Standing Tall No.1

We are back –March 2009 Edition

It is a long time since we have had a newsletter. We know this year will be so full that there will be a lot more. Make sure you are a member so you can keep up to date with all the activities affecting Conductive Education and you, your children and friends.

Membership of NACE

All our families will be soon receiving letters to join NACE.

l What membership means

l You join an organisation committed to ensure that people with neurological disorders receive services and resources

l You get information about disability and Conductive Education

l You can be active to make sure your child or friend has what they need to have a productive future

l What membership costs

l $20 for an individual and $30 for a group subscription.

l Fill in the form attached to this newsletter if you are not already a member

It is vital that we fight for proper funding, support and equipment.

NACE Plan for 2009

The purpose of NACE is to ensure that people with neurological disorders receive the services and resources they need to live fulfilling and active lives.

NACE believes that Conductive Education, as a holistic, intense and respectful education and therapy, offers the best current model to ensure people with neurological disorders reach their full potential.

As such NACE will lead the provision of services based on a model of Conductive Education.

The following is a summary of goals for 2009 :-

1. The Expansion of current Conductive Education services in SA

2. The Creation of a Conductive Education Centre of Excellence in Adelaide

3. Increase the effectiveness of NACE(SA) through increased communication and increasing NACE membership and the number of active members

4. Expand involvement in therapy and resource requirements that compliment CE

If you wish to see the detailed plan or have any comments or ideas please contact one of the committee members. They are:-

l Sharon Holmes (President)

l Cheryl Mc Gill (Secretary)

l Naomi O'Brady (Treasurer)

l Andrew Rabbitt, Tony Macharper, Kevin Cheesman, Kati Balla/Eszter Agocs, Ruth Matthews/Enza Maselli, Sally Wilson

Funding for disability in SA is 62% of the national average.

To achieve our goals this will be a year of activities to ensure more money is allocated to get what is needed.

The silence is deafening!

The disabled community has suffered another major setback. Government funding of a special program to assist people with communication difficulties has been closed down.

In 2008 the State Government provided funding under a Statewide Complex Communication Needs (SCCN) Program. It was welcomed by many as a major breakthrough after years of inaction.

Tens of thousands of South Australians suffer moderate to severe communication difficulties. The most common cause for the serious cases is brain damage from cerebral palsy, serious accidents and strokes.

Those affected (including their families and carers) must rely on special devices and training to communicate. The 2008 SCCN was designed to address their needs in a very effective fashion but is now cancelled.

Without this form of assistance many are be left unable to share their thoughts and feelings with those close to them. Can able bodied people begin to imagine how tough it would be stuck in a sound proof box for the rest of their lives?!

NACE called on Minister Rankine to stand up and support those most in need. Letters were written to the Minister and NACE held discussions with Ministerial staff.

A rally of young people with a disability and their supporters was held outside Parliament House on Tuesday 9^th December at 11am.

The rally was well attended and got significant media coverage. We may not have won the issue but it is part of an ongoing strategy to get more funding. With the budget determinations happening in April and May we must keep the pressure up to get this project back.

“Even more important than freedom of speech is freedom to speak”

Stephen Hawkins

www.conductiveeducationsa.org

ABN: 66 425 435 471 The National Association for Conductive Education Incorporated (SA)

PO Box 152, Fulham Gardens,

South Australia, 5024

Registered Charity: A00 20151M

Introducing our Conductors In our last newsletter we reported that the Minister for Education had approved funding for two conductors. We are now very pleased to officially introduce them to you. Helen Enns came to Kidman Park Primary School in October 2002 and is now our Conductive Education Consultant. Katalin Balla was appointed in term 4 of 2003 as Conductor. Both are employed by the Department of Education and Children’s Services and are based at the Special Education Resource Unit (SERU) at Henley Beach. Helen and Kati combine duties at SERU with running various programs and working to make Conductive Education a truly state-wide service.
HELEN ENNS After Helen graduated in physiotherapy she went to work with children with a disability in Bangladesh where she met her Canadian husband. They have divided their time over the last 30 years between Australia, Canada and Bangladesh. Helen became interested in Conductive Education while on a study tour visiting early intervention programs in Sydney. She has since made many visits to CE based programs in Australia, Hungary and England, a camp in Toronto and conferences in Australia and Israel. In 1995 she developed a preschool and after school program using the principles of Conductive Education in Calgary, Canada. Currently Helen is leading three early intervention programs based on the principles of Conductive Education as well as consulting in schools and preschools.	KATALIN BALLA Kati is a Hungarian trained Conductor with experience in conductive education programs around the world. She graduated from the Peto Institute in 1997. Kati worked in a ’non-public’ school in California, USA where she led a preschool program for 5-7 year olds as well as a “Mummy & Me” group. In Sweden Kati worked with adults as well as running a 4 week intensive program for babies and school aged children. In 2001, Kati worked for the National Institute for Conductive Education (NICE) in Birmingham, England. There she worked with school aged children and was responsible for the curriculum areas of history & geography, art & craft and music. Kati arrived in Australia with her family last year. She now leads several programs within Kidman Pk school as well as the secondary school program at Findon High School. Both can be contacted at: SERU, 72A Marlborough St, Henley Beach, SA, 5022. Phone: 8235 2871
Findon High School Unit Thanks to the hard work and persistence of a dedicated group of parents, there is now, finally, a secondary school program based on the principles of Conductive Education in South Australia. The Unit for students with severe multiple disabilities at Findon High School has been built to cater for 10 students and the 6 students currently enrolled moved from their temporary location at Kidman Park school in Term 2, 2004. The principles of Conductive Education are used throughout each day and the students participate in a lying task series and a hand task series during the week. Each Friday they have a full day, Conductor-led program. Most of the students use alternative and augmentative communication devices and are integrated into mainstream classes for home economics, music and design. A year 9 buddy class also visits the Unit for reverse integration. “Conductors are a rare and wonderful breed. Their knowledge, dedication and energy have inspired us… We have the confidence that (our daughter’s) physical needs are being met and she is involved in age appropriate curriculum.” -Karin Rechten
ABOUT NACE The National Association of Conductive Education has branches in Qld, NSW, Vic, WA and SA. NACE (SA) is a non-profit, incorporated organisation with the purpose of facilitating the provision of CE programs, promoting the principles and methods of CE and facilitating training and education in Conductive Education methodology. Our current committee is as follows: President: Sharon Holmes (parent) Treasurer: Naomi O’Brady (parent) Secretary: Cheryl Mc Gill Eszter Agocs (Conductor) Sally Wilson (teacher) Andrew Rabbitt (parent) Kevin.Cheesman (parent) Lisa Hartshorne (parent) Steve Hemming (parent) For more information or if you are interested in joining the committee, please contact Sharon Holmes on 83566335. Email: tmach@admin.com.au MEETING DATES Please feel free to come and check us out on: first Wed of every month – contact President if you are interested in attending.