Written by Jonathan Shar
If we are to take anything positive out of the whole COVID-19 situation, I believe that we have become a more cohesive and united community through being brought together by platforms such as Zoom.
Whether through being involved in PDA’s fun fortnightly Social Hours (see below for registration link) or doing therapies via Telehealth, we should be proud of the sense of belonging and community we are creating and hope to maintain when life returns to normal (hopefully sooner than we think).
As someone who at times has struggled with social isolation and longed to be a part of a community, when I do login to a Zoom chat or YouTube live stream I feel like I’ve almost come home because being around people that understand the challenges and triumphs of disability life is healing.
In saying that, my main concern is how can we maintain this into the future. Will and should technology play a bigger role in how we include and embrace people with physical disabilities?
One thing I will be pushing for is for all organisations who work in the disability space to work more collaboratively. Whether you’re a service provider, part of a peak body or community group, we need to work together – regardless of how or who you’re funded by.
This will enable better outcomes across the board for the disability community, the members and the very people we represent, because without them we are nothing. “Nothing about us without us” may be one of the most overused quotes in the disability rights movement but during these times I feel as though it has taken on a new meaning.
In the era of #BlackLivesMatter, #MeToo and the violence, abuse and neglect being uncovered by the Disability Royal Commission, one could assume the collective trauma from all three would foster divisions, however the opposite is being shown to be true.
It is a shame that it took the appalling abuse and callous neglect of Ann-Marie Smith to unite our community in a call to action. It’s important for us to channel our frustrations into something positive, instead of stoking divisions. Let’s make this an opportunity to strengthen disability rights and encourage politicians to truly put disability on their agendas – not for votes or popularity, but to truly bring about tangible reform.
If you too feel frustrated and passionate about this issue, I encourage you to use social media to start a conversation, talk/write to government agencies and leaders of disability services. Do not beome demoralised, by negative answers or lack of response. Simply continue to knock on doors and keep the conversation going.
Together we are louder.
Join PDA, join one of our Social Hours, become part of the conversation and let’s work towards improving the lives of all Australians living with disability.
To join one of PDA’s fortnightly Zoom sessions (held on Mondays), please register at:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMvdeCvqT0iGNIHANOwSpCJDs6Yg_iN8tAo?fbclid=IwAR37vPFdtHijzzInqwjHDE8hWoC1DuIq5D2yYrSSR9fEzhXf1xxidmi7iZ8
