One day of many to work towards inclusion

GEELONG-based support service genU says International Day for People with Disability (IDPwD) is a time for acknowledgement and celebration, but was just one day in a year of its efforts to build inclusive communities.

Recognised by the United Nations since 1992, IDPwD is observed on December 3 each year and aims to increase public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability, including the 4.4 million Australians with disability.

genU held a IDPwD celebration yesterday (Thursday, December 1) at Rydges Geelong.

Titled TOGETHER and hosted by podcaster and author Jamila Rizvi, speakers included musician, writer and disability advocate Eliza Hull, motivational speaker, wellness advocate Rhiannon Tracey, musician and disability advocate Eamon Wheatland, and augmented and alternative communication (AAC) user and advocate Noah Callan.

genU executive general manager of community and pathways Brandon Howard said the service was “empowering and supporting our clients every day of the week”.

“Whether that be in accommodation, our day programs, our business enterprises out at Douro Street [in North Geelong], we have a number of services and programs which are all about having the client at the centre and building capability and capacity so they can reach their full potential, whatever that full potential may be.

 

“For us, I guess this day is more about the public face of acknowledging the work that we’re doing, both for individuals and in the community, but I would suggest we’re doing this every day of the week.”

He said genU, though it was founded in Geelong and has its head office here, supported about 4,000 clients across Victoria, including from the Western District, Horsham, the City of Wyndham, and the Mornington Peninsula.

“We see ourselves not exclusively but largely supporting those in the rural and regional areas, because as you imagine, a lot of providers for one reason or another are exiting those particular areas, and clearly individuals with disabilities need support in those areas, too.”

Mr Howard said the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme had changed the disability sector, but genU’s diversity and scale as an organisation had allowed it to keep focusing on investing into its existing services.

“For us, it’s also about the other innovations that we can deliver.”

He said genU GAMER and genU Adventure programs were two examples, being lifestyle and participation programs that were making a big difference to the lives of genU clients, and its business enterprises were another.

“We employ 220 individuals with a disability, and those individuals get paid for the work that they do, and for many of them, it gives them a real purpose to be able to get out there – it’s about being able to give back, but it’s also them about building confidence and capability.”