Kia ora whanau,
Yes its been a long time since I got behind the keyboard and wrote something for you all. It hasn’t been the lack of wanting to write, 2024 was a bit of a whirlwind to say the least.
Since my last post I have been somewhat busy, between a new job that has been constantly evolving, discovering my love of running and walking events and a passion for refereeing a slightly obscure but very under-rated sport. With all this, I travelled to Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Hamilton, Whanganui, Wellington, Christchurch, Rotorua, Taupo and Adelaide. I’ve presented at conferences, delivered training, gone to wānanga, completed 3 half-marathons and refereed both the New Zealand and Australian National Goalball championships. So it wasn’t easy to find time to write as well, I actually have to sleep and rest! This year I am hoping that I will be able to manage my time a bit better and write as well. So the blogs might be a little shorter, but I at least want to update you with what is going on. I’ve got 5 events planned this year, working up to the full marathon distance, I’ve blocked out time to referee both NZ & Austrailian Goalball Championships and d I have a more permanent role which is building a network for disabled people to identify solutions to the barriers we experience accessing Family and Sexual Violence prevention and response services at VisAble.
It was also a very stressful year, both work-wise and personally, because of the policy decisions that have been made by the National, NZ First, ACT coalition around disability funding and Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People. With a government that cares more about the “economic well-being” of the country than the actual well-being of the country, some decisions have had huge impacts on disabled people and their families and whanau. In all honestly, I feel that the current “consultation with the disability community” with Disability Support Services is more of a tick-box exercise rather than true consultation with the community. I would be happy if the Ministry of Social Development proves me wrong with this in the future. As someone, (and I am only one of many), who has put literal blood, sweat and tears into Enabling Good Lives, I am absolutely gutted that they have dialled back a lot of the positive change that we have made. For me, being a member of the Royal Commission Inquiry into Historic Abuse in Care, Disability Reference Group these changes have been hard to swallow as in a lot of ways these decisions are resetting policies towards the direction that allowed the abuse in care to occur to start with. For instance, the trial of “Boot Camps” by Oranga Tamariki started only days after Whaneketia the report was tabled at Parliament, despite evidence to show that these programs often don’t result in long-term change for the individuals participating.
It’s always challenging to start new things, and being part of the Disability Abuse Prevention and Response prototype then VisAble, has certainly has its challenges, but overall I know that this work will have lasting, positive impact in reducing abuse of disabled people and whanau. When I joined DAPAR in November 23 we had a team of around 12, now we are almost a staff of 30 including contractors. Although it has been really difficult, VisAble is building an amazing team. I think now that I have a role that is a bit more stable I am really looking forward to making things happen. I am one of two Network Coordinators to enable the creation of a community to identify and provide solutions to the barriers that disabled people and whanau experience when trying to access violence prevention and response services. I’ve met fabulous people, learnt a ton, and hopefully opened some minds and hearts to some of the issues disabled face trying to access their communities like their non-disabled peers.
Since my last blog, where I did my first half-marathon at 4 Paws 2023 I have done the 11km at Auckland Marathon 23, the Round The Bays – Wellington half-marathon, the half-marathon at the Rotorua marathon, and the half-marathon at Taupō marathon. I did want to give the Coastal Five a go but October got a little crazy at work, and I had been pushing my body a little hard, I needed a rest, but it is scheduled in for my final event this year. And I have a “my most memorable moment” from each event. A huge shout out to all the Achilles athletes and guides, if it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t be out doing these silly things.
The other thing that I have really enjoyed doing is refereeing Goalball. For those that don’t know what Goalball, it’s a Paralympic sport for people with Visual Impairment, and I often describe it as reverse dodgeball. For those that are curious here is a good description video…. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bZ51jzmbAQ. I got a call early-ish 2024 from a friend of mine who plays Goalball, “Antnz, you’ve refereed sports before ay?”…. Next thing I know I am refereeing an invitational tournament, the New Zealand national championships. At the NZ champs we had one of the International referees from Australia come across with a couple of teams from Victoria, Australia. He then extended an offer to go to Adelaide to referee their national championships, which i took. I had a blast, met some fabulous people, learnt a ton, and I’m headed back next year to potentially be assessed for my Level 1 International Referee Certification.
I’ll write more in my next couple of blogs about the events, Goalball and what I’ve been up to at work. I just wanted to get a blog out to you all, and I’ve really enjoyed writing again, so I am glad I am blocking out some space in my week to do more.
He toa taumata rau Bravery has many resting places
Antnz