|
|
AT Peer Support
Welcome to the May/June edition of our AT Chat newsletter.
In this edition we hear from our peers as they share how they have helped each other discover AT to live their lives.
We're also excited to share the opportunity to be one of the first in Australia to access and co-design your new AT Portal.
We look at the highlights from the ATSA Conference and the Developing Communities Expo where we got to meet our community face-to-face after a long time and have AT chats with existing and future AT Chatters. We hope you enjoy this latest edition of our e-newsletter as much as we enjoy bringing it to you.
|
|
AT for Life - Nerine's story
Once Nerine had decided on her AT that best suited her life, the Whill Ci, her adventures began!
"My husband and I went walking with our son and our dog, of course," she said.
"I like checking out the different architecture in our neighbourhood and having those casual side-by-side chats where you find out so much more from your teenage children than you would in a face-to-face conversation."
Life hacks, tips and tricks!
Our AT Chatterbox community is a hive of innovators and life hackers.
Check out some AT hacks to help you live, play, work in this Chatterbox Spotlight collaborative edition.
|
|
Chatterbox Spotlight Article
Chatterbox Spotlight - AT Peer Support
We asked the community in a recent poll, “We would love to hear of a time when your peers have supported you to make an AT decision and how that assisted you.” In this Chatterbox Spotlight, we tell their peer-support stories.
Read the Chatterbox Spotlight blog here.
|
|
|
|
We had a great time catching up with our community, meeting the exhibitors and discovering more AT solutions to help people make informed decisions about AT to live their lives.
Our amazing OT Kate Martinez delivered the AT Chat Assistive Technology Peer Mentoring Program presentation at recent ATSA Independent Living Expo in Perth and alongside our Engagement Lead Neil Berrick in Melbourne in late May.
"We seek to build peer support for AT users to make confident AT decisions to live, play and work," she said.
Watch the video of Kate's presentation here and watch the video of our AT Chat Perth experience here.
See the Facebook photo album here.
Developing Communities Expo
AT Chat were proud to be one of 120+ exhibitors at the event, and to meet and greet with our friendly team to have an AT chat with the community.
The Expo had loads of fun entertainment and interactive stallholders to keep the community entertained and informed.
We got people excited about the AT Portal which is almost ready to roll out and started the engagement hype within the community.
Your AT Portal
Co-Design with AT Chat and help us shape your new community AT Portal. Have your say on the latest AT Chat digital platform and be the first in Australia to access this exciting resource.
Your Portal will be your central hub to store your AT Journey, get lived-experience guidance from an AT Navigator and discover peer-led AT information and resources.
Read more about the Portal here and you can register now to be the first to access the Portal.
Your AT Navigator
The AT Navigation Program connects AT users to personalised peer support aimed at enhancing their AT decisions. An AT Navigator can help you make sense of assistive technology and all the possible AT solutions. Read more about the navigation program here.
Article – Journal article
AT Chat is proud to announce we have published the findings of the co-design work undertaken in partnership with the Chatterbox community and
Dr Natasha Layton. The article, titled ‘Co-creating an assistive technology peer-support community: learnings from AT Chat’ outlines the co-design process undertaken to deliver a peer-led information and support initiative.
Read the full article and read more about Best Practice here.
We want you to join our Diversity Project!
AT Chat is seeking lived experience experts as part of an international project to help companies understand how to improve access and inclusion.
This is a paid opportunity that involves completing a 20-minute survey.
The survey will be occurring in the next few weeks and we are seeking a specific set of people to ensure a broad diversity of views and experiences are heard.
If you are interested in being involved and potentially selected to participate, please complete the Expression of Interest below so we understand your lived experience.
Join the AT Chat team!
AT Chat, sponsored by ILA, is hiring a Navigator. The Navigator will work across ILA programs to guide people with disability, older persons, their family and carers to information on supports, services and equipment/technology from a range of sources, platforms that are accessible and information that is practical and relevant.
Candidates identifying as having lived experience with disability are strongly encouraged to apply. If you wish to discuss the position, please contact (Kate Martinez, Peer Support Lead), on 6202 4700 or kate.martinez@ilaustralia.org.au.
Apply for the Navigator job here.
It’s all hands on deck for Chris with Sailability and the NDIS.
“I use an online simulator called Sailaway to practice race tactics, so I’m working on that now to improve my game!” Chris says.
Chris has also used his funding to purchase assistive technology including a wheelie walker, which he was against purchasing initially because he is proud of his ability to walk most places.
“It’s actually come in very useful since I’ve had it, it takes the pressure off my hips which have been giving me hell,” he says.
Read Chris' sailing story story here.
Ricky's Virtual Wardrobe solutions
Our community have been sharing their ideas about accessing their clothes and wardrobe and recently, Chatterbox Member Ricky shared her brilliant visual wardrobe hack. Ricky tells us about it here:
Can't go to the wardrobe to choose clothes & thanks to brain-fog can't remember what's there to tell disability support workers what I want, so I'm taking photos of the shirts I have and building myself a "virtual wardrobe" in my computer so I can choose that way.
Only problem so far: it doesn't stop me choosing things which are in the laundry basket.
[Description: Screenshot of a directory named "T-shirt". The files have names like "short - black" and "long - navy hearts" and "long - green", each file has a preview image showing a square of colour or pattern which matches the filename].
There's an App for that - My Wardrobe
Check out this great app which helps you find your outfits, organise your style and your wardrobe.
No more spending hours in front of your wardrobe deciding what to wear. This application will simplify your life!
Explore more about the My Wardrobe app here.
AT Chatter Elizabeth talks about her own wardrobe success
I recently had the wardrobe doors in my bedroom widened and Tailorwood Construction install an automatic clothes rail that enables me to hang up my clothes - after 10 years of having clothes on the floor. Many thanks to my sister Pam for colour coding my clothes.
Source Kids Disability Expo
The Source Kids Disability Expo is back in 2021 in Perth. Focused on children, youths and young adults living with a disability up to the age of 25 years.
This expo brings together the latest products, services and technology, along with some incredible speakers under one roof for two days.
For more information and to register for the Expo, please follow this link.
What's On AT Chat?
Keep up to date with the latest AT-event news across Australia. Follow the events page on the AT Chat website to find out what events are in your area.
|
|
|
|
Copyright ©2021 Independent Living Assessment Incorporated
Please DO NOT REPLY to this email. If you have any queries, please contact us at atchat@ilaustralia.org.au