projectABLE

From workshops to Certificate Training, where does the projectABLE journey take you? We speak to Kyrillos, student and projectABLE ambassador since 2011. Kyrillos featured in one of last year’s projectABLE ambassador videos alongside fellow ambassador and volunteer Amy with Louise Olsen from Dinosaur Designs, viewable online.

I began to get involved with projectABLE through the workshop at Interaction Disability Services (IDS) in Castle Hill, originally just to check it out and see what the community sector was about. The half day workshop was a really interactive lesson and really inspired me to keep on going.

Here I was able to apply for a First Aid Course and work experience in which I participated in dance with some clients from IDS. It was from this point forth that I took a great deal of interest in the program and understood the theoretical and practical components of a care career. I was fortunate enough to be chosen as one of three ambassadors, where I was fully able to enjoy a fulfilling experience with projectABLE.

projectABLE is a step in shifting from a normal working environment into more interactive places and it’s great because the community sector gets more recognition which is what we need at the moment.

I hope to one day become a doctor and assist clients who may not have their wants and needs attended by medical specialists who are possibly impatient and inconsiderate.
I gained a world’s worth from projectABLE. I was able to improve not only my communication skills but more importantly my perceptions of people with a disability. Everything that a disabled person needs and wants is the same as an able person needs and wants. Check projectABLE out, it’s a really great experience.

Where will projectABLE take you in 2013? We’ll be listing workshop dates soon – sign up to our newsletter to stay posted.

What did we do before the internet?

The internet has replaced looking up a number in the phone book, queuing in line at the bank, waiting on hold, doing your research at the library.

For people living with disability, the internet has made huge changes. In the last 15 years, accessing information has been revolutionised – and as a result, those with limited mobility, hearing loss, vision impairment or the need for plain English websites can access information in more ways than ever before.

Here at projectABLE we’ve been keeping a close eye on the online community and disability – how inclusive the web is, how accessible it is, and in the best cases, how empowering it can be.

Bloggers have in recent years kind of become the new rock stars, and where rock stars with disability on stage have been somewhat lacking, they now make up for in waves online.

Some blogs, advocacy groups and communities we’ve come to love at projectABLE:

Stella Young on The Drum – Stella Young, a Melbourne based activist, is a blogger, comedian, activist in disability and editor of ABC’s online disability publication Ramp Up.
Ramp Up is produced by the ABC and is an opinion and news column for and about communities living with disability
Youth Disability Advocacy Service – Established in 2006 and funded by the State Government, YDAS is the only disability advocacy service in Australia (and possibly the world) which exists specifically to represent and work on issues of concern to specifically young people with disabilities.
Disability Scoop is a US based online magazine covering a range of topics for and about people with disability
Enable is a UK based online publication covering many aspects of life when living with disability – travel, employment, the arts and more.

Have you found other similar online communities? Share with us your experience. We also regularly post interesting finds regarding disability on our Twitter and Facebook.

Tag: community

Meet Kyrilos