The First Host Switcharoo!

Sunday, March 2, 2014 – 10:20 p.m. Melbourne time

By Teressa Jackson

Saturday, we ran a few errands and then Frances, Aidan, and I visited the Royal Botanic Gardens. We strolled through the grounds for about an hour before it was time to meet my new host, Warren, at the café. The four of us enjoyed a nice lunch together prior to transferring “possession” of me fully to Warren. I must say I had become a bit attached to my first host family, and it was bittersweet to move on. Frances and Aidan both were incredibly gracious, warm, and friendly hosts and they made me incredibly comfortable during my first week in Australia. I truly felt like I was with family when I was in their care.

Warren and I began our time together with a guided tour of the Botanic Gardens. Susan, our guide, was a transplanted American who has lived in Australia for forty years. She was a wealth of knowledge and it was incredible to see the bountiful plant life throughout the gardens. I saw my first bell birds (they sound like your phone is going off… a little unnerving), a black swan, some possums (people here hate them!), and some of the biggest, most beautiful trees of anywhere I’ve been. We also encountered a wedding and a bridal shower in the park. It was a beautiful fall day and everyone was making the most of it.

After the Botanic Gardens, we went to the 88^th floor of the Eureka Tower, the tallest building in Melbourne. It takes just 35 seconds to get to the top, and yes, your ears certainly pop a bit during that. It was a great opportunity to really take in the city and start “connecting the dots” in terms of where things are. Warren was a great guide, pointing out many local landmarks and answering my many questions.

We took a drive around various parts of the city, and I caught my first glimpses of the bay, spending a couple minutes on a beach to snap a photo or two. After that, we were off again to purchase some groceries and get ready for dinner. We joined some Rotarians for an incredible Italian meal followed by more driving around the city. The Saturday nightlife was bustling, the sidewalks crawling with people and cars lining the streets. This is definitely a city that likes to have a great time.

Today, we got up early and headed out along the peninsula to pick up Warren’s partner Noella. It was a beautiful area, full of vineyards and glimpses of the bay. At the Montalto winery, we had a divine lunch with Noella and several of their friends. The food was impeccably prepared, the company was wonderful, and the view was pretty spectacular.

View more photos from the weekend and stay up-to-date with all our latest at our Facebook page:www.facebook.com/gse2014.

February 28 Team Day: Historical and Present Day Deaf Services in Victoria

Saturday, March 1, 2014 – 9:30 a.m. Melbourne time

By Teressa Jackson

Yesterday we had a wonderful team day at Blackburn Lake and Taralye. Blackburn Lake is a man-made lake that is one of the few remaining bushland reserves in the area. We had a guided tour with a very knowledgeable and funny fellow by the name of Ian, as well as presentations by Lucy, their part-time educator, and several volunteers. The weather was gorgeous and we all really enjoyed the tour.

 

One point that tied the morning and afternoon together, apart from the actual very close proximity of our two visits, was a history in relation to individuals who are deaf. Many years ago, Blackburn Lake was actually home to a group of deaf people who grew flowers on the property and sold them to raise funds. Taralye has also served individuals who are deaf for over 40 years, and is located just about a kilometer from the lake preserve.

Taralye sees about 400 children a month in a variety of programs. Like many disability services organizations, it was founded by parents of children who are deaf who wanted their children to learn to speak. Taralye also serves children with autism, and in fact, the Mother Goose program we participated in had only one child who was deaf in it. No fees are charged for their services.

Like Rauch, the organization where I work, Taralye has an early intervention program. Their programming extends throughout the state of Victoria, and their case managers, who are speech therapists and teachers of the deaf, visit families in their homes. They are very focused on ensuring that the auditory cortex is stimulated before the visual cortex begins to take over. Other programs include play groups, kindergarten (preschool) programs, language groups, and a cooking group.

We were interested to hear that Cummins, which is headquartered in Columbus, Indiana, had volunteered to do yardwork at Taralye that very morning, and they do other volunteer work for the organization from time to time. It’s amazing how much smaller the world continues to feel the longer we are here. 

View more photos from the day and stay up-to-date with all our latest at our Facebook page:www.facebook.com/gse2014.

Tonya's Vocational Day at Nadrasca Services on February 27

February 27th I was whisked around Nadrasca services. Nadrasca provides services to individuals with support needs in a variety of settings.  My fist surprise was when I walked in to their prevocational program and saw a HUGE warehouse with over 150 employees.  Not only does Nadrasca support individuals in prevocational training, but they also have their own print shop and an amazing warehouse management system.  The employees were working hard and many enthusiastically showed me what they were working on and proudly proclaimed that they made money while working. 

My next surprise was their art based day program. Four participants were working on personal art projects. These art projects were not the traditional craft projects that you see in many day programs, but were instead artwork that you would see displayed in any gallery or for sale at an art studio. If I had room in my luggage I would  have purchased one of the mosaics, paintings, or sculptures they had displayed. Robyn, one of the participants, noticed me carrying around my camera, and asked for me to take a picture. After a short paparazzi session I toured several other day programs and ended at their Farm. 

The Farm is a large plot of land in the middle of the city where 20 clients participate in farm and gardening activities complete with caring for four sheep. The participants gave me a tour of the grounds, and talked about what crops were growing and which failed this last season. The staff all stated that the clients had shown remarkable progress in the programming over the last couple of years, and some had moved on to commercial landscaping and gardening services due to the skills the learned in the program. I was very impressed in the farm and the outcomes that clients were experiencing.

In the evening I attended the Rotary Youth Services Dinner where I learned about the local youth projects that Rotary supports or hosts. There were an number of in-depth programs offered for youth and young adults, and it was inspiring to hear from several of the youth who participated in programs over the last year.

Kelsie's View - Updates, the Melbourne Zoo and the Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce

Thanks for reading our blog! It's been a wonderful trip so far - very fast paced and fun. When we arrived and went our separate ways, I enjoyed some time getting to know my host family, Anne and Rob Teese. After lunch and settling in at their home, we went for a walk in Studley Park, which was nice to stretch my legs and get some fresh air after such a long flight. Along the way, we saw part of a cricket match (which they tried to explain...I'll figure it out later!) and a kookaburra. We also stopped for a cappuccino along the river, which was nice. It's been coffee and wine the whole time! Later that evening, Rob grilled kangaroo steaks on the barbie for us for dinner, which was really good. It's a little different than beef, but I really enjoyed it!

Sunday morning, I accompanied Anne and Rob to a Rotary project. Once a year, their club puts together something they call 'birthing kits' to send to villages in Papua New Guinea to help the pregnant women there. The kit includes a large sterile pad, bandages, razor blades and soap - I couldn't imagine having a baby with only those supplies! We put together almost 1,000 kits. It was fun for me to listen to the group chat back and forth - the accents were pretty strong. After we finished the kits, they fixed chicken skewers on the barbie and salads for lunch.

Monday and Tuesday, I was with our group (see previous updates our on city tour plus our day at Chatham primary school, Alkira, high tea, the fire station and police station). On Wednesday this week, I had some downtime with my host family, Anne and Rob Teese.  After a full two days prior with the Melbourne city tour and the Rotary presentation the night before, it was nice to have a more relaxed day. We decided to use the time to visit the Melbourne Zoo! I worked at the Indianapolis Zoo right after college, so I was really excited to check out a zoo in Australia.

The Melbourne Zoo didn't disappoint! The landscaping was beautiful, with many native plants and open spaces. They had the usual variety of zoo animals like the lions, elephants, and giraffes, but also many animals I hadn't seen before like the wombat, tree kangaroos, echidnas, and the platypus. The wombat surprised me the most because of its' size - I had always pictured it to be much smaller, but it's more like the size of a small boar. The zoo staff was also really knowledgeable and hosted engaging 'animal chats'. We caught one about the Sumatran tigers, which was really interesting. They also try to encourage people to purchase products without palm oil because of the palm oil plantations that are taking up valuable animal habitats. It was a perfect day at the zoo!

On Thursday, I had my first vocational day at the Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI) to learn about their organization and compare practices with my Chamber (The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce).

I had coffee with Patricia Griffiths, the Head of International Trade at VECCI Global, and she gave me an overview of their organization. Their Chamber is the largest and oldest Chamber in Australia (founded in 1851) and they are in the top 200 Chambers in the country. Similar to our Bloomington Chamber, about 65% of their members are small to medium sized businesses. However, Patricia said their main reasons for joining are for advocacy/public policy support and assistance with workplace issues, which differs from our Chamber. VECCI also has several government initiatives that support their Chamber members, such as Enterprise Connect and the Industry Capability Network. It was interesting to chat with Patricia and compare notes on what sort of work their Chamber is involved in, how they handle various membership issues and what type of special events they provide to their members. Overall, it was a great conversation and I'm looking forward to my visit to the American Chamber of Commerce in Australia next week!

After my visit to the Chamber, Anne and Rob picked me up for some more sightseeing around Melbourne. We went to Eureka Tower's Skydeck, which is the highest public vantage point in the Southern Hemisphere! They have something called the Edge, which is a glass box that extends 3 meters out from the building. Amazing views of the city!

After the Skydeck, we finished up the day at the Belgium Beer Garden. It was very busy with people grabbing a drink after work and had a fun atmosphere. Perfect way to end the day!

Teressa's Visit to Arts Project Australia

Thursday, February 27, 2014 – 5:45 p.m. Melbourne time

By Teressa Jackson

I had another vocational day today, spending several hours at Arts Project Australia. Sandy, their Office Manager, graciously spent the morning with me, orienting me to their philosophy and approach, and Sim spent the afternoon orienting me to their curatorial practices, social media efforts, events, etc. Much like Rauch, Arts Project Australia was founded 40 years ago by a parent of a daughter with an intellectual disability. Myra Hilgendorf saw the artistic potential in her daughter, and became inspired. The project began by collecting and displaying art from institutions around Melbourne. This original collection is permanently housed in the organization’s archives.

Arts Project Australia’s approach is to give practicing artists who have intellectual disabilities a means to create their work. All Arts Project Australia’s staff have a fine arts degree, and most are part-time so that they can continue to practice as an artist themselves. The artists who are a part of the studio are shown in exhibits across Melbourne, Australia, and the world, including in the gallery co-located with the studio. Three of their artists have work in the Melbourne Now exhibit our group visited on Monday at the National Gallery of Victoria.

Currently, 113 artists work in the studio, around 45 are there on any given day. They operate 6 days a week, including a half-day on Saturday. The time artists spend at the studio varies from one to five days a week, depending on their funding and level of interest. The studio operates in four terms, with a two-week break between terms, and longer at the holidays. During the break, art is reviewed and the best pieces are selected to be stored for future exhibitions or sale. Art deemed especially worthy is placed in the organization’s open permanent collection. Artists can focus on drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics, 3-D design, photo, and digital animation/manipulation.

Most of Arts Project Australia’s income (around 80%) is from day service funding from the state and federal (commonwealth) government. As such, they receive funding to support the time the artists spend at the studio and the support provided to them during that time. Artists receive 60% of the proceeds from the sale or license of their work. This setup required negotiation and understanding with the government due to its innovative nature. Arts Project Australia also receives grants and sponsorships, and is working to implement a donor program.

Of course, the highlight for me was seeing the artists at work. Many of them were intrigued that I was from America. I was told I looked like a “supermodel”, asked about the death penalty, discussed Elvis and Graceland, and requests were made to accompany me back to the U.S. I must admit that it made me miss the people who make my life special every day at home.

View more photos from the day and stay up-to-date with all our latest at our Facebook page:www.facebook.com/gse2014.

Disability, Indigenous Art, and Profound Need

Wednesday, February 26, 2014 – 8:30 p.m. Melbourne time

By Teressa Jackson

Today was my first official Vocational Day. In the morning, I met with Brenda Lacey of the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations. Brenda has been with AFDO since 2004 and explained that their organization is the peak organization representing consumers with all types of disabilities. Their members are all organizations run by and for people with disabilities. An organization cannot be a member unless a majority of their Board Members have a disability, and AFDO itself is run by a Board and staff comprised entirely of people with disabilities.

Funding for disability services went through a change in Australia last July. Currently, this new model, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), has taken effect in only three regions of Australia. It enables consumers to direct and negotiate their service package and how it is used. Brenda had as many questions for me as I had for her, and I shared the setup of Rauch and our programming, and discussed the ways in which our consumers are given choice as well as our challenges. I really enjoyed meeting her and learning about their work.

Indigenous Art at Ian Potter Gallery

After a short break in the graffiti-filled Hosier Lane, visit to see indigenous art at the Ian Potter Gallery, and lunch, I spent the remainder of the afternoon with Jeff Percy of Olympic AdultEducation. Olympic is located in a high-poverty area of West Heidelberg, which was once the site of the 1956 Olympic Village. When the Olympics were over, the facilities were converted to public housing and thus a high concentration of need formed there. Their offices are located in a collaborative space with medical, legal, and other service providers.

Olympic provides a variety of training for individuals in the West Heidelberg area, including basic literacy, English as a Second Language, math, driver’s education, computers, and other interests. They offer some courses for students with mild intellectual disability to improve their work-related skills. I was interested to learn that their Board of Directors is referred to as a “Committee of Management” (I’m really enjoying all the different terminology in Australia). They are primarily funded by state and federal government, and also receive funds from local government.

Jeff toured me around the neighborhood to give me a feel for the culture and resources offered to its residents, and then took me to a Community Kitchen where volunteers were preparing meals for people in need. The food smelled wonderful and the volunteers were friendly and welcoming. They explained that they take the meal to a site to distribute, and in addition they provide families with bags of various staples that I helped to assemble while I was there. I enjoyed speaking with the people there and they were interested to learn about me as well. I also met Brother Harry of the Exodus Community who ministers to the poor there. It turns out that Brother Harry was actually a GSE Team Member in the 1970s in Nebraska and South Dakota. He gave me a lovely book about the people they serve, and when I have a big box of tissues handy I will sit down and read it. It will be a wonderful remembrance of our trip.

View more photos from the day and stay up-to-date with all our latest at our Facebook page:www.facebook.com/gse2014.

Sandybeach Centre - Tonya's Vocational Tour

After a long group day and a late night rotary meeting and presentation, I appreciated the chance to sleep in a bit this morning (730am) and spend a few hours at home with my host family before heading out to my first vocational tour.

We got out the road map (yes a map not a GPS!) and found our way across town to the Sandybeach Centre. I wasn't sure what to expect walking into the smallish center that provides services for adults with disabilities as well as extensive staff training for professionals in the field. I was greeted in person by their CEO Tina Dent who devoted several hours to speak with me about their services, opportunities, and challenges as well as inquire about the same in Indiana.  The conversation was fruitful and I left very impressed with the services they offer and how they have adapted to the current structure to continue to provide high quality services.  By the end of our time together be both had some items and ideas to do further research on that we both hope will be of benefit to our programs.

 I met a few participants along the way who eagerly shared what they were doing and how they appreciated the services they received from Sandybeach.  I felt a sense of partnership, as it's evident that even 9,000 miles apart we share the same desires, rewards, challenges, and frustrations in wanting to provide quality and consistent care to individuals with disabilities (or the disadvantaged as they say here) despite the ever changing funding and system regulations.

My first vocational day exceeded my expectations and therefore created more excitement for what I have to learn in the following days and weeks.