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What does the word disability mean to you? I guess it means not being able to have the ability to do certain things, whether it be physically or mentally — not being at your full potential or full ability. Whether you can't walk, whether you can't do physical activities or sporting activities, it doesn't matter; or even mentally in class, if you have trouble with listening or learning.
Give us some examples of disabilities. You could just break your leg and be in a wheelchair for a while, and that's going to affect how well you can move around. Or it could be a mental disability where you can't think how everyone else would think.
Do you think people can connect with the disability? Well, if they're not disabled and they haven't experienced it firsthand, they can't really show you how it is. If you've never experienced it, you don't know.
Tell us a little bit about yourself. I'm 16 and I'm a student in Year 11. I was born with cerebral palsy, which means I can't walk. Basically I went from a stroller to a walker to a wheelchair, and I've never been able to walk because I was born four months earlier than I was meant to be born.
What challenges do you face in everyday life? I never really think of anything as a challenge because I've had nothing to compare it to. I've never been able to walk, so I don't know what that feels like or what it would be like to have the life where I was walking and doing everything normally. Everything that other people may consider a challenge I just consider as me doing normal things throughout my day.
Do you get frustrated when you see people walking around? Yeah. Sometimes I feel like it's just a little bit unfair when I see people walking around doing things that I wish I could do. Even if it's just getting on a bus to go somewhere really easily — that's a struggle for me — so I do get a little bit frustrated, but you've just got to take it as it comes.
Everything I do is basically harder. I have to put in a bit more thought and effort into everything to get to where I need to be. I rely on other people to get done what I have to do.
Where do you see yourself in the future? Going to uni when I'm done with school — definitely; that's something I want to do. Hopefully getting a job that I can do and achieve Welling and stuff, and being independent as much as possible so I don't have to rely on others as much as I do right now.
What are the issues with disability? It's unfair that some people have to see things through others' eyes. Sometimes people with more ability deny that others have a disability. Many people with disabilities have huge capacities to contribute to our society and make our society great.
Disability: depression is one of those common forms. What is it and how do you change it to an ability? This is John Ellis, a clinical psychologist.
So tell me, John, is depression a disability? It's definitely a disability. About one in four Australians suffer from depression at some time or another, and it tends to really limit and affect what they can do.
What is depression? Depression is not just about being sad. It's an illness where your brain function is affected, and it affects your mood and your emotions, your thinking, your ability to concentrate and focus, the way you see and perceive things, your energy, your enjoyment and your motivation and drive.
So how can a person turn depression into an ability? Well, the first thing you need to do is recognise that there's something wrong and get some help. I find that people who work with me on their depression often become very insightful people. They learn a lot about themselves, they learn a lot about how they tick, what they want from life, and it's a great way to learn a lot about people and really increase compassion, I suppose, for other people and what they struggle with when it comes to their abilities and disabilities. Everyone is different, but at the end of the day for all people it's important to look at the person before their abilities.
Filmmaker
Menai High School is the filmmaker behind this entry. See every Focus on Ability entry from Menai High School.
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13 comments
Well Done Menai High Students.
Congrats Menai On A Great Film Raising Awareness
Great Work Students And Staff At Menai High.
Amazing Work Well Don To All Invovled.
Great Job Everyone A Real Eye Opener
Good To See The Disability That Is Obvious To Not So Obvious. Well Done.
This Is A Great Short Film.
A Great Video That's Very Well Constructed And Raises Awareness
This Is A Great Film Which Raises Awareness To The Issue Of The Capabilities Of People With Disabilities
I Think This Is A Great Short Film That Points Out Something That Us As A Society Need To Look Further Into
It Was Amazing
This Is Really Good
Great