When the MACS NDIS subcommittee first formed we had planned to provide monthly progress reports with hopefully substantial news to share. However, there was a spanner thrown in the works. Or to be more accurate, an appendix.
In early April I was bedridden with what I thought was just food poisoning. However several hospital trips, an operation and a pile of IV antibiotics later, it turned out to be a burst appendix, twisted small bowel, peritonitis and a pile of other things I’d strongly advise you to avoid. The rest of the NDIS subcommittee postponed further planning sessions until I was back on the mend, so I’m to blame for the delays with our progress reports.
On a more serious note, if (like me) you do not have proper sensation around your abdomen and are nauseated and/or bloated to the point you cannot eat or drink for more than 24 hours, do not rule out appendicitis! It can literally be a life or death diagnosis, and for people with spinal injury and similar disabilities, it’s a diagnosis frequently missed (see attached New Mobility article link):
In the meanwhile however, there have been some updates, such as our new MACS logo. There will no doubt be some who like it, some who don’t, and some who will ask what’s wrong with the old one. Glad you asked!
Historically MACS has not been a big marketer or self promoter of it’s services. Because our service users were quite happy (and therefore so were our funding bodies) for quite a while we were happy to almost be Brisbane’s “best kept secret” and not actively seek out new service users. The NDIS changes all that. We will need to actively seek out new service users and to do that we need good marketing and promotional material. Our existing promotional materials are, to put it politely, a bit “spartan.”
We have a basic Facebook page and a functional but rudimentary website. However we currently have no up-to-date brochures or any business cards. That will all change soon, starting with the logo. The logo was quite passable 20 years ago but the two shades of grey-ish blue now seem a bit drab – hence the refresh.
Upcoming CRU NDIS Workshops
In each update we will try to pass on NDIS workshops being run around the Brisbane area (after all, knowledge is power), these are all run by CRU (www.cru.org.au).
I have listed some dates below and also attached a pdf “date claimer” with a more detailed list you can download from the website.
Some are more relevant than others and, frustratingly, some are at difficult start times for some people with physical disabilities. I have passed on feedback about appropriate start times for audiences with severe physical disabilities, but it’s been haphazard for the last 20 years and I don’t expect the NDIS to improve that.
With apologies again for the appendix-bursting delays,
Tony Leggett (on behalf of the NDIS subcommittee)
June Workshop Dates
15th June – SELF-DIRECTION FOR BIGGER AND BETTER LIVES:
Click here to register & for more information
18th June – WHAT YOU ALWAYS NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT INTELLECTUAL IMPAIRMENT (Sunday workshop)
Click here to register & for more information
17th June – PR EVENT- COOPERS PLAINS – THE NDIS: GETTING INFORMED (Saturday session)
Click here to register & for more information
23rd June – BRISBANE – GETTING TO THE HEART OF WHAT MATTERS (Training for Support Workers)
Click here to register & for more information
