Special needs groups

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) approx 18% of the population has a disability, more than one in six people in Australia.

The Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act (1992) defines disability as:

  • Physical
  • Intellectual
  • Psychiatric
  • Sensory (this includes visual and hearing disabilities)
  • Neurological (this includes acquired brain injuries)
  • Learning difficulties
  • Physical disfigurement, and
  • The presence in the body of disease causing organisms (this includes people living with HIV/AIDS)

As an arts worker working in community, it is wise to be prepared for working with potential clients with disabilities.  Below, we have provided some considerations for reflection.

If working with people with physical impairments, the best way to negotiate potential problems is to ask them what resources they might need to enhance their participation in the activity.  Too often we assume we know what participants may require – or worse, do not consider them at all. 

Some considerations
  • Always consider accessibility to the meeting place: is it on the ground floor?  If not, is there a lift?
  • If people are coming by public transport, is this close by?
  • Do you have money in your budget to assist with transport costs?
  • Is the participant totally or partially deaf - can they pick up some audio?
  • If a participant is deaf, will you have someone signing? Can they lip read?  If so, you will need to remember to always face the group and participant, or stand closer to them when speaking.
  • If a participant is blind, they may use a laptop to take notes (if required), therefore they may wish to be close to you for ease of hearing and require a power source.  If you are providing information, you will need to be aware of the software that the participant may use, which converts word text to audio.
  • Do not assume that because someone has difficulty communicating verbally that they have a mental impairment, their difficulty could be the result of a stroke, a physical impairment or many other reasons, but their mental faculty is as acute as yours or mine.

Tom has been married to Tina for many years and they have two children. A few years ago Tom suffered a minor stroke.  The stroke left him partially paralysed on one side of his body and with a speech impediment.  Tom relayed how demoralised he sometimes felt when shopping with his wife, he would ask for something and the shop assistant would ignore him and respond to his wife.  At other times, people assumed that Tom’s wife was his carer and spoke to her accordingly.  Tom works fulltime and continues to support his family.

For any limited function the participant may have, a series of questions should be asked to check in with your special needs participant, or if relevant, their carers, to allow you to accommodate your special needs participant and make them as comfortable and included as possible.

Ipswich Area Regional Disability Council

www.getinvolved.qld.gov.au/share_your_knowledge/keyinitiatives/showcase_ce/ipswich/

This case study illustrates the difference made to a region and a traditionally  hard-to-reach community by the formation of a community-based group that has created avenues for productive public involvement in government decision-making.

A common theme throughout this section is to know your audience.  Spend the time to research before engaging with your particular individual or group.  To be equitable when working with diverse communities means that you may have to commit more time than usual to truly engage with your participants, however, the benefits will far outweigh the initial time commitment.  You will have developed a strong foundation on which to build robust relationships that have the potential to extend well beyond your current activity.

 

Resources

There is a wealth of resources available, which will assist you.  Some are listed below.

Access Arts is the peak body for artists, community groups and cultural workers in Queensland experiencing disabilities and disadvantage. www.accessarts.org.au

Disability and the arts. See Australia Council Disability Fact Pack
www.australiacouncil.gov.au/publications/disability_and_the_arts

The Disability Scholars Society is a Queensland based organisation that promotes reflection on disability through research, artistic production, education and policy development.  It is available to all people who are interested in understanding, exploring and grappling with disability issues.

They describe their work as . . . ‘seeking to augment understandings of disability in all cultures and historical periods, to promote greater awareness of the experiences of people with disabilities and to contribute to social change’.  members.tripod.com/disability_scholars/

Queenslanders with Disability Network Inc (QDN). Funded by Disability Services Queensland. QDN describe themselves as being ‘for people with disability, with people with disability, by people with disability, for citizenship and social justice’.  Motto – nothing about us without us. Provides a range of resources including guidelines for inclusive consultation. See www.qdn.org.au/content/voice.html and scroll to link.

Accessing the Arts: a Disability Awareness Checklists and Information Sheets, which can be downloaded from the following link www.aarts.net.au/

Australian Disability Government and Non-government Websites
www.communitybuilders.nsw.gov.au/building_stronger/inclusive/disability.html