ORGANISATIONS in the City of Swan have received grants to host events for the International Day for People with a Disability, internationally recognised on December 3, as part of the state government’s plan to build a more inclusive WA.

515,600 people, approximately 19 per cent of Western Australians, live with a disability, and of those aged above 15 years old, only 65 per cent said they were happy with their social and community participation, according to the ABS.

Two organisations working to change that percentage are Ellenbrook Friends of the Arts (EFOTA) and Crosslinks, who both received grants to run events for their disabled community.

Ellenbrook Friends of the Arts are running a series of art workshops at Ellenbrook Arts on Sunday, December 1.
EFOTA coordinator Amanda Kirk said around 100 participants were expected over the afternoon.

Four facilitators, all of whom are artists with a physical disability, will present workshops centred around both wheelchair awareness and arts and crafts for participants.

Last year’s inaugural workshop event had a fantastic response from the community, and Ms Kirk said she hopes this year’s event will be just as successful.

“We had great feedback, people loved it,” she said.

“Lots of the people who came hadn’t had much experience with people with physical disability before, and they all said they learned a lot and were made more aware about people living with a physical disability.”

Crosslinks manager Julie McCulloch said holding an event to commemorate the international day was important to make the disabled community feel respected and recognised.

“At Crosslinks, we are committed to creating an inclusive environment where individuals of all abilities are celebrated for their unique strengths, resilience and creativity,” she said.

“This International Day of People with Disability, we are proudly recognising the importance of fostering a supportive community where everyone can thrive.”

The Crosslinks event will be an organised day in Caversham Wildlife Park on Thursday, December 5.

Ms McCulloch said it would be a chance for the community to connect through nature and animals, with free entry for carers and support workers to help make the event more financially accessible.

“Together, we are driving positive change and working towards a future where inclusion is at the heart of everything we do,” she said.

The City of Kalamunda is also running a community event at the Kalamunda library to mark the day and Mayor Margaret Thomas said everyone was welcome.

“Open to all, the event will feature morning tea and stories from locals with disability,” she said.

“This gathering offers a chance to understand the challenges and resilience of people with disability, building a more inclusive community.

“Attendees will be introduced to an accessible parking map of central Kalamunda, part of a broader initiative to improve mobility.

“As part of this effort, new ‘this bay is someone’s day’ decals will be added to ACROD parking bays to remind everyone of the importance of accessible spaces.”

More than $100,000 in funding has been distributed across the state to more than 100 organisations and events to complement this year’s theme ‘confident, capable and creative: come with me’.