Dissemination of my work at National Irish Schools

To date, I have presented my work in several National schools around the west and north west of Ireland as part of a Courageous Citizen’s European Research and Development grant.

Dissemination of my work with the title of the talk “Improving the quality of life for physically disabled people through sport”is essential. It focused on the importance of sport and physical activity in terms of inclusiveness and connecting people.

The talks are about inspiration and motivation and the determination to get through life. It was also to give children (ranging from 6 years to 12 years of age) an awareness of disabilities and maybe people’s attitude as a whole and talk about things that need to progress in Ireland to do this.

It feels like one of the most worthwhile things I have done, talking to the children.

This is also why I thought it might be a good place to start with the younger generation when it comes to awareness around disability and accessibility. To talk to the future generation of road builders and infrastructure builders and to start from the ground up . I want to create a normality around accessibility in sport, schools, buildings, restaurants, roads and how things are built and how society creates a sense of inclusion for all.

If children understand they grow up with a better idea of what it is like to be different than they are. After all, how can they learn about all the differences that make up the people in our world if they don’t ask questions?  The more they understand the less they have to be afraid and unsure of.

Children ask the most honest, direct, hard hitting questions of all and we should nurture this and respect their honesty through open conversation and allowing exploration of natural curiosities. This will bring about learning about impairments and positive change. 
Often it’s that simple, people aren’t aware. Before I began using a wheelchair, I was one of these people.

I was in a school speaking to a group of kids aged 7 and 8. They asked me some of the most intelligent questions I have been asked. Just honest and direct questions; for example “Did you ever feel like giving up?”. I told them that I didn’t feel like giving up but there were times that I was so sad that I didn’t know how I would keep going.

That is the truth, I knew that I had to keep going because I was still here. 
One of the children asked me how I kept going and I explained that these were the times when I reached out to my family and friends. Another asked me “On a scale of one to ten how how scared were you?” When I told them it was an 8 or a 9 back then, all of the kids faces just sank- but they cheered up when I told that it was only a 2 now.

The talk was about inspiration and motivation and the determination to get through life. It was also to give children, or anyone, an awareness of disabilities and maybe people’s attitude as a whole and talk about things that need to progress in Ireland to do this.

It felt like one of the most worthwhile things I have done, talking to the kids.

This is also why I thought it might be a good place to start with the younger generation when it comes to awareness around disability and accessibility. To talk to the future generation of road builders and infrastructure builders and to start from the ground up . I want to create a normality around accessibility in schools, buildings, restaurants, roads and how things are built and how society creates a sense of inclusion for all.

Frustration, misunderstandings and false perceptions are born out of a lack of education about disabilities. Only through education and the power of knowledge from an early age can we raise awareness and encourage conversation amongst the neuroscientists, software programmers and inventors of potential practical aids of the future. Asking questions, seeing beyond appearances and discovering about the differences that make up the people in our world is essential in redefining the mould and breaking  stereotypes