These are my rough notes for my speech today. The role if systemic advocacy in my recovery journey. In 2011 at 30 I had a major relapse. When I applied for the pension I was denied it because I was too sick and unstable, and referred to another Disability Employment Service. I had used five in ten years and none of them had helped me. In 2012 I wanted to make a complaint about the big picture issues of Disability Employment Services rather then individual consultants who I felt it was unjust to complain about since they had no outside training in mental health. However after contacting the relevant ministers it was clear nobody wanted to listen. I felt victimised and powerless. The then minister for mental healths staff were very rude and said How to improve disability employment services for people with mental illness was not a part if his jurastriction. I spoke to the relevant ministers chief of staff who said she would follow up with me after a hour long conversation. When I rang in three months later I found out I was now black listed. I wrote an article for the green left weekly about Disability Employment Services because they were the only place willing to publish my work, and I talked to Dr Geoffery Waghorn in February 2013 an academic who urged me to do some research on the topic from a consumer perspective. Id also contacted a lot of services connected to disability and mental health, but none had funding to do this research at the time. Id offered to volunteer with CAG in one email and in another Id sent a separate message about DES. A staff member contacted me and said why dont you come and volunteer with us and work on DES as your special interest project. Since starting at CAG Ive had two visits to my local MPs office, ran a grassroots advocacy campaign to stop a local mental health service reduce their hours, filled out many surveys, shared information with other consumers about DES primarily through my Facebook page, wrote a submission for the senate inquiry on affordable housing, I had a temporary paid position with CAG on the mobilising communities project, and I found my voice. I no longer feel like a victim of systems I cant change. I feel like I have choices, a voice and can participate in social change. The most inspiring aspect of advocacy is making friends with other consumers and working together. Systemic advocacy isnt a short term fix but by working together I believe we can make a difference in our own recovery and the recovery of other consumers.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Nov 2014 23:20:57 +0000
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