The Kingborough Disability Inclusion and Access Advisory Committee (DIAAC) is raising awareness of invisible disabilities to foster greater understanding and inclusion in the community.
The Chair of DIAAC and Mayor, Paula Wriedt said it was important to recognise that approximately 16% of Australians live with an invisible disability.
“You can’t always see a disability, but that doesn’t make it any less real or impactful,” Cr Wriedt said.
“Invisible disabilities can include cognitive and neurodevelopmental conditions, as well as physical, visual, auditory and sensory processing challenges.
“Raising awareness helps reduce stigma and encourages kindness, empathy, and inclusion, which is exactly the kind of caring community we want to build in Kingborough.
Mayor, Paula Wriedt said that the Access Committee had recently had a presentation from local Kingston resident, Chris Barrell, who lives with a hearing impairment.
Chris hasn’t let his own disability impact his achievements, as a successful soccer player and coach and a former Olympic Torch Bearer.
“Chris is keen to break down the barriers for people with invisible disabilities such as hearing impairments and recently established his own business called “Sorry I Can’t Hear you”, Ms Wriedt said.
“Sorry, I Can’t Hear You” is a phase I have used throughout my adult life in which I have been apologising for not hearing people, so I thought it would be a good name for my business,” Chris said.
“I’ve worked with a number of schools and businesses to educate them on the needs of people who live with hearing impairments so that they can be more aware of how to facilitate better communication.
“Small things such as speaking clearly, facing the person you are speaking to and limiting background noise can make a large difference to someone who is hearing impaired and I’m keen to spread the word as much as possible through our community,” Chris said.
Mayor, Paula Wriedt said improving understanding could help ensure everyone feels seen, heard and valued, whether their disability is visible or not.
Chris Barrell from Sorry, I Can’t Hear You.