This two-day event will gather and connect people with disabilities, family members, friends, workers, and allies to focus on building our capacity for lifelong inclusion.
We live in challenging times as we navigate the path to achieving good lives for people with disabilities. It’s important that we come together to share real stories of what can be achieved for everybody – from young children to mature adults.
We promise you inspiration, encouragement and stories illustrating hopeful possibilities. This will also be a chance to reflect on what gets in the way of a good life and what we need to do to claim and create a positive future.
There will be time to connect with friends and opportunities to meet new allies for change.
This gathering features longer workshops designed to give participants the opportunity to explore topics of interest in a smaller group. Some but not all of the workshops will be repeated. For both Friday and Saturday of the event, participants will be asked to choose a workshop stream to participate in.
Details of all the workshops are being confirmed, but you will be asked to nominate your preferred topic at registration checkout, and CRU will contact you via email with more details once the workshop details are complete.
Both days of the event will be structured to allow maximum immersion in the topics that interest you, and time for deeper connection with those around you:
- Morning welcome plenary
- Morning tea break
- Workshop stream
- Lunch break
- Workshop stream continued
- Afternoon plenary
Tickets:
When registering to attend, there are several options available, with Early Bird prices available, as well as discounts for Groups of 6 or more until 31st January 2025, and then full pricing applies.
- 2 Day Ticket (both days)
- 1 Day Ticket (Friday OR Saturday)
- Groups of 6 or more discounted ticket option
- Community Catch-Up ticket
We look forward to spending 2 exciting days together in March 2025.
Using Your NDIS Funding at CRU
For self-managing and plan-managed NDIS participants, see the Learning Objectives below. You can decide if this is a reasonable and necessary support to help you (or your family member) achieve their goals. Each workshop topic will also have specific learning objectives, please see workshop topics for further details.
Learning Objectives:
When undertaken as training for people with disability, family members, carers or supporters, this event will deepen understanding and build capacity and skills to:
- Achieve long term outcomes of social, community and economic inclusion and participation on an equitable basis;
- Anticipate, plan for and manage life stages and transitions;
- Maximise independence, choice and control and community participation;
- Recognise, challenge and address impediments to the rights of individuals with disability to full inclusion and participation in the community, through advocacy and practical action.
Friday Workshops:
- Inclusive Education
- Employment
- Respectful Support
- Supported Decision Making
- Behaviour and Sensory and Movement Differences
Saturday Workshop:
- Inclusive Education
- Employment
- Home of Your Own
- Supported Decision Making
- Behaviour and Sensory and Movement Differences
- Friendships
We are also planning a Community Catch-Up social event on Friday night, and we hope you can join us.
Download Flyer for Building Capacity for Lifelong Inclusion
Download FAQs Building Capacity for Lifelong Inclusion Event
Download Using your NDIS Plan at CRU
Further Details about Presenters, Plenary and Workshop Sessions:
Plenary Sessions:
Dan and Samual Habib
Dan Habib created the Emmy® Award winning New York Times Op-Doc, My DisabilityRoadmap and the new feature film, The Ride Ahead with his son Samuel.
Dan is also the creator of award-winning documentary film, Including Samuel and many other short films on disability related topics.
Dan is the Inclusive Communities Project Director at the Westchester Institute for HumanDevelopment. He regularly screens and discusses his films both in the U.S. and internationally, at Universities and conferences, film festivals, and independent theatres.
His films have been broadcast nationally on public television stations and translated into 17 languages for use as teaching tools worldwide. From 2014-2017 Dan served on the President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities under Barack Obama.
Samuel Habib, is a college student and the Emmy® Award-winning co-director of My Disability Roadmap and, The Ride Ahead.
Samuel was a story consultant on the nationally broadcast film Mr. Connolly Has ALS and has been profiled in Forbes Magazine. He also worked as a newspaper columnist, an interviewer of Presidential candidates, and has presented nationally on disability rights, inclusive education, and his transition to adulthood. Samuel uses a communication device (as well as his voice and gestures) to express himself. In addition to exploring his current and future academic and career options, Samuel also navigates significant, chronic health challenges. He works part-time as a multimedia production assistant and presenter at the Westchester Institute for Human Development.
Dan spoke at the 2016 CRU conference and showed his film, Including Samuel. We are delighted to have him back and to have Samuel co-presenting by his side this time.
Thomas Mayo is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander man who lives on Larrakia land in Darwin. He is a senior trade unionist, an award-winning author, essayist, orator and a signatory to the Uluru Statement from the Heart. His advocacy and leadership in the push for the rights and recognition of Indigenous peoples spans over twenty years.
His 2024 book Always Was Always Will Be outlines a hopeful path forward in the campaign for peace and justice for Indigenous people since the referendum loss in 2023.
Workshop Topics:
Inclusive Education
Inclusive education is a human right that people with disability and their families have advocated for, worldwide, for decades. It is supported in Australia by legislation and policy. Over 50 years of research clearly states that inclusive education benefits all – better academic, employment and social outcomes for students with disability, as well as benefits for their typically developing classmates. So why does inclusive education remain so elusive for students with disability in Australia? This session will explore the history of education in this country, and how this history has led to the barriers to inclusive education we currently see. We will examine what can be learnt from countries where the inclusive education movement has made solid gains, and explore approaches that may lead to similar success here. We will identify practical steps that we can all take, individually and collectively, to further progress inclusive education in Australia. During this workshop a graduate of inclusive education and their family will also share their story and learnings, to highlight how inclusive education is indeed possible, and very much worth the effort.
Learning Objectives for this topic:
When undertaken as training for family members, carers or supporters participants will:
- Learn about evidence-based strategies and long-terms outcomes for inclusive education;
- Build skills and capacity including through peer learning, to support children with disability to be included and build social connections in mainstream and community environments
Presenter/s: Dr Kate de Bruin
Photo and Bio coming soon
Employment
Detailed description is coming soon
Learning Objectives for this topic:
When undertaken as training for people with disability, family members, carers or supporters this workshop will:
- Build capacity to design, find and maintain employment in the open labour market, including self-employment.
- Build capacity, understanding and skill, including through peer learning, to support a person with disability to transition from school to employment or for adults to transition to new employment opportunities
Presenter/s: Dr Jenny Crosbie
Jenny Crosbie has worked to support people with disability to be included in community life for over 35 years, in a variety of research, advocacy and practice roles. Jenny has a particular interest in understanding and addressing barriers to economic participation that young people with intellectual disability face, in particular barriers at the system level, which limit opportunities available. Her PhD research reconceptualises thinking about economic participation for young people with intellectual disability and identifies factors that promote their inclusion in community-based economic participation roles.
Supported Decision Making
Detailed description is coming soon
Learning Objectives for this topic:
When undertaken as training for people with disability, family members, carers or supporters this workshop will:
- Build capacity to support increased independence and life skills including lifelong learning through understanding and maximising supported, rather than substitute, decision making.
- Build capacity and skills, including through peer learning, to develop, or support others to develop life skills including decision-making, problem-solving and lifelong learning.
Presenter/s: Dr Michelle Browning & Dr John Chesterman
Michelle Browning is passionate about supporting individuals and organisations to develop their skill in the practice of supported decision-making. She is a Churchill Fellow and has completed doctoral research into the practice in Canada.
Michelle has been involved in developing, implementing and evaluating supported decision-making projects across Australia. She facilitates training, practice groups and supervision for supporters wanting to build their confidence as practitioners. She also provides training for decision makers wanting to understand more about decision making and their rights.
John Chesterman is the Queensland Public Advocate. A lawyer and historian by training, John has expertise in the fields of human rights, guardianship, supported decision making, powers of attorney and elder abuse. Prior to taking up his current position John was Victoria’s Deputy Public Advocate. He has previously undertaken a Churchill Fellowship on the topic of adult safeguarding, and his books include, as co-author, The politics of human rights in Australia (CUP).
Home of Your Own
This workshop will explore what it takes for people with disabilities to live well in a home of their own. Drawing on a range of stories, our speakers will highlight the importance of being established in your own home as a launchpad to many other opportunities and a critical piece in planning for succession. The speakers and stories will challenge our assumptions that people are safer in groups; that community is dangerous, and that people will be lonely. We will delve into how people are thinking creatively to achieve this and you can expect to leave with some practical strategies. This session will have a focus on assisting people to share their homes with housemates.
Learning Objectives for this topic:
When undertaken as training for people with disability, family members, carers or supporters this workshop will:
- Build capacity and skill to design, find and maintain appropriate individualised home and living arrangement & supports
- Develop capacity including through peer learning, drawing from the experiences of people with disability and families around transitioning to sustainable, innovative, individualised living arrangements and greater independence in the community.
Presenter/s: Deb Rouget & Rebecca Feldman – Belonging Matters
For nearly 30 years, Deb Rouget has been involved in the lives of people with disabilities and their families. Deb was one of the founders of Belonging Matters, a capacity building organisation in Melbourne and has enjoyed her role as CEO for 20 years.
Deb has gained much practical experience and wisdom in regard to supporting people with developmental disability to live in their own home, rather than in congregate care. She has witnessed how people flourish when they are supported to authentically live in their own home, develop to their full potential and connect to their neighbourhood.
She has a BA Applied Science, Intellectual Disability, and writes and teaches about belonging and social inclusion.
Bec Feldman works for Belonging Matters in Victoria. She assists people with developmental disabilities and their families to think about and explore 'home', in community. She provides mentoring and advice for people who would like to move into their own home with a range of supports, rather than live in traditional segregated housing.
Bec also works on a project for large service provider in Melbourne aimed at creating more individualised and inclusive lives.
She was a founding board member of the not-for-profit charity Neighbourhood Connect and has a passion for local community and the connections, care and sense of belonging that can make magic happen in and around people’s homes, neighbourhoods and local communities.
In her spare time, Bec enjoys yoga, theatre and mostly healthy cooking!
Respectful Support
Respectful Support – this collaborative workshop led by three managers of small to medium Queensland services, invites workers and organisational leaders to collaborate, pose their pressing questions, and engage in open, safe dialogue in a collaborative not competitive session. There will be short presentations that get to the nitty gritty of what it takes to work with people respectfully and the importance of values and mindsets in this work. It’s an opportunity to explore the question of growth and why size matters with these arrangements and to think about sustainability.
The short presentations are designed as conversation starters and will be interspersed with time for discussion and conversation.
With opportunities to exchange ideas and learn from varied perspectives, this session is perfect for those looking to deepen their practice and contribute to a respectful, values-driven approach to support.
Learning Objectives for this topic:
When undertaken as training for people with disability, family members, carers or supporters this workshop will:
- Build capacity and skill to recognise high quality formal support and utilise formal support in sustainable arrangements.
- Develop capacity including through peer learning, drawing from the experiences of people with disability and families, workers and coordinators around life transition points, life skills and greater independence in the community.
Presenter/s: Matt Stone, Leanne Burke & Ricky Esterquest
Matt Stone has worked in Individual and family support services for people with disability since the late 80s. He is currently a manager at Staff Connection and works in the Gold Coast and Scenic Rim areas. Social Role Valorisation (SRV) has been a major influence on Matt’s work and his thinking.
Leanne Burke has worked at Staffing Options since 2006, establishing the host agency for self-directed support and has collaborated in transitioning the principles of self-direction and shared management into the services provided under the NDIS. Prior to this she worked for 12 years in coordination roles for small family & user-governed services including Homeswest and Lifestyle Options Inc.
Ricky Esterquest founded Towards Better in Townsville in 2020. He is the Principal Community Development Worker there.
With over 17 years’ experience in disability and community services in Queensland,
Ricky’s main priority is the inclusion of individuals with a disability in work, learning, and other valued social roles. Originally from Chicago, Ricky moved to Townsville nine years ago and continues to live there with his wife and two boys.
Behaviour and Sensory and Movement Differences
Detailed description is coming soon
Learning Objectives for this topic:
When undertaken as training for people with disability, family members, carers or supporters this workshop will:
- Build capacity and understanding of impacts of disability or differences on a person and their behaviour which, when not well understood and supported, are an impediment to social and community participation and living as independently as possible;
- Build capacity and skills, including through peer learning, to develop, or support others to develop life skills to support increased independence.
Presenter/s: Ann Greer, Joyce-Lyn Smith & Rodney Mills
Ann Greer has over 30 years’ professional experience working with people whose behaviours are seen as challenging. As well as drawing on the teachings of Donnellan, LaVigna and Willis, most of her learning and understandings have come from her greatest teachers, people with disabilities themselves.
Ann works with people with disability and their families across Australia to develop creative options and understand what’s possible in making a good life. Ann is the mother of three adults, two of whom live with disability.
Joyce-Lyn Smith has over 28 years’ professional experience supporting people with complex support needs in a variety of environments and settings. Living in Townsville, she is the Clinical Director at PoDDSS (Professional Disability Development Supports & Services) and has previously worked in the Intensive Behaviour Support Team with the Queensland government.
Following completion of the mentoring program with Professor Anne M. Donnellan, University of San Diego and Martha R. Leary (SLP), Nova Scotia in 2009, Joyce-Lyn collaborated with Learning Disability & Mental Health Nurse Karl Jacks to develop their workshop on sensory and movement differences.
For many years Rodney Mills was put in the ‘too hard basket’ because he was exhibiting ‘challenging behaviours’ on an almost daily basis. Rodney will share insights about living with autism and OCD and how he has gradually built a meaningful life where he is no longer defined by these labels and by ‘behaviour’.
Today Rodney is a teacher and trainer, has worked for 10 years in a paid job at the organisation that used to support him, and is now running his own business presenting to the community.
Friendship, connection and the importance of freely given relationships
We can’t buy friends; we can’t make people be friends, but we can certainly do some things that increase the chances for friendship and connection to happen.
It may seem obvious how fundamental the need for friendship and connection is, however, the stark reality is that many people with disabilities are lonely. For some, the only people who really know and appreciate them are family members and paid workers. It can seem that relationships and connection with other people is not important or necessary but an optional add-on after all other ‘care’ is provided rather than a fundamental human need.
In this workshop we will hear stories and intentional strategies that have helped people move from isolation to more connected lives. There is no recipe or magic formula but there are things we can all learn that will increase the chances of connection.
Learning Objectives for this topic:
When undertaken as training for people with disability, family members, carers or supporters this workshop will:
- Develop capacity including through peer learning, drawing from the experiences of people with disability and families around building connections and relationships towards greater, lifelong independence in the community.
- Build capacity and life skills, or support others to build capacity and life skills to develop, sustain and improve relationships.
Presenter/s:
More info coming soon