The Yes Disability Resource Centre is a first stop shop for information for the 1 in 4 new Zealanders living with a disability, their family/whanau and caregivers. They’re called ‘Yes’ because in a moment of need people are looking for an answer and if they don’t have the answer then they're going to do what New Zealanders are famous for and innovate. The Yes team believes everyone is entitled to dream and to fulfil on that dream. www.yesdisability.org.nz
When the PM's Office and the Director of Disability Issues wanted to have meaningful conversations with young people with impairments they looked no further than YES. We put out the call and had a huge response from many young people, but had to choose 12 young people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. Having input into such documents and strategies is vital for our young people to help shape a New Zealand that meets their needs.
What do you think children and young people need to have a good life?
Sounds like a hard question to answer, but our young disabled leaders were keen and ready to answer. So when the chance came to have their voices heard they were more than happy to speak up. Brian Coffey from the Office of Disability Issues and Mark Field–Dodgson and Jane Mountfort from the Department of the Prime Minster and Cabinet flew from Wellington to get feedback on the Disability Action Plan 2019 – 2022 and the Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy.
Over the course of the two-hour workshop, you could feel the energy in the room buzzing with ideas, questions and recommendations. Covering subjects such as affordable and accessible housing – almost impossible in Auckland. Equal opportunities in employment; real jobs with real wages. Well-supported education; teachers who understand and a smooth transition plan. Access to transport, public buildings, beaches, parks – all good kiwi activities. Health, mental health, overall wellbeing – a subject we should talk about freely. Human rights, disability, funding, leadership, choice, control, attitudes, equality and inclusion – because we had not covered enough subjects.
With all this sharing, the young people asked some equally important questions – “What are you going to do with all this information?” “Will what we say actually make a difference?” The reply was a letter from the New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Adern, where she said “It’s so important to have young leaders like you working to co-design and co-deliver programmes for young people in our communities, Programmes like your Ice Breaker anti-bullying workshops are a great example of young people supporting other young people through life’s challenges.”
So what do these young people think they need to have a good life? The answer is easy: equality, opportunity, freedom and support.
