- Spinal Cord Injuries Australia
Spinal Cord Injuries Australia (SCIA) is a
non-government organisation which provides advocacy and services to people withspinal cord injury (paraplegia ,quadriplegia ) and similar conditions. The organisation recently celebrated its fortieth anniversary as a disability service provider.History
SCIA was established in
1967 as the Australian Quadriplegic Association (AQA) by a group of patients inPrince Henry Hospital inSydney ,Australia . They were unable to leave hospital because there was no accommodation or services to support them in the community. AQA was renamed in 2003.Under SCIA's constitution at least 50% of its board of directors must have a spinal cord injury or similar condition.
The founding members were Trevor Annetts, Tom Clarke, Graeme Dunne, David Fox, Peter Harris, George Mamo, Jim McGrath, Robert McKenzie, Alan Moore, John Munday, Cecil Murr, Brian Shirt, Paul Sorgo, Stan Wanless, and Warren Mowbray.cite web| title =Celebrating 40 Years: Spinal Cord Injuries Australia 2006-07 Annual Report | publisher =Spinal Cord Injuries Australia | month = | year =2007 | url =http://209.85.141.104/search?q=cache:Rx1DOPOnMuYJ:scia.clients.squiz.net/__data/assets/pdf_file/3799/SCIA_Annual_Report_2006-7.pdf+%22trevor+annetts%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=7&gl=au | accessdate =2008-08-05] David Fox was the first president. They were encouraged to set up an organisation by
social worker Gary Garrison, supported by Dr George Burniston. As at August 2008 there are only two surviving founding members of AQA, they being Robert McKenzie and Trevor Annetts, with Annetts currently working at SCIA's Alexandria office and McKenzie enjoying retirement in Coffs Harbour on the NSW North Coast.They were successful in securing accommodation at Bon Accord Nursing Home in
Coogee and later established Ashton House inMaroubra . AQA developed a number of other supported group accommodation residences and transitional accommodation services.Services
Services provided by SCIA today are information,
advocacy , accommodation, employment, andpeer support . It publishes Accord magazine (first published in 1977 as Quad Centre; name changed to Quad Wrangle in 1979; Accord in 2003). SCIA also provides the injury prevention and awareness program Teamsafe focusing on workplace safety education.The SCInfo information team provides responds to more than 850 calls or letters a year from disabled Australians and their families, and maintains a library of disability resopurces at the SCIA office in Sydney, New South Wales. SCInfo also distributes an annual "Community Survival Kit" for the families of those with spinal injuries, containing contact details of medical, support and advisory services. A regional information team also provides individual support and advice for spinal cord injury sufferers in coastal and inland NSW. Other publications include an internet guide to wheelchair-accessible holiday accommodation [cite news| last =Lobley |first =Katrina |title =Hit the Roof | work =The Sydney Morning Herald | pages = | publisher =Fairfax Ltd | date =2008-07-19 | url =http://www.smh.com.au/news/news/hit-the-roof/2008/07/18/1216163145103.html | accessdate =2008-08-05 ] and information to assist
real estate agent s in highlighting disability access for properties for sale. [cite web| title =Spinal Cord Injuries Australia | publisher =Accessibility Online Pty Ltd | month = | year =2008 | url =http://www.accessibility.com.au/directory/spinal-cord-injuries-australia | accessdate =2008-08-05 ]SCIA advocates for independent living services that would support people with high level care needs in their own homes, such as
public housing , personal care, housekeeping, equipment supply andincome support . Over time these were introduced by federal and state governments. SCIA also campaigns for increased employment opportunities for people with disabilities and for the introduction of wheelchair-accessible public transport. [ [http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/HansArt.nsf/448b6decbe0283adca2571e1001663bb/ca256d11000bd3aaca2568e000162dcc!OpenDocument "Wheelchair-accessible transport concessions"] , from the hearings of the Australian Parliament]SCIA services are funded by State and Federal government grants, public donations, fundraising activities and commercial contracts including SCIA's Geo and Data coding for the NSW
Roads and Traffic Authority and the Teamsafe program.References
External links
* [http://www.scia.org.au official homepage]
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