DAW 2011

Last year a group of people concerned about people in our community with disabilities met and decided to form a branch of the Australian Association of Special Education out here in Roma. We formed because we felt that there was no effective way for all of the different services offered to people with disabilities and their families to communicate and share knowledge. After forming our South West Branch of AASE we decided we wanted to do something BIG for Disability Action Week and put a plan in place. We ran a week full of workshops and activities which led up to a wine and cheese evening where all of the artwork and photographs of activities were displayed.

It was so successful that we decided to run it again this year and last night was our Wine and Cheese Exhibition Evening. Let me just say that although I am incredibly exhausted from the week, it has been an amazingly rewarding week. I ran two workshops - scrapbooking and create a patchwork bag. Other workshops included bush photography, ceramics, totem pole grafitti, jewellery making, tapas cooking, woodwork, pottery, gardening, soccer for beginners, sports ability, lawn bowls, t-shirt painting, canvas art, hands on craft and creative photography. All week we were driving students to and from workshops and helping where needed. All of our students did us proud and were amazing in their attitudes and behaviour. I'm just so proud!

The exhibition was a real hit. Everyone is always so amazed at what our students and adults with disabilities are able to create and I just smile and say this is why we do this, to help people to see their ability not their disability.

I'm already starting to jot down ideas for workshops and who we can approach to run them for next year!!

Here are some pics of what we did. I don't have the rest, but I'll upload more soon.

Emily xoxo