New Website: Spinal Hub

SpinalHub is now live and ready for your use!

This website brings together useful resources about acute spinal cord injury, rehabilitation, community resources along with user generated content and social networking features to connect people and share ideas and experiences.

SpinalHub covers a wide range of subjects related to spinal cord injury including:

• What is a Spinal Cord Injury? (introduces you to your spinal cord and what it does. It will also help you to understand how your body functions differently now that your spinal cord is damaged);
• How to Keep Healthy (provides practical information to help you maximise your health and wellbeing. It will also help to problem solve what to do if you have issues or questions);
• Transport and Travel (provides information about public and private transport options, equipment and vehicle modifications, travel ideas and useful things to know when out and about)
• Work and Leisure (provides information on employment services, education and training, sports, exercise and leisure pursuits);
• Support, Equipment and Funding (provides information about funding or allowances, equipment and environmental modifications, and/or services that can help you do what you need to do and want to do);

The SpinalHub website can be found at http://www.spinalhub.com.au/

FREE Workshop for Women with Disabilities

Women With Disabilities South Australia [WWDSA] is presenting a workshop

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES

to coincide with White Ribbon Day - International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the start of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gendered Violence.

Date:      Friday 25 November

Time:      10am - 4pm

Venue:    Julia Farr Association: 104 Greenhill Rd, Unley

Facilitated by –

SUE SALTHOUSE - President, Women With Disabilities Australia

Presenters Include:

• MARGIE CHARLESWORTH - Convenor, & Project Coordinator for Women With Disabilities South Australia
• MEGAN HUGHES - Executive Officer, Southern Domestic Violence Service
• CHELSEA LEWIS - Communications Manager, YWCA Adelaide

Plus:  A workshop creative Section after lunch that will demonstrate how to turn a negative situation into a positive learning experience!

RSVP November 17
eigram1@optusnet.com.au

Sponsored by the Office for Women’s “Don’t Cross the Line” Ant-Violence Campaign

NEWS: Medical Heating and Cooling Concession

The Medical Heating and Cooling Concession is a new energy concession that will be introduced by the South Australian Government, commencing on 1 January 2012.

It will provide additional financial assistance to people on low or fixed incomes who require medical heating and cooling in their home to prevent or reduce the symptoms and impact of multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinsons disease or a number of other qualifying medical conditions.

The concession will assist people who incur high electricity costs because of their medical need to use air conditioners or heaters on a frequent and/or prolonged basis to prevent the worsening of their symptoms.

To receive the concession applicants will need to provide certification from their regular medical practitioner or a specialist confirming they require frequent and prolonged use of heating and/or cooling appliances in their home to maintain their health.

The concession amount will be $158 per year (ie the same amount as the current energy concession) and will increase to $165 on 1 July 2012.

Who is eligible?

Like the energy concession, the Medical Heating and Cooling Concession will be available to assist with energy bills for the principal place of residence of people who:

• Hold a pensioner concession card or DVA Gold Card (marked TPI, EDA or War Widow);
• Receive an eligible Centrelink allowance;
• Low Income Health Care Card holders;
• Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card holders.

Applicants will be assessed for eligibility based on their income type as confirmed by Centrelink.
Further details of the Medical Heating and Cooling Concession will be available in due course.

This information is from the Department for Communities and Social Inclusion website.

NEWS: Depression is not the only mental illness we should be talking about...

From the ABC Ramp Up website  http://www.abc.net.au/rampup/
"Thanks to swags of celebrities and politicians speaking out about their experiences with depression, the issue is high on the public agenda. Louise Pascale wonders why other mental illnesses that often carry far greater stigma aren't being discussed as openly..."

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WANTED: Leaders for Tomorrow

The Australian Government is encouraging people with disability to apply for a leadership program:  Leaders for Tomorrow

that will help people with disability become leaders in business, the community and government.

 “Leaders for Tomorrow is an innovative program that supports people with disability to develop their leadership skills, overcome barriers into work and education and reach their full potential... By linking participants with appropriate training, support and mentoring, Leaders for Tomorrow will develop participants' skills and confidence to become leaders in business, the community and government."

The Leaders for Tomorrow program is an individual leadership program which is committed to developing 200 people with disability to be more skilled, confident and active in leadership roles in business, community, government or their chosen area of interest.  Through mentoring and leadership development opportunities, Leaders for Tomorrow participants will become better equipped to contribute as leaders in Australia’s future.


Applications close Friday 25 November 2011

See the website for more information and application forms:
www.leadersfortomorrow.com.au 

Disability meets popular culture; the myth of triumph over adversity...

Disability is finding its way into our lounge rooms via one reality television contestant at a time, but are they really helping our cause? Leela Rottman doubts it.

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