos is challenging the biases that can limit people with disability – and her work on the subject has recently earned a prestigious award.  Antonopoulos, a registered psychologist, is currently awaiting confirmation of her PhD which focuses on implicit bias towards people with disability. Her research found that people with disability experience… Read more: Implicit bias researcher wins global award

Outgoing NDIS Minister Bill Shorten has made his valedictory speech to the Australian Parliament as he says farewell to politics after 17 years.  Shorten made his speech on Thursday 21 November, with current and former staff as well as Parliamentarians in attendance.  The minister used his speech to reflect on his time serving not just… Read more: Shorten gives farewell speech 

For athlete Ross Patterson, sport is a way of life – and tennis has been his road to world domination.  Tennis became his sport of choice after developing osteomyelitis as a child, which meant he had to give up his beloved AFL and choose a non-contact sport from the age of 11.  He proved to… Read more: Top tennis player reflects on a well-deserved honour

Corene Strauss, CEO of Australian Disability Network, is retiring at the end of this year and while there is still much to do, she’s proud of the impact she has been able to have. Although she’s spent the last three and a half years at AusDN, she’s been part of the disability sector for much… Read more: A leader steps down: in conversation with Corene Strauss

Returning to study as a mature age student was not originally on the cards for Michelle Hastie – but sometimes things are just meant to be.  In Hastie’s case, having taught secondary students for 12 years, it was the subject matter that swayed her.  “I had wanted to study… inclusive ed for probably almost ten… Read more: When the personal becomes professional: Hastie’s mission to make learning inclusive

The face of brands is changing thanks to the work of certified social enterprise Disinfluencer.  Disinfluencer is an Australian first: a content and branding hub that helps businesses be more inclusive and promote their own inclusivity with sensitivity and pride.  It was founded by Simone Eyles, who has a background in marketing and design. Inspired… Read more: A vision to dismantle marketing for better inclusion

A coalition of Queensland-based disability advocates has called for action on the health inequalities faced by people with intellectual disability, ahead of the state’s election this weekend.  The joint statement was released by Queenslanders with Disability Network (QDN), Queensland Centre of Excellence in Autism and Intellectual Disability Health (QCEAIDH), Australasian Society for Intellectual Disability (ASID)… Read more: Advocates back action for health of people with intellectual disability 

Dr Erica Tandori is on a journey to make science accessible for everyone.  As an academic at Monash University, she helped to create the first exhibition on infection and immunity for people with blindness or low vision, including large tactile posters with braille labels and large text, 3D models of immune cells, viruses, and proteins,… Read more: Awakening the senses to accessible science