BARRIER FREE LIFESTYLES
DISABILITY ACCESS CONSULTANT:
Ph 4096 5684 - Fax 4095 1184
ABN: 93991 531660
Your contact is welcomed: accessconsultant@cyberwizards.com.au
We offer Advocacy, staff training and information encompassing physical access and barrier free lifestyles.
Mrs ROBYN GOBERT
Disability Advocate
Disability Officer CBUG
Barrierfree Lifestyles Access Consultant
After working as a volunteer to create inclusive communities throughout Tropical North Queensland for over two years, I have been employed as a Consultant by Mango Lagoon. This is going to be a purpose-built resort in Cairns. Phone Don Miller on 0889 871 777.
History:
As well as a lifetime of experiential knowledge born of living my life with a number of disabilities, I am also the wife, daughter, mother and grandmother of people with significant disabilities.
For the past twenty-three years I've lived a dynamic, semi-public life, working in a broad arena as a volunteer Advocate on behalf of a range of disabilities.
In 1979 I founded the charity DEBRA-Australia Inc. This was formed primarily to raise money to fund medical research at the University of NSW into epidermolysus bullosa (cotton wool baby syndrome).
In addition to this we worked to raise awareness of the condition throughout the community and Health Professional environment.
Undertaking a lecture circuit throughout communities from Townsville north I spoke on radio and gave newspaper interviews (or wrote and submitted my own copy) to raise funds and the public's awareness.
During that time I appeared on National and State-wide television several times and appeared on the Townsville TV show Speakeasy and often I had my own credit line.
There are now DEBRA's right across the World, with headquarters in New York.
I won a Community Achievement award for my social and volunteer roles. At that time I was also nominated for Australian Of The Year by the JC's in Townsville. A gentleman from Mt Isa won that year for his invention of a wheelchair that could climb steps.
In 1989 my husband almost died from a misdiagnosed, mysterious creeping paralysis.
Six years later, after writing an article for a national magazine and receiving many desperate replies, I founded the GBS and CIDP Support Network - Queensland Inc., and used my journalistic skills to launch an awareness campaign to help re-educate the medical profession about CIDP.
At that time this was a little-known fatal illness that was frequently being misdiagnosed and was, therefore, untreated.
We have just joined the National GBS Foundation.
In 1999, because of arthritic-type complications of my skin condition, I was advised to use a wheelchair to preserve my diminishing mobility.
Being faced with the prospect of living within an inaccessible community, I formed the People Working for Equity of Access and begun raising the profile of people with disabilities and their needs. This in turn has served to raise this sector's expectations and therefore the push for a disability accessible and inclusive community is becoming "people-driven".
There have been a number of firsts in my life. I am a lateral thinker and like to achieve positive outcomes. I don't mind identifying a problem, but I much prefer to be a part of the solution.
For example, I have:
· taught the first formal Advocacy class in Queensland at TAFE,
· been given the only disability focused newspaper column in Queensland (it's capacity has just been doubled), and I have
· undertaken training as a disability access and lifestyle auditor on behalf of a wide range of disabilities, including the aged and frail and the mobility and sensory impaired.
Since that time I've continued to educate myself on all manner of disability matters. I've been involved with Special Interest Tourism and I'm the Disability Officer with the Cairns Bicycle Access Committee. I attend meetings and forums connected with areas of disability access need, such as the Wet Tropics Management Authority, State Cycling Forums, the Transport Strategy Forum, Main Roads Forums and Tourism Forums etc.
Some of the more progressive Councils have sought my advice and worked with me, adopting my proposals wholeheartedly in an effort to provide accessible community infrastructure.
Throughout the two years that I have been working to create inclusive communities throughout Tropical North Queensland I've been asked by Promotion Bureau's etc. to be a guest speaker at their meetings or to come and carry out an access audit of their towns.
The media has been very kind to me, supporting my efforts.
In 1999 the State Government awarded me their Individual's Award for Excellence for 21 years of Disability related Advocacy.
In August 2000 I was recognised on national television through Foxtel as one of five in the Australian Unsung Heroes Awards. My segment went to air on 24th August.
Last year I attended the Access Expo in Sydney.
Much of the time my experiences are great fun.
In 1999 I was invited to test the water lift that provides access to the Great Barrier Reef and be filmed for a segment by Channel 7's The Great South-east.
I have a wide range of skills and a well-developed knowledge of people dynamics born of a history in amateur theatre as a Playwright/Director as well as various courses I've successfully completed over the years.
They've included conflict resolution, the TAFE Facilitator's Course, Lifeline telephone counselling and Social Welfare.
I have a burning desire to create inclusive lifestyles and I believe I will enhance your aim to provide barrier free infrastructure.
If there is a service you are seeking, please ask.
With a diverse and broad range of skills, I may be able to offer a number of disability access related services/assistance with your projects. Please make your needs known to me.