With so much news hitting us daily, keeping up to date with information and stories can seem overwhelming.
Physical Disability Australia helps by bringing the news to you as it happens and in one location.
If you haven’t already checked out our PDA Discussion Group Facebook page, we encourage you to visit, join our community and be kept informed on issues affecting Australia’s disability community.
Be kept in the loop quickly, easily and now.
Head across to
https://www.facebook.com/groups/physicaldisabilityaustralia
and make sure that you follow us.
PDA has its finger on the pulse of Australia’s disability community.
I spoke with a friend who recently returned from an overseas holiday and, whilst he had a fantastic time away, many of his stories were peppered with the frustrations of travelling as a person living with disability.
From packing, to organising travel and accommodation, finding accessible tours and things to do, how organised do you need to be to enjoy the holiday?
Do you have any tips on how to make the most of your travel experiences?
Do you organise everything yourself or do you have a go-to travel agent who does all the groundwork for you?
What was your best holiday experience and what was your worst?
We’d love to hear your advice.
Did you know that Physical Disability Australia is a national peak Disability Peoples Organisation (DPO) that is run by people with physical disability for people with physical disability?
PDA was established in 1995 and is one of a tiny handful of Australian disability organisations that actually has a footprint in every one of our country’s States and Territories – both in terms of representation and membership.
Our organisation’s goal is to enable every Australian living with a physical disability to realise their full potential and we strive to achieve this by advocating to government, creating equal opportunities, promoting diversity and inclusion, building community and supporting and representing Australia’s physical disability community and our members.
FREE Membership is available to all Australian residents living with physical disability, their families, friends, service providers and anyone with a positive interest in supporting our country’s disability community.
It’s quick and easy to sign up. Just go to our membership page.
pda.org.au/membership/
We hope that you consider joining Physical Disability Australia and helping us to bring about positive change that will give ALL people with disability an opportunity to live an ordinary (if not extraordinary) life.
If you missed seeing PDA’s Ambassador, Dr Dinesh Palipana OAM, on The Project on Monday night, make sure that you check it out here:
“Doctor Dinesh Palipana was paralysed in an accident but always dreamed of walking again one day. Now, he’s using virtual reality to make it happen, and it could be the key to helping other paraplegics walk again.”
https://10play.com.au/theproject/news/2024/paralysed-man-using-virtual-reality-to-walk-again/tpv240318oglrj
Physical Disability Australia believes that knowledge is power and that everyone has a story to tell.
Our posts highlight news and happenings that directly impact Australia‘s disability community and our blogs, presentations and webinars ensure that we are informed and that ideas and experiences are shared.
Feedspot recently released its 35 Best Australian Disability Blogs and Websites and the PDA Team is absolutely wrapped that we were once again named in the Top 10 (https://blog.feedspot.com/australian_disability_blogs/). A big thank you to Feedspot for this recognition.
With our incredible blog contributors having their articles published on our website (https://www.pda.org.au/blog/ and covering an incredibly diverse range of topics, honest and frank conversations and subjects to educate, inform and spark discussions, we are incredibly proud and grateful for their role in this recognition.
Thank you to all of our bloggers for your efforts.
A big thank you too to all of you who have enjoyed reading our blogs, social posts and attending (or viewing) our webinars. PDA is here for you and we’re so happy to have you beside us in our journey to empower, represent, include and support our members and wider community.
If you have a blog that you would like us to feature on our blog page, please reach out to us at promotion@pda.org.au.
We’d love to share your stories and experiences.
On Sunday 4th February the second Physical Disability Awareness Day was successfully held.
We had a wonderful turnout of people at the online DisabiliTEA and had a lot of fun and laughs.
In-person events were also held at a number of Australian sites, giving people the opportunity to catch-up with friends (both old and new), to raise awareness of physical disability and to celebrate our community.
Next year we will be celebrating the third Physical Disability Awareness Day (Sunday 2nd February 2025) and we hope that you will join us to recognise and help grow this important event.
The online DisabiliTEA will continue and we hope to increase the number of live catch-up venues for people to meet face to face.
If you would like to host an event local to you, please let us know by emailing promotion@pda.org.au.
We are also looking for people interested in being part of the organising committee. If this sounds like something that you’d like to be involved in, please let us know by also emailing promotion@pda.org.au.
Together let’s make Physical Disability Awareness Day a recognised and celebrated day for everyone!
South Australian residents living with a physical disability are invited to attend an online forum to provide feedback to better understand the issues surrounding disability housing in South Australia.
Round Table Conversations, led by Krystal Matthews, will be facilitating a group forum around disability housing on behalf of the SA Government’s Housing Authority on Wednesday 28th February at 6pm SA Time.
All feedback will be anonymous, and participants will be paid $50 (in the form of a Prezzee gift card) to attend this 1 hour session.
Feedback will involve answering questions about the participant’s housing journey, including personal experiences, housing aspirations, barriers experienced, and ideas around assistance in maintaining or seeking secure and safe housing in the future.
You do not need to be in public or community housing to participate. You may still live with your parents, in a private rental, Specialist Disability Accommodation, or own your own home.
To register your interest, go to:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pduusqD8uHtVkIn2CED4wm9u73VwW60qs?os=ipad#/registration
On Sunday 4th February Physical Disability Awareness Day brought together the disability community for the second time.
Providing an opportunity to highlight, celebrate and recognise physical disability, face-to-face events were held in Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Ipswich (QLD) with an online DisabiliTEA once again proving popular and bringing together Australians from all over.
It was truly a great opportunity, a lot of fun and wonderful to see the growth in interest and support for this very important day.
Thank you so much to those who helped to organise and run these events, those who attended the events, those who supported and promoted the events and those who helped to grow and strengthen Physical Disability Awareness Day.
We look forward to running the third Physical Disability Awareness Day on Sunday 2nd February 2025 and invite everyone to get on board with helping to plan and steer the day into the future.
To register your interest in being involved in the organising committee, please email promotion@pda.org.au.
#PhysicalDisabilityAwarenessDay
Following last year’s first ever Physical Disability Awareness Day, the interest, excitement and community that has grown from our inaugural online DisabiliTEA has been phenomenal – with individuals and organisations both in Australia and internationally getting on board to grow this important event.
For the first time this event will be run globally and, mindful of the many timezones that are potentially involved, this event will involve a number of virtual and face to face catch-ups.
We’d love to have you join us!
The online Australian DisabiliTEA will be run via Zoom, uniting all corners of Australia with the disability and wider communities meeting to share stories and to have a cuppa together.
Run at the following times, this event is scheduled to allow for maximum involvement across the nation.
2pm NSW/VIC/ACT/TAS
1:30pm SA
1pm QLD
12:30pm NT
11am WA
To be involved in this fun event you must register by going to:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcqdeivpzktE9cIxAOgWw0oQZO9bQkSNhTP
Once you have registered, you will be emailed further details.
So grab your best china or most loved mug, a cookie or slice of cake, brew up your beverage of choice and join us at our virtual DisabiliTEA.
A number of face to face events have also been scheduled, including Stroll & Rolls around local parks, morning and afternoon teas and a book launch. Everyone is welcome.
Those who register and attend an Australian Physical Disability Awareness Day event (including the online DisabiliTEA) go in to a draw to win a $50 gift voucher (one voucher per location).
If you are attending one of our Roll & Stroll events, and as the weather may be hot, we recommend that you bring water, a hat, sunscreen and snacks if required.
To go in to the draw to win a $50 gift card (one per each Australian planned event), please indicate which event you will be attending by registering at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7FJ36MV. If you register and are then present on the day, you could win a prize.
Melbourne
Bicentennial Park, Scotch Parade, Chelsea VIC 3196
From 12pm. Meeting at the BBQ area near the Children’s Playground and Toilets. Look for the PDA Banner.
The event will include a Stroll & Roll around the park. If you prefer, you can hang out for a chat, a bite to eat (BYO) or just explore the park facilities (including accessible Frisbee golf). At 2pm the Physical Disability Awareness Day’s online DisabiliTEA will take place and allow a link up with other Australian States/Territories at their events where we can share stories and laughs at this virtual afternoon tea.
Park is wheelchair friendly with facilities including:
Hobart
Montrose Foreshore Community Park
825 Brooker Hwy, Montrose TAS 7010
Look for the PDA Banner.
From 1pm and concluding at 3pm
Stroll & Roll event along the foreshore. However, if walking or rolling isn’t your thing, come along with a picnic, make new friends, enjoy the company of others who share your journey.
Ipswich, QLD
Ellie Jane Support Services
4a/126 Brisbane St, Ipswich QLD 4305
From 1pm and concluding at 3pm
DisabiliTea – followed by fun activities, prizes and a book launch.
Register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7FJ36MV
Perth
King’s Park and Botanical Gardens
Fraser Ave, Perth WA 6005
Stroll & Roll event – loop around lake
Look for the PDA Banner.
10:30am start time at Vietnam War Memorial (on May Drive). Ending at Zamia Café.
Wheelchair access available in most buildings, restaurants, cafes, BBQ areas and parts of Kings Park’s bushland. Picnic tables located within BBQ and parkland precincts are accessible for visitors in wheelchairs and often include a concrete extension for wheelchair seating.
Accessible height drinking fountains
Accessible bathrooms
Accessible parking
Register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7FJ36MV
https://www.bgpa.wa.gov.au/visiting-disability
Where possible, we want Physical Disability Awareness Day to be inclusive of everyone wishing to be involved and to celebrate the physical disability community.
So, wherever you are, why not join us to celebrate the second Physical Disability Awareness Day?
If you would like to hear more, please don’t hesitate to email promotion@pda.org.au or visit
https://www.pda.org.au/physicaldisabilityawarenessday/
Earlier this year PDA promoted Open Inclusion’s exciting Simply Open Awards – an exciting competition where people with disabilities can share and showcase simple solutions and hacks they have created to overcome access or exclusion barriers.
In the lead up to this year’s International Day of People with Disability on December 3rd, the award announcement was live streamed on Friday night.
We are very excited and thrilled to announce that PDA’s very own Melanie Hawkes (PDA’s WA Associate Director) was revealed as the recipient of the Judges’ Wildcard for her stick hack, taking home £750 and the prestigious honour of being Australia’s first ever Simply Open Awards winner.
Big congrats to Melanie for her efforts. Congratulations too to the other Award winners.
You can watch the awards by going to:
Melanie features at around the 37:10 mark.
Additionally, PDA was recognised as the most successful charitable organisation in promoting the Simply Open Awards to their community, resulting in the most referred applicants sharing their hacks in the competition (watch from 35:02). We are humbled and grateful to the Simply Open Awards for being mentioned in this way and incredibly appreciative of our members, our supporters, our social media followers and Australia’s disability community who were inspired to enter this outstanding award and who mentioned PDA in their applications. Not only did this provide us with valuable recognition and a warm fuzzy feeling of community, but it also netted us a generous prize of £1,000 which will assist us in our organisation’s efforts. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
A big thank you to Josh Wintersgill, Christine Hemphill (Open Inclusion Founder) and everyone involved for bringing the Simply Open Awards to life, for fostering inclusion and for building a disability community united and supported on a global level.
We look forward to highlighting the Awards in 2024 and beyond.
1800 732 674
