2016

Regional
Conferences

Harness the Possibilities

Enriching lives in changing times

Coffs Harbour 17 & 18 February 2016

Wagga Wagga 17 & 18 March 2016
Dubbo 4 & 5 May 2016
Resourcing Families is an initiative of

www.resourcingfamilies.org.au/events/

Harness the Possibilities

Enriching lives in changing times
Change is upon us!
Australias transition to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is one of the largest social reforms in
the nations history. Beyond the rhetoric, government commitments and rollout schedules, what difference will
it make to peoples lives? Will the life opportunities for people with disability change so that they too can enjoy
the good things in life that so many of us take for granted?
Our conference speakers have a vision for achieving enriched lives for people and will harness any possibility to
influence change around them. They will share real stories and experiences of people with disability finding
purpose through work and vocational roles, meaningful connections with typical community in schools, clubs
and associations, achieving citizenry pursuits and contributions and living in their own homes.

High expectations, big dreams and full lives are fuelling their plans in the present and future. Current
reforms provide opportunities but will hold challenges as well. Come and be inspired, explore ideas, make new
connections and leave with practical ideas for making positive change that affords people with disability a real
life beyond a service or programme.

Family Advocacy is a statewide advocacy organisation concerned with the needs, interests and rights of people
who have developmental disability. Its aim is to achieve positive social roles for people with disability through
the development of advocacy by families and by strengthening the knowledge, role and influence of the family.
Family Advocacy began in 1991 and focuses on three levels. The systemic level; where it seeks to influence
policy, legislation and practice. The advisory level; where it provides individual advocacy advice to families,
together with information and resources to the wider community. The educational level; through the running
of workshops and seminars concerned with promoting the rights and interests of people with disability. Family
Advocacy receives funding from both the State and Commonwealth Governments.
www.family-advocacy.com
Resourcing Families is an initiative of Family Advocacy and provides information for families to create full,
meaningful and inclusive lives for their family member with disability. Workshops and resources focus on
developing a positive vision, building support networks, creating community connections and exercising more
choice and control through self directing supports.
www.resourcingfamilies.org.au

Harness the Possibilities

Enriching lives in changing times
Conference Speakers
Belinda Epstein Frisch
John Armstrong
John has extensive experience as an advocate, guardian,
consultant, educator and service evaluator. He is one of
two Accredited Teachers of Social Role Valorisation in
Australasia and is also the Chairman of the Citizen
Advocacy Trust of Australia. John works nationally and
internationally with services, families and government
to promote the welfare of people and reduce the
potential for neglect and harm. He is committed to
teaching strategies for building better lives for people
through tailoring valued roles to enhance an individuals
skills, image and connections.

Belinda has worked for more than 35 years in advocacy,

community development, social policy, management
and consultancy in the non-government sector. She is
and has been a member of ministerial advisory councils
on disability reform and education at the State
and Commonwealth level. For 20 years Belinda
undertook the systemic advocacy work for Family
Advocacy. Her current work includes being the adviser
to the Independent Advisory Council of the National
Disability
Insurance
Scheme
and
mentoring
non-government organisations in NSW and Queensland
in relation to contemporary capacity building
approaches.

Jennie Fenton
Nathan Basha
Nathan has his own motivational speaking business
which he uses to advocate for and raise awareness
about inclusion in society. Nathans passion is to change
mindsets and attitudes that would limit opportunities for
young people to experience all the good things in life
and live their dream. He is living his dream through
travelling the world to speak at conferences, pursuing
further studies in areas of interest and working at Nova
radio station in Sydney. Nathan is an Ambassador for the
NSW Government initiative, Living Life My Way, and
promotes the importance of self direction for peoples
lives. In 2015 Nathan was a NSW Young Australian of
the Year finalist.

Jennie is a parent, disability advocate, environmental

scientist and founder of local social inclusion project,
Bello Bellonging, a grassroots project about building a
socially inclusive community in the town of Bellingen
NSW. Jenny is also an Ambassador for the NSW
Government initiative, Living Life My Way, and
champions more choice and control for people with
disability through self directing their supports. Jennie
has a powerful vision for her daughters future and a
world that will welcome her contributions.

Jacob Hughes
Jacob Hughes lives in NSW and is on a mission to
follow his dreams and enjoy a good life. Jacob works
as a volunteer and a public speaker. He is keen to
continue his education. He believes it is important that
he chooses the direction of his life and with the
support of his mother Linda, creates the life he wants
through arranging personally tailored supports and by
self managing his NDIS package.

Harness the Possibilities

Enriching lives in changing times
Conference Speakers
Linda Hughes
Linda is the proud parent of Jacob Hughes. Her passion
is to work with other families so that people with
disability are fully included in society as active and
valued citizens. In pursuit of this Linda has been
involved in establishing a user led disability support
organisation in the Hunter. She now directs Mind the
Gap: Disability Matters which assists people to self
direct supports in the Hunter region.

Meg Sweeney
Meg Sweeney lives at Jervis Bay on the South Coast of
NSW. Meg became involved with advocacy for people
with developmental disability over 20 years ago upon
the birth of her eldest daughter. Meg is a learner,
educator and writer committed to assisting people
develop authentic selves in the heart of community.

Ric Thompson
Ric is the Coordinator of Inclusion Works, a small
community building agency based in Townsville,
Queensland. Rics work over the past 35 years, both
nationally and internationally, has been about
connecting people with people for building better
communities. This is only possible when we assist
people to discover the more about ourselves and
the more about our communities and then connect
them via community inclusion strategies This can be
somewhat daunting when you have identified over 2.4
million potential community inclusion opportunities
waiting in Townsville. Ric lives on Magnetic Island with
his partner Candy and Harvey, a Cavalier King Charles
Spaniel and 3,000 other people.

Gina Wilson-Burns
Dr Margaret Ward
Margaret is a Postdoctoral Research fellow at Griffith
University and a co-convener of the Australian Network
for Universal Housing Design. She has a longstanding
interest in how community, families and services can
work together in right relationship to build good lives
for people with disability. Margaret and her family
developed creative supports for their daughter that
enabled her to have an independent life in her own
home no matter her significant support and medical
needs.

Gina is an unapologetic advocate for her son and

promotes the life changing experience of parenting a
child with multiple severe disabilities not as a traumatic
or crushing experience but one of hope, possibilities,
love and laughter. Gina acknowledges we need to
remove much of the red-tape and perceived limitations
to empower families to do what families do best; live,
love and grow. She is the author of the inclusive
education blog Inky Ed!

Harness the Possibilities

Enriching lives in changing times
TIME

TOPIC

SPEAKER

9:00 AM

Registration and arrival tea and coffee

9:30 AM

Welcome to Country

TBA

Conference Introduction

John Armstrong

10:00 AM

Living the Dream

Nathan Basha

10:30 AM

Morning Tea

11:00 AM

Opportunities and challenges arising from the

national reforms

Belinda Epstein-Frisch

11:45 PM

Getting a life not just support

Linda Hughes and Jacob Hughes

12:30 PM

Lunch

1:15 PM

Tailor Made: A life as individual as you

2:00 PM

Breakout Sessions:

John Armstrong and Meg Sweeney

Leading a Good Life: What does the research

tell us?

Belinda Epstein-Frisch

Self managing through the NDIS

Resourcing Families with Linda Hughes

Preparing for work

Family Advocacy with Nathan Basha

2:45 PM

Afternoon Tea

3:15 PM

NDIS Q&A Panel

Belinda Epstein Frisch

Linda Hughes
ADHC - TBA
NDIA - TBA

4:45 PM

Closing Remarks

5:00 PM

Close of Day 1

Please note: Speakers and timings may vary without notice.

John Armstrong

Conference Sessions Day 1_______________________

Conference Day 1

Harness the Possibilities

Enriching lives in changing times
TIME

TOPIC

SPEAKER

8:30 AM

Arrival tea and coffee

9:00 AM

Opening Remarks

John Armstrong

9:15 AM

The Power of Peers

Gina Wilson-Burns

9:45 AM

You are more than what you think you are and
your community is more than what you think it is

Ric Thompson

10:30 AM

Morning Tea

11:00 AM

Breakout Sessions:
The Art of Asking: How to be ask prepared
for the inviting in of others

Ric Thompson

Is All Choice Good? Supporting choices that

lead to success

John Armstrong

Inclusive Education: Being one of the kids

Family Advocacy with Gina Wilson-Burns

11:45 AM

Belonging in Community: Having a vision and

making it real

Jennie Fenton

12:30 PM

Lunch

1:15 PM

Right Relationship: How to create a partnership

between families and services that really works

2:00 PM

Breakout Sessions:

Dr Margaret Ward

Future planning as a way of thinking

Dr Margaret Ward

Tools for Advocacy: Making it happen

Family Advocacy

Strategies for personal planning

Resourcing Families

2:45 PM

Afternoon Tea

3:00 PM

Futures in Focus: The challenge of change

Meg Sweeney

3:45 PM

Closing Remarks

John Armstrong

4:00 PM

Close of Conference

Please note: Speakers and timings may vary without notice.

Conference Sessions Day 2_______________________

Conference Day 2

Harness the Possibilities

Enriching lives in changing times
TOPIC

DESCRIPTION
Conference Day 1 - please select one

Leading a Good Life: What This session will explore seven enablers that research demonstrates are core factors in allowing
does the research tell us? people to lead a good life and are vital to any consideration about how people should be supported
to live their lives.
Self Managing through
the NDIS

Participants in the NDIS have the option of self managing their packages which provides the most
opportunity for choice and control over funded supports. This session will discuss broadening the
vision for a persons life , how self management can work and ways of employing your own staff.

Preparing for work

Having the opportunity to work or volunteer can provide a sense of purpose and self-worth through
contributing to the community. This session will look at how to support a person with disability to
pursue their interests and strengths to form a work or volunteering role by learning from the
experiences of others.

Conference Day 2 - please select one

The Art of Asking: How to Many opportunities for people with disability are lost because the people supporting them are
be ask prepared for the
unsure of how to facilitate meaningful connections. This session will explore how to be ask prepared
inviting in of others
so that there are more successful invitations for others to be involved in an individuals life.
Is All Choice Good?
Supporting choices that
lead to success

Choice is often used as a centrepiece for bringing a better life for people. But is it guaranteed to do
that? Will all choice always produce good results for people? This session looks at how choices are
really made and shows how one category of choices produces better results, while the other type of
choice can end in ruin. Hear what research has brought to bear and what supporters, staff and
parents can do to give people the boost they need to make choices that lead to success.

Inclusive Education: Being Our school years are a foundational part of our lives. As well as the teaching of curriculum we learn
how to be a friend, form our personalities and our beliefs. Truly belonging in a school community is
one of the kids
a gateway to having meaning and independence in our adult lives. This session will look at practical
tools to achieve real inclusion in the regular class, why this is important, what supports are available
and how to use these effectively.

Conference Day 2 - please select one

Future planning as a way
of thinking

Planning can become how you think and act on a day-to-day basis. When you know where you are
going, small decisions are easier, and you can more easily say No! to things that get in the way of a
good life for your family member. Come to this session to find out how you can make planning a
way of life, rather than a response to a crisis.

Tools for Advocacy:

Making it happen

Families can actively and powerfully shape society. Taking action to improve the lives of people with
disability and ensure positive and typical life experiences such as inclusive schooling or living in one's
own home creates a better community for all. This session will explore some key advocacy skills so
you leave more empowered to take action for shaping the good life for a person with disability.

Strategies for personal

planning

People want a life not just a plan! This session will provide strategies to free up your thinking to craft
life and supports around the individual that reflect genuine interests and aspirations.

Conference Breakout Sessions_______________________

Conference Breakout Sessions

Harness the Possibilities

Enriching lives in changing times
CATEGORY

DESCRIPTION

Standard

This rate is for professionals and also applies to people with

disability and family members attending in their professional
capacity.

EARLY BIRD FULL PRICE

$350

$400

20% discount given to agencies who register more than 3 staff

members. Please contact our office.
Advocacy
organisations

This rate is for employees of an advocacy organisation.

$250

$300

Subsidy

This rate is for people with disability/family members who are

being subsidised to attend by a service or organisation.

$150

$200

Concession

Concession is for people with disability, family members, Health

Care Card holders, students (full or part-time) who are attending
as an individual and are paying out of their own resources*.

$130

$180

Support staff paid from a person with disabilitys individualised

funding who are attending for further learning can register at the
concession rate.
* A copy of a current Health Care Card or student card should be
available on request.
Sponsorship

People with disability/family members can apply for partial or full

sponsorship to attend the Conference. Cost of travel and
accommodation can also be applied for.
Limited sponsorship opportunities available.

Application form

Early Bird Registration Period

CONFERENCE LOCATION

CONFERENCE DATES

EARLY BIRD RATE CLOSES REGISTRATION CLOSES

Coffs Harbour

17 & 18 February 2016

17 January 2016

10 February 2016

Wagga Wagga

17 & 18 March 2016

17 February 2016

10 March 2016

Dubbo

4 & 5 May 2016

4 April 2016

27 April 2016

Register online today

Coffs Harbour on 17 & 18 February
Wagga Wagga on 17 & 18 March
Dubbo on 4 & 5 May
or by telephone on 1800 774 764

Conference Fees________________________________

Conference Fees

Harness the Possibilities

Enriching lives in changing times
Coffs Harbour
Wagga Wagga
Dubbo

Cancellation Policy
Venue

Coffs Harbour

Wagga Wagga

Dubbo

All cancellations

By 17 January 2016

By 17 February 2016

By 4 April 2016

No penalty

For organisations

Between 18 January and

2 February 2016

Between 18 February
and 2 March 2016

Between 5 April and 19

April 2016

50%
administration
fee

For families

Between 18 January and

2 February 2016

Between 18 February
and 2 March 2016

Between 5 April and 19

April 2016

15%
administration
fee

All cancellations

After 2 February 2016

After 2 March 2016

After 19 April 2016

No refund given

Substitute registrations can be made without penalty. Any changes must be advised prior to the event.

Venue Information
Coffs Harbour

Novotel Pacific Bay Resort, Cnr Pacific Hwy & Bay Drive, Coffs Harbour

Wagga Wagga

Wagga Wagga RSL, Cnr Dobbs Street & Kincaid Street, Wagga Wagga

Dubbo

Dubbo RSL, Cnr Brisbane & Wingewarra Street, Dubbo

Register online today or by telephone on 1800 774 764

Cancellation Policy and Venue Information______

Book your
place today!

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