Profiles

Louise has 30 years experience working in the disability sector, and has qualifications in social & community work, rehabilitation, and management, in training and professional development and in auditing.

Louise has spearheaded & developed several community and disability organisations from the ground up, services which have the reputation for being flexible, innovative and are often directed by people who have a disability.

Prior to moving to Australia Louise was the founder and Director for 10 years, of New Zealand’s largest disability resource centre, followed by a 3-yr term as an elected city councillor.

For the past 16 years she has worked free-lance as a consultant, trainer & advocate in the disability and community services industry in Queensland. Contracts have included the restructuring of disability and community organisations (that would otherwise ‘implode’), project officer for the new Qld Disability Quality System, & various teaching & lecturing positions. She undertakes various roles to mentor, coach and empower. She also works as an advocate or activist for and with people with disabilities.

Louise is fully conversant with all Australian discrimination, disability and community services’ legislation and their standards. She has intimate knowledge of the DSQS (Disability Sector Quality System), and has facilitated awareness-raising workshops about the system for service providers throughout Queensland. She has also planned and facilitated the training sessions for auditors and audit trained service users in preparation of the quality system.

Louise has 48 years personal experience of living with a disability, and is a wheelchair user resulting from transverse myelitis; she maintains that she ‘owns’ her disability however sees it as secondary to herself as a person.

Jeremy has been working in the disability sector for over 20 years.  His focus has been on improving the lives of people with disabilities.  Jeremy states that he works "from a rights-based stand point and believes that all people with disabilities have the right to choose, have the right to say no, have the right to make mistakes and have the right to reach their chosen level of optimum potential in all areas of life".

Jeremy says he feels fortunate to have  worked with and met some outstanding individuals over the years and tries to draw from their knowledge and experience.  He values every lesson learnt and wisdom given.

Career wise, Jeremy has managed services, written policy, acted as a consultant to politicians worked in systemic advocacy and taught others interested in working in the disability sector.  Despite the odd gap here and there when he has deliberately taken time off, Jeremy says it has been a very busy 20 years or so.

Jeremy is a keen Essendon/AFL supporter; Reds/Union fan and still has a soft spot for the Broncos/league. He says  he does enjoy most sports but despite his efforts, he is still not keen on the round ball game……"give me an odd shaped football anytime."

Jeremy has lived in many Australians cities, frequented some fantastic regional restaurants and made some wonderful friends. He tends to be, or has at least been up until this year of 2011, a ‘wherever I lay my hat’ sort of person (only time will tell if that will become a reality again).

Jeremy enjoys teaching and has always dabbled in classrooms over the years... finding it thought provoking and re-affirming, professionally and personally.

Jeremy says, "I live with a physical disability and occasionally time and overuse make the everyday feel like I am pushing up the streets of Paddington, but there are days when the journey is down hill, wind is in  (what is left) my hair and there is a glass of wine with my name on it waiting at my chosen location."