Raising women with disabilities up through shared stories
A new Western Australian charity is transforming the lives of autistic children by introducing them to the magic of surfing. Parents cannot believe the change in their autistic children, as surfing with Ocean Heroes transforms their kids from shy, depressed and anxious to carefree, confident and happy.
Penny Elsley’s Welcome Dinner Project is transforming lives by bringing together international students, refugees, asylum seekers, migrants and established Australians for dinner. As they connect over food these groups of strangers are reminded of their common humanity. The resultant feeling of connection is, quite simply, changing lives.
What began as an impulsive bid to see if Andrew Costello could help one poverty-stricken Cambodian family has morphed into a charity that is changing the lives of hundreds of rural Cambodians. Cows for Cambodia breaks the poverty cycle by donating the one thing that can make a massive difference to rural Cambodian’s long-term prosperity – cows.
Inspired Magazine founder Samille Mitchell recounts her journey from being a painfully shy kid to realising the power in stepping up and allowing yourself to shine.
In August 2015 life and business coach Dianna Jacobsen attended an inspiring two-day presentation by self-help guru Dr Wayne Dyer in Melbourne, Australia. This turned out to be his last presentation, as he left this world peacefully only one week later. Dianna shares with us Dr Dyer’s renowned Ten Secrets for Success and Inner Peace, a framework for life which will serve us and generations to come.
When a young Aussie girl visited Africa two decades ago with dreams of helping the less fortunate, even she would never have guessed at the way her life would unfold. Yet Gemma Sisia went on to found The School of St Jude, which has put two thousand kids through school and boarding, funded students’ university education, and sparked promising futures for young adults who were born into poverty-stricken rural homes or garbage-ridden urban slums.
“Flat.” That’s how a woman I spoke to recently described her life. She thought she liked things on an even keel, not too many ups or downs, but she came to realise she didn’t feel like she was really living. Instead, she was simply getting by. The funny thing is […]
When Nick Maisey realised the pain of disconnection and loneliness that scars so many people in our modern society, he created a social network that would welcome people from all walks of life to experience the joy of friendship. That network, Befriend, has now transformed the lives of thousands of diverse people united by one simple craving – to truly connect with a fellow human being.
Success in life and business is about having confidence in yourself to act, and giving yourself permission to ‘course correct’ as needed. Today, business and life coach Dianna Jacobsen from Shine At Business gives her top tips to making you unstoppable as you navigate your journey to ‘success’, whatever that means for you.
Shocked at the shame homeless women suffered at being unable to access pads and tampons during their monthly period, Queensland woman Rochelle Courtenay launched Share the Dignity to provide sanitary items to those in need. Along the way she learned of the link between homelessness and domestic violence and so turned Share the Dignity’s attention to also helping families grappling with violent homes. This once every-day mum is now embroiled in some of the country’s most traumatic domestic violence cases, but is driven by seeing the difference that restored dignity makes to people’s lives.
Convinced of the power of women scientists to change the world, Fabian Dattner launched a women’s leadership program with a difference. This program, Homeward Bound, would take women scientists to Antarctica, equip them with the tools for change and give the voice to help them halt the destruction of the natural world.
Perth man Peter Sharp of Liberators International has become an internet sensation with footage of his public acts of ‘social art’. He has sparked impromptu dance parties, train dance fests, free hug offers and public meditations as part of his quest to encourage people to embrace fear and experience the joy of connection. These acts are about much more than gaining Facebook likes – Pete hopes they are encouraging viewers to trust, to love, to remember their shared humanity.
At Platform Stories we are dedicated to empowering women with disabilities from across the globe with authentic, positive and inspiring content they’ve been waiting for.
We’ll share stories about women with disabilities, (and those who support us) for women with disabilities.. Let’s share our trials and tribulations, love and laughter, travel and adventure, challenges and changes… all from our own unique perspectives.
Come join us as we meet amazing women, doing amazing and ordinary things and share our stories.
