Philip Patston's blog
Dog Days – reframing issues of mental health
Introducing guest blogger: Barbara Pike
Hi everyone. My name is Barbara and, officially, I’m Philip’s new Personal Assistant. What that translates to, is that I work part time at Diversity NZ supporting projects like DPSN. I am also studying towards a Graduate Diploma in Psychology at the University of Auckland with the intent to gain entry to the training programme to become a Clinical Psychologist (therapist). I have a vested interest in mental health issues, legislation, terminology, issues of discrimination, therapies, medication and anything else you can think of related to staying sane.
Why do I care about these issues? Why should anyone listen to what I have to say? What makes my commentary valid? Read more…
To shush or not to shush
This Blog was posted on Diversityworks Peer Support Network on behalf of Andrea Ford, CEO/Service Leader of Children’s Autism Foundation and mother of 3.
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In our family we have a No shushing rule. Many people wonder how we manage this and why I would set myself up in this situation. I would like to share the reasons for this in the interests of promoting the value of every child’s contribution, no matter how unique.
I have three sons. They are each unique individuals who I hope will grow up with self confidence, a positive self image, a sense of belonging and feel valued within their family, community and other roles. I intend to provide my parenting support with these goals in mind. Read more…
Changing gear – it’s all about the clutch
I’ve been going like the clappers for the last week, trying to complete an application to Creative New Zealand to record some music to add to my creative repertoire. Getting quotes and references, writing philosophies and budgets, creating plans and rationales. I have been writing and rewriting, questioning my motives for wanting to do this, feeling anxious that my 890 Facebook friends and 325 Twitter followers won’t like my stuff and wondering if what I do is good enough to be funded anyway.
Then I got an email from an arts advisor:
“You would need to outline a strategy to us that explains how this recording project fits into a longer term plan of your career development as an artist. You need to convince us that the work is high-quality and that there is demand for it.”
And I stopped dead. Read more…
Exhibition to explore how diversity works…
Diversityworks Trust, in association with its Peer Support Network and the International Guild of Disabled Artists and Performers, invite expressions of interest from artists to support a proposal for an exhibition at ARTstation, in Auckland, New Zealand, centred around the theme “How Diversity Works.”
Diversity is a complex concept that encompasses thoughts, emotions, experiences, social context, political process, identity and more. The purpose of the exhibition will be to reflect both internal and external processes that promote or restrict human diversity, including but not limited to personal, psychological, social, cultural and political factors. Read more…
Putting a bit of fun into funding?
At Diversityworks Trust we take a wider view of “creativity” than just arts and culture. For example we are interested in how creativity can be used for benefit across several sectors, including the arts, education, business and social/community sectors, and our work at any given time may span more than one. Our issue is that funding streams are usually so narrow that any hint of a project crossing streams is seen by funders as a reason to say no, because it doesn’t fit one particular stream’s criteria. Read more…
This is the address I made to a forum on the Review of Special Education. The first story is an old legend of the Sioux Nation; the continuation is my own, inspired by the first. Read more…
Rights versus competence – two very different things
Freelance journalist Karl du Fresne’s recent blog post continues a theme he began in a column in The Dominion Post in February 2008, where he wrote that “a law change requiring intellectually disabled workers to be paid the legal minimum wage was a triumph of human rights ideology over common sense.”
So, what’s his latest blog about – the inappropriateness of an ideological and statutory change, or the incompetence of one of NZ’s largest service providers to competently and progressively respond to that change? I think he is confusing the two and I’m not sure whether he’s intentionally doing that – in order to try and argue the point – or not. Read more…
Not Performing the World now
I’ve been reflecting and have decided that a trip to NYC is not the best move for me at this time. The trip will impact on me quite significantly financially and logistically and fundraising efforts have been slow. Unfortunately this creates a risk that, right now, outweighs the potential benefits of attending the Performing the World conference. Read more…
Swim 10,000 – Soaked in enthusiasm
7 July 2010
On 15 July, North Shore resident, Lia Bell will begin ‘Swim 10,000’ where she will attempt to swim 10,000 lengths of the 50 metre pool at the Millennium Institute of Sport and Health in Mairangi Bay.
Taking recreational swimming to the next level, the 34-year-old mother of one developed the idea as a way to demonstrate solidarity with the estimated 10,000 New Zealanders living with blood cancers and conditions and to raise $10,000 for the Leukaemia & Blood Foundation (LBF). Read more…
Racist filmmaker – clever or blatant?
Photo: 3news.co.nz
Was Perth filmmaker Simon Barker trying to be terribly clever trying to “create an awareness of the issues faced by Aboriginals” by showing white Australians dressed as Aborigines, drinking and engaging in criminal activity?
Perhaps he was too clever, ending up proving he was at best, naive and at worst, stupid to think he could fight racism with racism.
Or was he being blatantly racist? Read more…
