Conversations on December 3

Help build a new vision for Queenslanders with disability and their families

Blue Skies Conversations

Since June 2009, Blue Skies has been engaging Queenslanders in conversation about inclusive communities.

To date, over 135 conversations have taken place, involving approximately 1,500 people across Queensland exploring elements of the vision that have meaning for them.

Feedback from all of these conversations is available in Talking about Blue Skies: Responses to the vision - now available for download in PDF and Word. This document represents the feedback as it was provided by conversation hosts and/or individuals.

A brief summary of conversation outcomes is also available in the Fruits of 3 December Conversations presentation (available in PDF and Word).

A further report with recommendations for action will follow after the Christmas break.

Blue Skies would like to acknowledge the contributions to this work from the many wonderful conversation hosts and participants across the state. We also acknowledge that this feedback has been given freely and generously, and represents a shared commitment to a better future for people with disability.

About the Blue Skies Conversations

Conversations took place in:

People taking part included:

Questions explored during conversations included:

Brisbane
Aitkenvale
Beenleigh
Biloela
Boonah
Cairns
Gladstone
Gold Coast
Goondiwindi
Gympie
Mackay
Magnetic Island
Noosa
Rockhampton
Roma
Sunshine Coast
Toowoomba
Townsville
Victoria Point
Wide Bay

They were held in:

Workplaces;
Community centres; Libraries;
Hotels;
Homes; and
Around kitchen tables.

People with disability;
Volunteers;
Parents and siblings of people with disability;
Individual advocates;
Systems advocates;
Support workers;
Teachers, Principals;
Disability organisations;
Peak bodies;
Local Govt Association;
Architects;
Developers;
Local Councillors;
Members of Parliament;
Policy writers;
Ministerial advisors;
Board members;
Public servants from Dept of Communities, Housing, Queensland Health, Education Queensland;
Queensland Police Service;
Community Resource Centre;
Ageing in Place;
Health consumers network;
Queensland Disability Housing Coalition;
Queensland Council of Carers; and
Queenslanders with a Disability Network.

What would it take to create an inclusive community?
What action am I willing to take to make it happen?
How can everyone achieve a home of their own in the community?
How do we build support for a National Disability Insurance scheme?
How can we help others learn from our experiences as parents of children with disabilities attending main stream education?
How do we create a welcoming school community?
How can we turn our local Police Citizen's Youth Club into a creative and vibrantly productive place for young people with a disability?
What would it take to create a society where community is available to all young people?
How can we encourage local business to be more welcoming to people with disability?
What does local government do now towards building a more inclusive community and what would it take to do more?
How do we tackle the problem of homelessness and disability?
What would it take to reduce the number of people with disability in the criminal justice system?
How can we make better use of people’s gifts and talents in developing a more inclusive community?
How can we support families to achieve their potential, where one or both parents have a disability?
What must be done so that all jobseekers with a disability are meaningfully employed?
How can we create a bright future for people with a disability exiting the foster system?
How do we create more, disability friendly spaces and places in our local community?
What would it take to create a pathway into sport of people with disability?
How do we support capacity building?

Images from the Blue Skies Conversation with the Minister on Thursday, 3 December 2009

Key words emerging from answers to the question,
'What would it take to create an inclusive community?'

Key words emerging from answers to the question,
'What are the elements of an inclusive community already happening here?'

Key words emerging from answers to the question,
'What action am I willing to take to progress the vision?'

Background on the Blue Skies Conversations

Following the launch of the Blue Skies Scenario, Blue Skies issued an open invitation to host or be part or a deeper conversation about turning our vision into reality.

Participants were invited to RSVP to one of the conversations being hosted around the state or host their own conversation around an element of the Blue Skies vision that matters to them.

Be part of the Blue Skies Conversations

To host a Blue Skies Conversation, people were asked to:

Download our Information kit for hosts;
Register their conversation (please find the registration form in the kit);
Hold their conversations on or before 3 December 2009; and
Send us their feedback by 8 December 2009.

Conversation Schedule (by date)

Time	Location	Who is invited?	Conversation question(s)	Please RSVP to
TBC	Townsville Aitkenvale MacDonald's Cnr Nathan and Alfred Streets	Open to Townsville Youth (ages 16 to 25) (hosted by Inclusion Works)	What barriers do you see that young people living with a disability face in being involved in community? What would it take to create a society where community is available to all young people?	This conversation has already taken place.
TBC	Brisbane	Members of the Queensland Police Service (hosted by Valmae Rose)	What would it take to create an inclusive community? What are the elements of an inclusive community already happening here? What action am I willing to take to progress the vision?	This conversation has already taken place.
TBC	Aitkenvale	Employment services and prospective employers (hosted by Community Connection)	What are the opportunities to ensuring that people with disabilities take their place as workers alongside other citizens?	This conversation has already taken place.
7:30pm to 8:30pm 3 Dec 2009	Biloela Community Resource Centre 102 Rainbow Street Biloela	Open invitation (hosted by Tegan Pratt)	What would it take to create an inclusive community? What are the elements of an inclusive community already happening here? What action am I willing to take to progress the vision?	This conversation has already taken place.
2:00pm to 4:00pm 3 Dec 2009	Townsville NDS Queensland Blackwood House 312 Sturt Street	Open invitation (hosted by Suzanne Highley)	What would it take to create an inclusive community? What are the elements of an inclusive community already happening here? What action am I willing to take to progress the vision?	This conversation has already taken place.
3 Dec 2009	Toowoomba Cerebral Palsy League of Queensland 21 Scott Street Toowoomba	Open invitation (hosted by Cerebral Palsy League of Queensland)	What would it take to create an inclusive community? What are the elements of an inclusive community already happening here? What action am I willing to take to progress the vision?	This conversation has already taken place.
2:00 to 4:00pm 3 Dec 2009	Gold Coast Burleigh Waters Community Centre 113 Christine Ave Burleigh Waters	Open invitation (hosted by FSG enVision Programs)	What does social inclusion mean for our community? What do people see as barriers to an inclusive community? What strategies can be devised to overcome these barriers?	This conversation has already taken place.
2.00pm to 4:00pm 3 Dec 2009	Aitkenvale Community Connection Inc 4/56 Charles Street Aitkenvale	Open invitation (hosted by Ann Greer and Debbie Naughton)	What will it take to create a welcoming community for all citizens?	This conversation has already taken place.
7:00pm to 8:30pm 3 Dec 2009	Brisbane Pave the Way Level 1 1428 Logan Road Mt Gravatt	Open invitation to families (hosted by Pave the Way)	What would assist families to engage in family directed, life-long planning?	This conversation has already taken place.
3 Dec 2009	Cairns	People with disability, town planners, developers and local government representatives (hosted by Wim van den Herik)	How do we create more, disability friendly spaces and places in our local community?	This conversation has already taken place.
3 Dec 2009	Mt Isa Capentaria Buffalo Club	Individuals and families (hosted by Local Area Coordination)	What would it take to create an inclusive community? What are the elements of an inclusive community already happening here? What action am I willing to take to progress the vision?	This conversation has already taken place.
3 Dec 2009	Brisbane	Community members, local representatives and local business (hosted by Ruth Barratt)	What does Local government do now towards building a more inclusive community and what would it take to do more?	This conversation has already taken place.
3 Dec 2009	Brisbane	Service providers and carers (hosted by Cate Houston)	How can we make better use of people's gifts and talents in developing a more inclusive community?	This conversation has already taken place.
3:00pm 3 Dec 2009	Aitkenvale	Sport and recreation workers (hosted by Lifeline Community Care North Queensland)	What would it take to create a pathway into sport of people with disability?	This conversation has already taken place.
9:00am 3 Dec 2009	Gold Coast	People with disability (hosted by Amy Langham)	What would it take to create an inclusive community?	This conversation has already taken place.
9:15am to 11:30am 3 Dec 2009	Brisbane Royal on the Park Corner of Alice and Albert Streets, Brisbane City	Open invitation (co-hosted by Valmae Rose and the Hon. Annastacia Palaszczuk MP)	What do we know works well in building capacity of people and community, and what will it take to do it better?	This conversation has already taken place.
9:00am 3 Dec 2009	Beenleigh	Carers (hosted by Cheryl Levi)	What would it take to create an inclusive community? What are the elements of an inclusive community already happening here? What action am I willing to take to progress the vision?	This conversation has already taken place.
9:00am to 11:00am 3 Dec 2009	Townsville Riverside Community Centre Douglas, Townsville	Open invitation (to stakeholders in the mental health sector - hosted by Inclusion Works)	How do we create a stronger Townsville community, inclusive of people living with a mental illness and what action am I willing to take?	This conversation has already taken place.
9:30am to 11:30am 3 Dec 2009	Brisbane (Kenmore) Please call Alissa to confim the address.	Open invitation (hosted by Ann Spink)	How can we help others learn from our experiences as parents of children with disabilities attending main stream education? The challenges, triumphs, memories and lessons.	This conversation has already taken place.
12:30pm 3 Dec 2009	Goondiwindi 56 Marshall Street Goondiwindi	Open invitation (hosted by Care Goondiwindi)	How can we make better use of people’s gifts and talents in developing a more inclusive community? How do we create a welcoming school community? What does local government do now towards building a more inclusive community and what would it take to do more?	This conversation has already taken place.
10:00am to noon 3 Dec 2009	Rockhampton PCYC Bridge Street, North Rockhampton	Open invitation (hosted by Jenni Keerie)	How can we turn this space (PCYC) into a creative & vibrantly productive place for young people with a disability?	This conversation has already taken place.
10:30am to noon 3 Dec 2009	Sunshine Coast	People with disability, stakeholders and various community members (hosted by Lisa Lehmann)	How do we support the shift from deficit-based assessment to strength-based assessment of people with disability? How can we make better use of people’s gifts and talents in developing a more inclusive community?	This conversation has already taken place.
10:00am to noon 3 Dec 2009	Brisbane	Endeavour Foundation staff and families (hosted by Geoff Rowe)	What would it take to create an inclusive community? What are the elements of an inclusive community already happening here? What action am I willing to take to progress the vision?	This conversation has already taken place.
9:30am to noon 3 Dec 2009	Roma The Lounge - the Roma Community Arts Centre Hawthorne Street Roma	Open Invitation (hosted by Trish Maude)	What would it take to create an inclusive community? What are the elements of an inclusive community already happening here? What action am I willing to take to progress the vision?	This conversation has already taken place.
9:30am to 12:30pm Dec 3 2009	Brisbane	State, Local Government and Community Representatives (hosted by Ric Thompson)	What does local government do now towards building a more inclusive community and what would it take to do more?	This conversation has already taken place.
10:30am to 12:30pm 3 Dec 2009	Brisbane The Cererbal Palsy League's Moorooka Day Service 2/14 Mayfield Road Moorooka	Open invitation (hosted by the Cerebral Palsy League)	How do we create disability-friendly spaces and places in our community? How can we encourage local business to be more welcoming to people with disability? What does local government do now towards building a more inclusive community and what would it take to do more?	This conversation has already taken place.
1:00pm 3 Dec 2009	Sunshine Coast House with No Steps Charles Duke Memorial Drive (off Fellowship Road) Doonan	Open invitation (hosted by House With No Steps)	What would it take to create an inclusive community? What are the elements of an inclusive community already happening here? What action am I willing to take to progress the vision?	This conversation has already taken place.
9:00am to noon 3 Dec 2009	Brisbane	Disability carers (hosted by Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Brisbane South)	What would it take to create an inclusive community? What are the elements of an inclusive community already happening here? What action am I willing to take to progress the vision?	This conversation has already taken place.
From noon 3 Dec 2009	Mackay Sky’s Function Room, Magpies Sporting Club Glenella	Open invitation (hosted by the Mackay and District Respite Care Association)	What would it take to create an inclusive community? What are the elements of an inclusive community already happening here? What action am I willing to take to progress the vision?	This conversation has already taken place.
10.00am 3 Dec 2009	Townsville	Community Connection Inc workers (hosted by Community Connection Inc)	How can each individual worker create a more inclusive community through their support?	This conversation has already taken place.
9:00am to 11:00am 2 Dec 2009	Brisbane s.p.a.c.e Hall Branton St, Kenmore	Open invitation (hosted by Alissa Phillips)	What would it take to create an inclusive community?	This conversation has already taken place.
10:30am 2 Dec	Brisbane	Group of friends (hosted by Savvy Hunt)	What would it take to create an inclusive community? What are the elements of an inclusive community already happening here? What action am I willing to take to progress the vision?	This conversation has already taken place.
3:00pm to 5:00pm on 2 Dec 2009	Brisbane s.p.a.c.e Hall Branton St, Kenmore	Open invitation (hosted by Alissa Phillips)	What would it take to create an inclusive community? What are the elements of an inclusive community already happening here? What action am I willing to take to progress the vision?	This conversation has already taken place.
2 Dec	Brisbane	Members of the Health Consumers network (hosted by Health Consumers Queensland)	How can encourage better partnerships between health practitioners / providers and people with disability? What would make people with a disability feel more included, welcome and safe when using the health system? What action am I willing to take to progress the vision?	This conversation has already taken place.
9:30am to 11:30am 2 Dec 2009	Brisbane	Family support services (hosted by Mamre)	How can we build the capacity of families?	This conversation has already taken place.
10:00am 1 Dec 2009	Sunshine Coast Family Network Association 14 Maud St Nambour	Open invitation to disability agencies (hosted by Tracy Sharp)	What would it take to create an inclusive community? What are the elements of an inclusive community already happening here? What action am I willing to take to progress the vision?	This conversation has already taken place.
10:00am to noon 1 Dec 2009	Brisbane	Xavier Childrens Support Network staff and families (hosted by Lisanne Massey)	What would it take to create an inclusive community? What are the elements of an inclusive community already happening here? What action am I willing to take to progress the vision?	This conversation has already taken place.
3:00pm to 5:00pm 30 Nov 2009	Rockhampton	Open invitation (hosted by Angela Richardson)	What would it take to create an inclusive community? What are the elements of an inclusive community already happening here? What action am I willing to take to progress the vision?	This conversation has already taken place.
10:00am to 11:30am 30 Nov 2009	Gympie	Local community of interest (hosted by the Local Area Coordination team in Gympie)	How do we create ‘connectedness’ within our community?	This conversation has already taken place.
9:00am to 10:00am 28 Nov 2009	Magnetic Island	Open to the Magnetic Island community (hosted by Inclusion Works)	What elements of inclusive community are already happening within the Magnetic Island community? How can we create opportunities to involve people with disability as valued members of the Magnetic Island community?	This conversation has already taken place.
10:00am to noon 27 Nov 2009	Gladstone	Open invitation (hosted by Angela Richardson)	How do we support the shift from deficit based assessment to strength based assessment for people with disability? How do we build support for a National Disability Insurance scheme?	This conversation has already taken place.
2.30pm 25 Nov 2009	Cairns	Stakeholders for the Real Living Options Association (hosted by Mandy Nielsen)	What would it take to create an inclusive community? What are the elements of an inclusive community already happening here? What action am I willing to take to progress the vision?	This conversation has already taken place.
6:00pm 25 Nov 2009	Brisbane	Open invitation (hosted by Queensland Disability Housing Coalition)	How can everyone achieve a home of their own in the community?	This conversation has already taken place.
9:30 to noon 24 Nov 2009	Tewantin	Local Area Coordinators (hosted by Lee Kemp)	What would it take to create an inclusive community? How do we create a welcome school community? What does Local Government do now towards building a more inclusive community and what would it take to do more?	This conversation has already taken place.
1:30pm to 4:00pm 23 Nov 09	Brisbane	National Disability Services (Queensland) staff (hosted by Valmae Rose)	What is community capacity building? What is service capacity building?	This conversation has already taken place.
10:30am to noon 20 Nov 2009	Brisbane	Queenslanders with Disability Network's staff and families (hosted by Fran Vicary)	What would it take to create an inclusive community? What are the elements of an inclusive community already happening here? What action am I willing to take to progress the vision?	This conversation has already taken place.
10:00am 20 Nov 2009	Brisbane	Members of the Community Living Association (hosted by Sarah McDonald)	How do we tackle the problem of homelessness and disability? What would it take to reduce the number of people with disability in the criminal justice system? How can we support families to achieve their potential, where one or both parents have a disability? What must be done so that all jobseekers with a disability are meaningfully employed? How can we create a bright future for people with a disability exiting the foster system?	This conversation has already taken place.
Noon to 2:00pm 20 Nov 2009	Brisbane	Open Invitation (hosted by Zoe Laird)	What would it take to create an inclusive community? What are the elements of an inclusive community already happening here? What action am I willing to take to progress the vision?	This conversation has already taken place.
10:30pm 15 Nov 2009	Brisbane	Members of Mamre Association (hosted by Mamre)	How can we work best with families, so they envision, plan and build rich, meaningful and inclusive lives for their family member with a disability?	This conversation has already taken place.

Open letter to conversation hosts

Thank you for so generously offering to host a conversation around the element of the Blue Skies Scenario that has meaning for you and your group, organisation or local community.

Bringing people together in conversation, usually in circle, has a tradition of thousands of years. It is based on the idea that problems are solved when people come together to develop a shared understanding of a problem and work, in relationship with each other, to generate solutions.

You may find this conversation is just the beginning. You might find that your conversation raises a range of ideas and possibilities that each deserves a conversation of its own. Alternatively, you may find you have brought together a group of people who are each already doing the work of inclusive community, and your conversation opens the way for greater collaboration and shared effort at a local level.

Either way, some of the ideas and solutions generated will be ones that can be acted upon locally in the immediate or longer term future (e.g. showcasing good practice that already exists, or establishing a local action group or set of shared resources). Other ideas may be about the need for changing systems you feel you have no power to influence at all. We would like to hear back from you about both.

Whatever your conversation comes up with in response to your question, please let us know before 8 December 2009 by faxing the feedback form to (07) 3357 4288, emailing contactblueskies@gmail.com or ringing on (07) 3357 4188.

Our intention is to share the good work being done (or planned) at a local level, and to ensure the ideas you have for system change are heard by government. Minister Palaszczuk is in the processing of developing the cabinet submission for a 10 year plan for the disability sector. Collectively and individually, your conversations will inform that work.

Thank you for your time and generosity in hosting a conversation. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

The Blue Skies Team
[this letter is available for download in PDF and Word]

Blue Skies Conversations

About the Blue Skies Conversations

Key words emerging from answers to the question, 'What would it take to create an inclusive community?'

Key words emerging from answers to the question, 'What are the elements of an inclusive community already happening here?'

Key words emerging from answers to the question, 'What action am I willing to take to progress the vision?'