Enabling Good Lives

On-screen

Logo for Whaikaha Ministry of Disabled People

We are indebted to the individuals, families / whānau/ aiga and professionals who contributed to the creation of this resource. Ka nui te mihi for your generosity and openness.

Additional logos for

Enabling Good Lives

New Zealand Disability Support Network – kia tūtahi tatou

Ministry of Social Development Te Manatū Whakahiato ora

[Speaker: Mark Benjamin, Chief executive, Standards and Monitoring services]

Enabling Good Lives came about because disabled people and families were tired of waiting for the government and for the Crown to initiate a change process.

At the time, the Minister of Disability Issues, Tariana Turia , she convened a meeting which was the beginning of Enabling Good Lives where disabled people and families started with a clean sheet of paper and, and described what it would look like to change the system.

[Speaker: Gary William, Trustee Your Way – Kia Roha]

I came to the party in 2011 after the idea of Enabling Good Lives report was released. In my head, I kind of made up what had gone on before and I told myself this was probably a once in a lifetime opportunity to change the system.

[Speaker: John Taylor, Executive Director, Community Connectors]

So we came up with, with a few principles, and these all came out really quickly because people had been thinking about this for a long time and probably just needed a forum to, to talk about it. And after the principles then we thought about some of the fundamental processes that might be needed to make those things work such as connectors and a personal budget and basically getting some of the rules out of the road so people can think about their life and then do something about it.

[Speaker: Jade Farrar, Enabling Good Lives Leadership Group]

Minister Turia was really clear about the fact that she wanted a team of people to act as the kaitiaki or the guardian of the approach.

It's protecting choice and control.

It's protecting the idea of leadership from disabled people and families.

They don't want their lives to revolve around formalised services.

[Speaker Hannah Perry, Enabling Good Lives Christchurch Lead]

There's a lot of talk around Enabling Good Lives and system transformation, and sometimes the two phrases are used interchangeably. I think that it's really important to, uh, articulate that Enabling Good Lives is a social movement that is led by the community and system transformation is the government's response to that, and that's a really important thing to do, and it will make it easier for disabled people and their families to live good lives. But system transformation is not enabling good lives.

[Speaker: Janelle Fisher, Facilitator and Community Psychologist, Humanly]

Enabling Good Lives is a how, and the how is now. If we get this right for a person, then there will be a ripple effect that it will be right for their significant others, their family, whānau, their aiga, that will have a ripple effect into their neighborhoods that will have a rippling effect into communities. Ultimately, that will have a ripple effect into our society so that each person gets to live their self-defined, self-determined good life.

[Speaker: Mark Benjamin, Chief executive, Standards and Monitoring services]

Enabling Good Lives is about reframing, incredibly ingrained patterns of thinking. It's a revolutionary process that I think's just beginning.

[Speaker: Gary William, Trustee Your Way – Kia Roha]

I would hope that in eight years time that disabled people and their families, will be living the lives that they aspire to live and that they would be able to create the conditions for that to happen.

[Speaker: Jade Farrar, Enabling Good Lives Leadership Group]

Everybody gets to have the kinds of relationships they want to have.

Everybody gets to have the kinds of experiences they want to have.

Everybody is dreaming on a level that you would expect a person to dream.

[Speaker Hannah Perry, Enabling Good Lives Christchurch Lead]

What would be amazing in 30 years is that we didn't talk about this thing called enabling good lives and to have disabled people who proudly take leadership roles and share their experiences and diversity, which enriches all of our lives.

Words on Screen

We are indebted to the individuals, families / whānau / aiga and professionals who contributed to the creation of this resource. Ka nui te mihi for your generosity and openness.

Project manager – Garth Bennie

Project Co-Leads - Tony McLean, Nicky Mayne, Amy Hoga

Project Working Group – Liam Sanders. Tim McEvoy. Tom Callanan, Karen Scottt, Jasmine Morrison, Shane McInroe, Annette Hanson, Karley Parker

On screen title: Rhys

I walk a different path to a lot of people without a disability, but over the last five years, I've learned to be proud of myself and what I can do.

On screen title: Noelani

I have a real love. It's my passion, it's my language of course.

I was born deaf, and so I love providing my language or sharing my language.

And when I think about young children, they haven't learned that, and I think, well, I can do this. I can teach that. I've got the skills to do that.

On screen title: Tyler

Tyler is, he's a pretty cool kid. He's raw and real and, and I wouldn't have it any other way now.

It's been a hell of an experience, that's for sure. Yeah, a good one…Now.

On screen title: Megan

Megan loves people. We have tried to set up a flat culture where you have a family type flat. She likes to have friends and she's had some really good ones along the way.

On screen title: Lisa

I've always been a survivor. I've always been someone to push no matter the odds.

I decided I wanted my legacy to be that you can fight, and you can keep pushing in life no matter what crap comes your way.

On screen title: Jamie

We figured out that Jamie needed a place in the community.

He needed work, he needed purpose that would align with his interests and he needed an income and a life that was gonna let us have a life that was also a bit independent of Jamie, and so we, we bought a childcare business and we see Jamie is transitioning out of school and into that work environment, and so that's gonna be his place in the community.

On screen title: Kathleen

The reason I wanted to go into my community and help other families is because I knew if I suffered in silence for so many years, there's others out there doing the same.

On screen title: Te Ramanui

My hope for Te Ramanui is to make his own informed decisions about how he wants to live his life, and we just tag along. We'll be just tagging along in his life and enjoying it as much as he is.

On screen title: Mykal 

I'm kind of and afraid as well, because of the big step in my independence.

On screen title: Abe & Campbell

I learnt that I am a better person.

I learnt to respect people.

I learned how to respect myself and others.

On screen title: Donna

I did everything backwards. I had a child, I built with my family, I had the medical condition, now I'm working on my career, but I'm hopeful that we get to a place that New Zealand is accessible.

Words on Screen

We are indebted to the individuals, families / whānau/ aiga and professionals who contributed to the creation of this resource. Ka nui te mihi for your generosity and openness.

Project manager – Garth Bennie

Project Co-Leads - Tony McLean, Nicky Mayne, Amy Hoga

Project Working Group – Liam Sanders. Tim McEvoy. Tom Callanan, Karen Scott, Jasmine Morrison, Shane McInroe, Annette Hanson, Karley Parker