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There were a few topics on the agenda, but the main one was Helen’s petition to the Federal Government. The petition was asking for the soon to be introduced AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL DISABILITY PARKING SCHEME criteria to include 'intellectual and complex developmental disorders'. The other main topic discussed was funding for the Rainbow Land Play Time Playgroup for families living with autism.The meeting kicked off with a video version of our presentation to the City of Tea Tree Gully Council in June 2009. This was received extremely well. The Parliamentary Secretary liked our presentation so much that he assured us he was going to put the YouTube link of the video on his website. To view the presentation, go to: http://www.youtube.com/user/rlautismservices.
Bill Shorten also gave his assurances that he would personally hand a copy of the presentation to the National Working Group, who will be making the decisions on the criteria for new National Disability Parking Scheme. Bill Shorten was very impressed with the overall presentation and commented on how he thought it addressed other important issues such as the inadequate number of disability parking available and how people simply don’t think of autism as a genuine disability.
We then discussed the playgroup and how we have successfully been running and servicing 21 families since March this year with no funding/grants so far. We discussed the many benefits of having a group like Rainbow Land that supports the whole family and not just the child with special needs.
I am very proud to say that the City of Tea Tree Gully (CTTG) featured prominently during each discussion. It was acknowledged and credit given to the City of Tea Tree Gully for taking a National lead in supporting people with intellectual and complex developmental disabilities by not just supporting Helen’s petition, but immediately changing its own criteria to include people with these disabilities when issuing disability parking permits in the CTTG area, which includes people with autism.
We also explained to the Parliamentary Secretary that without the support of the CTTG (in particular members of the Community Services Department, including Maggie L'Estrange, Jackie Hallam, Lynne Ogbeide, Teresa Sandona and Deidre Campbell) our Playgroup would not be possible. Councillor Barbaro also spoke of how the Playgroup has been selected as the charity of choice for the Mayors breakfast fundraiser, of which I still feel incredibly honoured on behalf of the Rainbow Land Play Time family.
In addition, we have already received feedback of gratitude from other families who have been able to obtain a CTTG disability parking permit recently because of Council’s commitment following our presentation in June. We, in turn, wish to publicly thank everyone who has supported this project because the support given to the autism community has been considerable and life enhancing in many ways.
We hope that the support and commitment we have received to date in relation to resolving the issues being faced by the autism community will continue to grow as the prevalence rates for autism grow at a scary rate (latest study out of the UK indicates up to 1 in 64 children have autism). This will ensure families like Helen and mine will have and maintain a happy and socially inclusive lifestyle.
Initiatives like these help to keep families together where the divorce rate can be as high as 80-90%. This is because it helps to relieve some of the enormous pressure families living with autism and other disabilities endure on a daily basis and helps to make them feel like important members of the community and that they are supported.
Forever grateful
Allison xxx
I also wish to publicly acknowledge the wonderful support Frances Bedford, MP and Paul Barbaro in particular has given to Helen and myself and their commitment to long term support as we strive to advocate for not just families living with autism, but all families living with a disability.
It is equally important to acknowledge Franco Parenti’s (Video Alchemy) efforts in providing us with the professional voice over. What is fantastic about Franco's involvement with helping us make a professional presentation is that he is the City of Tea Tree Gully's former Community Services Manager and he demonstrates his passion for community services through his wonderful video production work that he does for not for profit organizations today.
Helen Howson can't go without a personal thank you from myself. Helen put a huge amount of time into not just the petition, but the presentation you can view on YouTube today. She utilised her amazing photography skills to put together a touching and realistic video that represents our everyday lives. She is such a fabulous Mum who started a photography business called Everyone's Beautiful so that families would have special and beautiful photos of their children with special needs, which is difficult to get. I wouldn't have all the beautiful photos of my children that I have if it wasn't for Helen. Thank you Helen. You are an inspiration to me and many others and we are blessed to have you and your family in our lives.
