Celebrating people with disabilities through sport

Did you know the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported in 2018 that 4.4 million Australians live with a disability? 
Or that, in 2020-21, the Australian Human Rights Commission received nearly 2,000 complaints relating to the Disability Discrimination Act, with this number steadily increasing over the last 5 years?
The United Nations ‘International Day of People with a Disability’ has been running annually on the 3^rd of December since 1992. It celebrates people living with disabilities and raises awareness of disability issues, promoting the dignity, rights and well-being of people with disabilities. It also brings together the community to reaffirm a commitment to providing inclusive practices and breaking down barriers.

Next year, the library is offering a human library event in conjunction with the International Day of People with a Disability. This involves four people with disabilities acting as interactive ‘books’ and sharing their experiences, with the event participants, of how social, competitive and international sport has facilitated, for them, positive change and a more inclusive society. They will challenge participants’ views and provide different perspectives and insights.

Meet the Books

(Images from Creative Commons)

       

          Rahul

    

          Sidney

             Daniela

    

          Elizabeth

When?

Tuesday 3rd of December 2024 

Session times:

10:00am – 12:00pm

1:00pm – 3:00pm 

3:00pm – 5:00pm

Location?

Main Branch of the Azure Beach Public Library

44 Lighting Way, Azure Beach, New South Wales

 

Booking information

Please RSVP by Tuesday 25th of November 2024

Tickets are free of charge and all welcome!

BOOK NOW!

More Information:

To learn more about the human library visit Human Library Organisation’s website!

For information visit International Day of People with Disability

Contact Details:

If you have any questions or enquires about the event please contact me via;

Email: sarah.azurebeachpubliclibrary@gmail.com   

Phone: (02) 9717 4856

By Sarah Clifton-Bligh

More than Meets the Eye: The Human Library

 ​Join Azure Beach Library for International Day of Disability!

Date: 1/12/22

Time: 11:00am to 3:00pm

Venue: Inside Azure Beach Library

Contact: Erin Hackelton-Smith at azurebeachevents@library.com

Challenge yourself, meet new people and engage in respectful conversations with ’human books’ to learn about the intricacies of living with a disability.  

Human Libraries is an organisation that promotes connectivity and empathy through conversation. Each ’reader’ will have the opportunity to sit opposite unique individuals and listen to their story, as well as strike up a respectful dialogue confronting how these individuals may be perceived in today's community.

To learn more about the organisation the official Human Libraries webpage.

In Australia, over 5 million people have some form of disability, with 90% of those people living with an invisible disability(disabilities). Also known as a silent illness or hidden disability, it is a disability that does not exhibit externally visible signs or symptoms.

This can lead to misconception and judgment from others which can leave the disabled feeling misunderstood and isolated.  

Engage with the five unique ‘books‘ and learn more about their individual experiences living with ADHD, autism, autoimmune diseases, arthritis, and diabetes in modern society.  

Meet our books!

By participating in this event, we aim to challenge those prejudices and unconscious biases to create a more accessible and inclusive community for all, while also lending our ears and minds to those whose voices often go unheard. 

Book now to secure your seat, follow the link or follow the button below. 

 

ASD Unmasked: A Human Libraries Event

 

ASD Unmasked

December International Day of People with Disability

Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Collection of Stories

When: 4^th of December 2022, 12pm-1pm

Where: Library Courtyard

If you’re interested in joining us, please RSVP at the bottom of this post!

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurological condition that effects of which affects 1 in 150 people* When you think of a person with autism you might think of a boy with a fascination with trains and an avoidance of making eye contact but it’s so much more than that.

Ways ASD can affect people can include:

- Difficulty with mood regulation

- Difficulty socialising

- Sensitivity to noise, light, and certain textures

- Monotone speech

- Fixations on niche topics (also called special interests)

In order to fit in with the rest of society, people with ASD often have to “mask” which is a method of camouflaging their symptoms, but it is heavily taxing on the person and can oftentimes have dangerous consequences. So come join us as our four books reveal to us their wonderful lives and how Autism and ADHD have shaped the way they view the world.

If you’d like to learn more about autism, check out https://www.autism.org.au/what-is-autism/

Human Libraries is a concept where you can talk to another person about their experiences relating to a certain topic. It is used to break down prejudices and understand how and why certain aspects can affect people’s lives.

For more information, please go to https://humanlibrary.org/about/

 

*According to ABS 2016b. Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers 2015

Meet our Books!

Tom (he/him), ADHD, diagnosed as a child. 

“I’m glad I was diagnosed when I was younger. It’s given me essentially my entire life to develop coping mechanisms to manage in our society”

Katrina (she/they), ADHD and autism, diagnosed in her 20s 

“It was difficult getting my diagnosis since I’ve been masking my entire life.”

Mavis (she/her), autism, diagnosed in her late 40s 

“It wasn’t until I hit menopause that doctors started to seriously consider that I am autistic. It’s really disheartening that it’s taken so long but it really explains aspects of my life”

Theo (they/them), autism, diagnosed as a child 

“I feel that being autistic makes me more open minded to most things and gives me the ability to embrace who I am”

 Our lovely books will be available for up to 15 minutes each.

If you’re interested in joining us on our Human Libraries maiden voyage, please RSVP here.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our events manager, Chris P. Bacon, at:

Email: eventsandprograms@abpl.gov.au

Phone: 130065556

 

This event was made by Katherine Bonomini, please be nice to them.