 |
 |
John, It is disappointing to see that you will only be involved if you as a parent get a vote. If this is the case then you and your organisation should join NCID National Council on Intellectual Disability, ACROD & Australian Carer's Association. Obviously Disability Australia's philosopies, goals and methods differ from yours. Personally I would hate to think my support of equal rights for Aborigines and Women was conditional on me getting to vote in their organisations. Frank HB homan wrote: > Good morning Frank, > > Thank you for your response with which I wholeheartedly disagree, though > I will defend (but not to the death) your right to think that way, to > quote (I think it was) Oscar Wilde badly. > > The most marginalizes section in disability are those who are unable to > represent themselves and rely on others, particularly family to do it > for them. To steer these advocates to the tradesman's entrance of > associate membership call seriously in doubt your stated intent to set > up a trade union to represent all people with a disability. It seems to > me that there is no sense of unity, common bond or purpose here, just a > number of individuals with converging personal interests. > > On that basis I say 'thank you, but no thank you. I will not sanction my > daughter's interest being relegated to second class status' > > Frank Hall-Bentick wrote: > > > > John, > > > > Thanks for your question regarding representation, it is an extremely > > important one. > > > > Since the on set of my disability in the early 1950's I have met many > > many > > parents who are advocates for their adult children and have set up and > > run > > disability organisations to provide services in their local community > > because none existed or would have existed. However somewhere along the > > way > > many of these organisations began to represent what is best for parents > > rather than what is best for the adults for disabilities. Our parents > > spoke > > for us without asking us what we wanted or thought, without explaining > > things simply and patiently until we do understand. > > > > Since 1981 I have worked along side many people with varying severities > > of > > intellectual disabilities, some with support workers and many without. > > They > > have set up their own group here in Melbourne called REINFORCE > > http://home.connexus.net.au/~frankhb/p1st/pfmelb1.htm which has Links to > > other People First Groups around the world. > > Over time, and given encouragement and support they have learnt to look > > after themselves, some live independently and to speak out for > > themselves. > > > > However we still need to work with advocates and organisations such as > > yourselves to ensure services are provided for people with disabilities > > especially in rural and remote locations away from the capital cities. > > To this end I would encourage you to join as Associate members so that > > we can link into rural and remote issues and we can link you into > > National and International issues. > > > > Thank you for your time and interest. > > > > Frank HB > > President > > Disability Australia > > > > homan wrote: > > > > > Good evening Frank, > > > > > > I am the father of, and advocate for our 30 year old daughter who is > > > intellectually disabled. That by what I read in your message would > > > qualify Amanda for full membership, which would be tokenism, and me to a > > > lesser category, even though I am the person who represents her > > > interests in the real world. > > > > > > Similarly, I also represent the Capricornia Respite Care Association > > > Inc. The constitution spells out that more than half the members of the > > > management committee, must be people with disabilities or carers, and > > > the president must be a person with a disability or carer. In practice > > > these positions are taken by carers as most of our members are children > > > and/or are intellectually disabled to the extend that they need around > > > the clock support. Where dooes crca fit in? > > > > > > rgds John %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%