Canterbury Family/Whānau voices - disability system transformation

08/12/2025

The flame of hope is coming through Christchurch|Ōtautahi tomorrow!!

📍 12pm - Victoria Square, travelling to the Bridge of Remembrance.

And then it’s all on:
🎉 Opening Ceremony Wednesday
🏅 Thursday–Sunday - 1200 athletes from 42 clubs competing in 10 different sports (all events free to attend!)

💛 Christchurch — the Flame of Hope is Coming!
Tomorrow the final Law Enforcement Torch Run takes place at the home of the 2025 National Summer Games! The Flame of Hope is heading to Ōtautahi Christchurch. 🔥🙌

Since early October, the torch has travelled the length and breadth of the country, from north to south, and now it finishes its journey right here.

📍 12pm - Victoria Square, travelling to the Bridge of Remembrance.

Come along, cheer loudly, and celebrate our athletes!

And then it’s all on:
🎉 Opening Ceremony Wednesday
🏅 Thursday–Sunday - 1200 athletes from 42 clubs competing in 10 different sports (all events free to attend!)

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Proudly supported by Freemasons New Zealand (Premier Partner) and NOVUS Glass (Presenting Partner).

08/12/2025

National Enabling Good Lives (NEGL) have released a statement on what the refreshed NZ Disability Strategy means for EGL.

The refreshed New Zealand Disability Strategy was released.

05/12/2025

👋 We’re checking in with our community about the Total Mobility Scheme. If you use it, we’d really appreciate hearing about your day-to-day experience — what helps, what gets in the way, and what you wish worked better.

Share your thoughts in our short survey 👉 https://bit.ly/TotalMobilitySurvey

Your feedback helps us advocate for real change 👍

Image Description: Green Square with an icon of a car starting at one end of a curve dash-line with a pin point at the end to show destination. The main text is Have you tried Total Mobility? There is a light blue oval tab shape with the words Share your Total Mobility experience by completing our short survey. With thanks from the WRLG

05/12/2025

We’re running an eight-week series on the Enabling Good Lives principles.
Each week, we are breaking down one principle and sharing what it looks like day-to-day.

🌞Week 3: Person-Centred
Person-centred means the plan is built around the person, not the system.�Their interests, culture, communication style, sensory needs, strengths, and routines all matter.

Instead of fitting into a service, the supports fit around the person.

In real life: Ezekiel’s family can live life at HIS pace, there are less pressures and constraints due to how he can use Enabling Good Lives. A great example in the video is how they can get an annual zoo pass, this allows them to do short trips to see one animal rather than feel they need to see everything on a one day pass.

Watch Ezekiels story to learn more about how EGL works for him and his whānau. 👇
https://www.enablinggoodlives.co.nz/resources/good-life-stories/ezekiels-story/

[embed width="480" height="270" class="leftAlone" thumbnail="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wXb7tHpqrZA/hqdefault.jpg?r"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXb7tHpqrZA&t=37s[/embed]

04/12/2025

Are you going to the Special Olympics Opening ceremony here in Christchurch/Ōtautahi?

Tickets are free, just book through this link with Humanitix 👇
https://events.humanitix.com/national-summer-games-2025-official-opening-ceremony

📆 Wednesday 10th December
📍 Wolfbrook Arena
⏰ 4pm-6pm

Don’t miss this extraordinary, once-every-four-years celebration of unity, talent, and achievement!

04/12/2025

We had such a great time last night, thank you Vaka Tautua for joining us!!

03/12/2025

Very exciting to see the 2026-2020 New Zealand Disability Strategy has been launched.

The vision for the strategy is: “New Zealand is an equitable and accessible place for all disabled people and their whānau – where disabled people thrive, contribute, and choose the lives they want to lead.”

Read more details in Whaikaha’s original post.

27/11/2025

We’re running an eight-week series on the Enabling Good Lives principles.
Each week, we are breaking down one principle and sharing what it looks like day-to-day.

☀️Week 2: Beginning Early
Beginning early means getting support before things become overwhelming or stressful.

It’s not only about childhood, it’s about acting early at any stage of life.

When planning starts early, people have time to think, explore, try things out, and build the skills they need without pressure.

In real life: Stevie's family now have the support they need to give her plenty of opportunities to explore her interests out in the community with her support worker. She is learning new skills and her father is hopeful Stevie will be able to have independence when she is older.

Watch the video of Stevie and her father Steve to hear all about their good lives👇
https://www.enablinggoodlives.co.nz/resources/good-life-stories/stevies-story-2/

Click here to watch the video explaining the impact Enabling Good Lives Waikato has had on Stevie and her family.

27/11/2025

We would love to see you at our event here in Christchurch, to celebrate International Day of Persons with Disabilities. NZSL interpreters will be available.

https://www.wrlg.org/event-details/3rd-of-december-celebration-international-day-of-persons-with-disabilities