MY FAMILYS BACKGROUND

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MY FAMILYS BACKGROUND

• My parents migrated to Australia, in 1953, from
  Holland. They arrived at Station Pier, Melbourne,
  4th August, by ship. As many other Dutch families
  did. My brother was one and half then, he was
  born in Holland.
• Both my sister and I were born here.

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• The place where my parents first lived was
  Clarkefield, near Sunbury, on a sheep farm. Three
  weeks after my some what difficult birth, my
  parents moved to Werribee.
• During this time on the dairy farm, my mother
  made some trips to local Doctors. I was the
  reason for these trips. It was not until my
  parents were suggested, to go to the old Royal
  Childrens Hospital, in Carlton, that they
  decided I had Cerebral Palsy. No wonder I
  wouldnt hold toys crawl, let alone sit by
  myself at nine months.
• Thus began the weekly trips for physio, and
  Doctors Clinic, for two years. The Childrens
  Hospital had a kindergarten and pre-school
  session.

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The option of boarding in a Hostel, while during
the day, going to a newly formed special school
called Marathon was a suggestion. Not quite what
my parents wanted, as they had a strong belief in
the family unit staying together. So Father Maas
to the rescue. In 1958, finding a job for my
father at Sacre Coeur Convent in Glen Iris as
head gardener. The job also came with a house,
plus local schools, for my brother and sister.
The main attraction being not far from
Marathon.
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SCHOOL AND BEYOND

• In 1961, I started at Marathon Special School. I
  had lots of great times, and made many life long
  friends. My school time was fantastic.
  Unfortunately, time seemed to go so quickly, so
  at the age of sixteen, it was time to leave. If I
  had a choice, I would have much rather stayed on,
  But at that time, the next right of passage, for
  a disabled person were Sheltered Workshops or
  stay at home.
• But I certainly did receive a lot of
  encouragement from ex-teachers and staff when I
  left. Not, to just take what was on offer!

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NOT MUCH ON OFFER

• DMH Sheltered Workshop, was my lot in 1973, and
  also some of my school friends.
• The only thing that was enjoyable, for me, was
  that Marathon was only a short drive away. Once I
  got my new motorised wheelchair I could escape,
  not only out to the real community, but also
  visit the place where I could get some RR, as
  I referred to it back then, Revised and
  Refreshed, ready to tackle the Workshop
  atmosphere again.
• There was also something happening at the old
  Scope. We were able to get a say in the
  organisation.
• Also an added bonus, was the new stirring staff,
  of the 70s

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IS THERE HOPE COMING?

• In 1975, YOTT began. YOTT stands for Your
  Opportunity To Talk. This Committee not only
  helped me learn how to run meetings, but start to
  say whats wrong and needed to be changed. More
  importantly, to get input from all clients, not
  just a few, who could speak up!
• In 1979 a breakthrough for some others and
  myself! A chance to get the brain going again,
  and not stuffing serviettes into plastic bags,
  packing envelopes with junk-news or packing nuts
  and bolts. Huntingdale Technical School had
  started an integration Program. It was heaven for
  me! I did many things there in the six years
  part-time, which I never thought I would get the
  chance to do.

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BEYOND THE BREAKTHROUGH

• Between the years 1985 to 1999, I was involved
  in many new things, and I was going to courses at
  TAFE. Public speaking, networking with other
  organisations, having the experience of applying
  for a few internal jobs at Scope, writing a
  Resume.
• The old DMH was sold in 1994. Before leaving
  there were a few things happening. Planning where
  clients wanted to go? One big one was, What did
  we really want to use our money for, while at
  the Centre Not that I had spent a full week at
  the Centre since 1981!
• I was already doing things out in the community,
  besides writing, and researching, for my next
  book. I was out there in the real world, and
  learning, how to obtain support while alone.

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YET ANOTHER BREAKTHROUGH

• So when ACCESS 189 started, it was very clear in
  my mind what and how I was going to spend my
  time, but it wasnt clear to staff. I wanted to
  use 189 as a Base and come for Therapy plus
  some personal care, then leave and do what I
  wanted and when I wanted. Sounds simple enough,
  to me, but it didnt to others!
• In 1998, I talked to some people at Scope about
  this thing called Brokerage and this was just
  the thing I had in mind.

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So what was stopping me from starting, today?
Little things like, my Art table needed to be
taken to the community Art Centre, Easy fixed and
that was done the next day! So I was set to do
my art work there when ever I wanted to. The
people there, assisted me in setting up, even
with my lunch, though later on I made contact
with the café near by, who set me up with lunch,
I bought from them. Sometimes I would go to the
city after having finished what I wanted to do.
No time restraints was great! Finally, my mother
and the rest of the family, could see I was doing
things I wanted, and as independently as
possible. No more waiting for buses, or being
forgotten. Better still, not having to pay to go
to work, or day-service, We set up a record
in Excel, where I could keep track, myself ,of
what I used the money for, plus how much was
left, till the next Financial Year, and made sure
I used it up.
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CHALLENGING THE SYSTEM

• I think that I might have pushed and tested a
  few boundaries since I started Brokerage, and
  by doing this I hope it has helped other clients,
  
• Clients are now asked about doing things in the
  community and not just a 9 to 3 day. Days do not
  start and stop at these times.
• My latest thing was a trip in a helicopter. Have
  you heard of The Edge, it sticks out of the
  Eureka Tower 87 floors up! Why not?

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TESTING THE COMMUNITY

• Ive been pretty unwell over the last few
  years, but I would say that Im back to hitting
  a few more boundaries now.
• Making visits to hotels and viewing their so
  called disabled-rooms, interesting, as some
  have not got accessible showers or hall way
  entrances are too narrow. I let the manager know
  all of this.
• The Sky-Bus to the airport I found fun. Going to
  the airport just for a day trip was great, no
  taxis to wait for just go when you want taking
  you time to have a good look around the airport,
  shops and have a snack. Check the hotel out
  there, and then catch the next Sky-Bus back to
  Southern Cross Station and train home. All for
  24.
• Thus getting out of centres and joining in the
  rest of the every day activities that so many
  people take for granted.

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MY SUPPORT SYSTEM

• I have a very important group of people in my
  life I call my Circle of Support. They are
  people I have known a long time. This group is
  very important to me. As they understand the
  system in the areas of family, disability, and
  me! They stand back, and offer me ideas about
  things I could do, but let me do it. But are
  there if I get tired or need a hand. We have
  lots of afternoon teas to discuss things, about
  what I am doing, and what I need a hand to
  achieve, sometimes it is just making a phone call
  for me, or finding out information. All the
  people in my circle, are always looking out for
  new Support Workers for me. We dont always all
  meet on a regular basis, or all together.
  Sometimes it is just one or two people from my
  Circle of Support. This is a very important
  group for me.
• My Circle of Support came about during
  Lifestyles Options, by the way, it is now
  called Individualised Services, Well I think it
  is, names are always changing, and the wheel
  seems to be re-invented quite a lot every five or
  so years. It does make one feel very dizzy at
  times!

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TOTAL CONTROL?

• These days with both my in-home-support and
  Scope Individualised Services, I feel that I
  have much more say about my workers, I still have
  issues like, the good ones burn-out, and move
  onto a better paid job. I have some workers, (as
  do many other clients), I would prefer not to see
  again, and most times that is what happens, I
  say sorry dont want that worker back. It
  doesnt always work so quickly, but sometimes it
  does.
• In the past we didnt have any choice and put up
  with it. I dont have to do that anymore!
• I understand that this sounds easier now, but
  its not! There are still times where I have to
  be assertive which is not easy for me but Im
  slowly getting better at this.
• After all its my home and my familys home, not
  just a workplace. Sometimes it feels like Im
  always fighting to keep it this way!

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Ideally I would like to be apart of Direct
Payments, I tried to start on this but there
were issues with Direct Payments, something to do
with Centre Link. Now I think that is fixed, but
I have just changed agencies and am pretty happy
at the moment. So I will stay here for a bit.
But in the future I would like to do it all,
with support of course from my circle of
support and my family and friends.
15
MY LIFE TODAY

• So today my life is pretty good, I still am lucky
  to be able to be living with my Mum and Dad,
  although they are getting older, we have talked
  about what is going to happen in the future and
  have made plans. Mum is really the key to my
  being able to stay at home at the moment, she
  fills in when there are issues, and that happens
  sometimes. Workers just dont show up, or they
  feel sick and tired when they show up, and I have
  to send them home. Sometimes there are not any
  workers to fill my shifts.
• We also have great neighbours that we can call on
  when we need to. My sister and brother are in
  daily contact. Mum is pretty busy these days, my
  Dad is not very well, so Mum also provides
  support to him. Just recently he started
  attending a group one day a week for people with
  Alzheimers and although he says he doesnt love
  it, it does give Mum a break.

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HAVE I CHANGED?

• Before I would have put up with workers who
  thought they knew it all. But not today! I feel
  that Im more confident in ways. Also I am able
  to speak my mind on things that annoy me, and
  other times I need a hand to speak up.
• So whats changed with me? I would say, yes, Im
  different. In the past I would have kept quiet
  and stewed! Now Id think it through then
  ask for help. Sometimes the people I call on are
  busy, and many times I have sorted out things on
  my own. And I do!
• One of the most things that I feel happy about
  myself, is I am more game, to go out and explore
  things, independently. Plus communicate with
  Jo-Bloggs, where as before I was fairly shy.

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So in closing, I would just like to say, that
having this control with this flexible service
has been great, but ,in a way the biggest change,
would be in me, having more control, makes me be
more assertive and much more confident. After
all this is what Marathon and the team back
then where encouraging me to do, as well as my
familys attitude. It now seems the funding is
helping me too, And if anyone is thinking about
doing this. JUST DO IT!!!
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NOW FOR YOUR QUESTIONS IF YOURE NOT ASLEEP.