Research: Rebecca Armstrong
Presenter: Val Ockenden
Produced by Louise Ratcliffe and FreeFM89.0

Guests

Anne Wilkinson ONZM
Enabling Good Lives (EGL)

Anne’s involvement in the sector began over 30 years ago as a parent. She has a background of working with families and for 25 years worked for and held a number of roles within Parent to Parent New Zealand. In early 2016 she resigned after 12 years as Chief Executive, but continues to be a volunteer Support Parent and member of the organisation. Anne has been involved with EGL since 2011, currently serving on the National Leadership Group and the Waikato Leadership Group. She believes disabled people have the same rights as others to have control over their lives, and that families are an integral part in achieving this.

Jacqui Stokes
Waikato Support Parent

“I found out about Parent to Parent when my son was diagnosed at two years old. It supported me by helping getting assessed for respite care and putting me in touch with another parent whose child had the same diagnosis. “When I moved to Hamilton I started going to coffee mornings. It was nice to chat with other mums who were going through the same things. From there I was asked to join the committee and become a Support Parent.

“Since becoming a Support Parent I have talked and listened, and even met with other
parents who have the same diagnosis as my son. I have been on and off the committee over
the years and have always been willing to support the group that help support me especially
through my son’s younger years.”

Programme Synopsis

• Introduction to Connect, Inform, Support podcast.
• A history of Parent to Parent from Anne Wilkinson who has been with the organisation for almost 30 years.
• Lived experience from Jacqui Stokes who has been actively involved as a volunteer Support Parent for 15 years.

Tune in to Parent to Parent's podcast Connect, Inform, Support

Connect, Inform, Support features interviews with professionals and specialists on disability-related topics, and is a source of information and resources for families and whānau caring for people with disabilities.

Discussion topics cover a range of subjects related to disability and special needs, such as inclusive education, supporting someone with special needs, and the challenges and triumphs of living with disability.

Links

• enablinggoodlives.co.nz
• Safesquares
• Parent to Parent New Zealand Inc
• Altogether Autism
• Care Matters or 0508 236 236 freephone service for carers
• Mana Whaikaha – MidCentral only

Research: Rebecca Armstrong
Presenter: Val Ockenden
Produced by Louise Ratcliffe and FreeFM89.0

Guests

Carolyn Jury
Support and Information Co-ordinator

I have been involved with Parent to Parent for 10 years, first as a requester looking for support and information, then as a volunteer support parent and now as the Support and Information Coordinator at National Office in Hamilton. I have previously worked as a medical professional, but in recent years I retrained as a counsellor, graduating in 2015 with a Bachelor of Applied Social Science from Wintec in Hamilton.

Ruth Taylor
Executive Co-ordinator

Ruth has been connected with Parent to Parent since 2008 as a programme coordinator and trainer. She is currently responsible for coordinating a range of workshops, seminars and support events, including the unique SibSupportNZ programme.

Jo Eastwood
Executive Manager

Jo is passionate about providing the right tools to help people with disabilities and health
impairments live the lives they choose. With a Diploma in Comprehensive Nursing (1989) and working as a Registered Nurse in Australia and New Zealand, Jo met her desire to help people.

Programme Synopsis

• Connecting parents - Parent to Parent operates a parent support network for families raising a child with a disability in New Zealand. We have a network of more than 600 speciallytrained volunteer support parents. We connect families with support parents who have a family member with the same/similar disability or issue. The role of the support parent is to be the ‘listening ear’ who can empathise and understand the challenges and joys of raising a child who is different.
• Sibling Support –The longest relationship a person with a disability has is with their brother and/or sister. Living with a brother or sister who has a disability can be a blessing and a challenge. The SibSupportNZ programme offers young people support to thrive in their own unique family environment through SibCamps, SibShops and SibDays. Our SibSupport programmes are run by facilitators who are assisted by leaders who have also grown up with a sibling with a disability, again sharing that ‘lived experience’ level of understanding.
• Information Service - Our dedicated research team provides free, researched, evidencebased information to families, and those involved in a family’s care, on nearly 4,000 conditions each year, from the very rare to the more common. The information is designed to be easy to understand, written in plain English (also available in different languages) and is tailor-made for your child’s individual condition or issue.
  There is no limit to the number of requests a parent can make for medical conditions
  themselves and related-issues, from diagnosis to adulthood. Parent to Parent can provide information for early childcare learning centres, schools, workplaces and any organisation that works with, and for, people with disabilities and health impairments.

Music

“Retail Blues” by The Mutes (from Mars)

Links

• themutes.bandcamp.com
• facebook.com/themutesfrommars
• enablinggoodlives.co.nz
• Safesquares
• Parent to Parent New Zealand Inc
• Altogether Autism
• Care Matters or 0508 236 236 freephone service for carers
• Mana Whaikaha – MidCentral only

Research: Rebecca Armstrong
Presenter: Val Ockenden
Produced by Louise Ratcliffe and FreeFM89.0

Guests:

Paula Tesoriero, MNZM Disability Rights Commissioner

Disability advocate, former Paralympian and Human Rights Commission’s Disability Rights Commissioner. Working for the rights of disabled New Zealanders, she is an amputee and a mum to a five-year-old son. Paula Tesoriero took up her three-year appointment as the Human Rights Commission’s Disability Rights Commissioner on July 31, 2017. “Ms Tesoriero has a significant record of working to increase awareness of disability issues,” Associate Justice Minister Mark Mitchell said at her appointment in June. “She is well informed on New Zealand’s international human rights standing and her legal background and understanding of the machinery of government will be advantageous in the context of the Commission’s work.” Since February 2016 Ms Tesoriero has been General Manager, Systems and Partnerships with Statistics New Zealand. From 2010-2016 she was General Manager Higher Courts with the Ministry of Justice. Ms Tesoriero created history with her world record-breaking time in the
women’s 500m cycling time trial at the Beijing Summer Paralympics in 2008, securing New Zealand’s first gold medal at the Games.

Hon Carmel Sepuloni Minister for Social Development and Disability issues

Carmel Sepuloni is our new Minister of Disability issues. Carmel is of Samoan, Tongan and NZ European descent. Born and raised in Waitara, she has lived in Auckland since 1996. Carmel has always been committed to improving social, health and educational outcomes for all New Zealanders, but has especially focused during her career on low socio-economic groups; Māori, Pacific, disabled people and sole parents. During her political career Carmel has brought to the fore the slashing of the training incentive allowance, made public the impact of cuts to ACC funding for survivors of sexual violence, campaigned for better legislation around social workers and fought for the right to privacy for social service users. As the Minister for
Social Development and Disability issues Carmel is looking forward to building a fairer welfare system that treats New Zealanders with the respect, upholds their dignity and supports them and their families to realise their potential.Outside of politics Carmel has worked broadly across the health and education sectors as a Literacy Educator with youth in West Auckland, teaching in Samoa, managing equity programmes at the University of Auckland, managing the Pacific nonregulated Pacific health research project, and acting as CEO of New Zealand’s only National Pacific health provider, Vaka Tautua.Carmel is the mother of two boys aged four and 19.

Programme Synopsis

• Understanding the role of the Disability Rights Commission, its relationship with government, its process in resolving issues and advocating for individuals and change
• Overview of government policy and initiatives in the disability space

Music

“Get up, stand up” Bob Marley

Links

• http://www.labour.org.nz/carmelsepuloni
• https://www.odi.govt.nz/nz-disability-strategy/
• Safesquares
• Parent to Parent New Zealand Inc
• Altogether Autism
• Care Matters or 0508 236 236 freephone service for carers
• Mana Whaikaha – MidCentral only