We have to control our destiny
This morning I came across this facebook post from International Day of People with Disability – Australia.
Many of you will have participated in (or actively avoided – your choice) the events that IDPWD promote around Australia each year in “celebration” of the International Day of People with Disability on 3 December (or thereabouts if it falls on a weekend, and you know, penalty rates and such).
IDPWD is one of the few things marketed at the “General Public” as a Disability Awareness-style campaign.
We need to keep an eye on those who the public believes to be the leaders in our community. We need to know what message they are sending. And when that message is wrong we need to stand up, loud and proud, and let them know.
So what got me so cranky this morning? Well, I’d had my first coffee, so it wasn’t that,
Jetstar posted a video of Georgia last week, accompanied by a story stating that
\”Georgia has Down Syndrome and has always dreamed of being a member of a cabin crew. When our crew heard about Georgia’s wish via a video posted to our Facebook page, they wanted to make it come true.“
Now I have issues with Jetstar and the timing of this (they are currently under fire for their mistreatment of passengers with disability and their vital equipment. But my issue with IDPWD is that they used this Jetstar propaganda to link to #JobAccess. You know, the Government-funded program that is supposed to give people #RealJobs.
I got cranky because:
– The marketing gurus at Jetstar called this an “opportunity” not “work experience”
– There was never a pathway to employment for Georgia.
– Yet IDPWD linked this single photo op for a major airline who is currently under attack from the disability community for their mistreatment of passengers with disability and their vital equipment to #JobAccess success.
– The funding Jetstar put into this propaganda could have been spent training their staff and upgrading their policies. If they “do right” then there is no need for the spin.
– IDPWD could find true inclusive workplaces and highlight those
We, as a community, have a responsibility to ensure that “General Public” are getting the message that we want. We NEED to hold the people that give them that message accountable when it is not in our best interests.
We are in control of our destiny. Let\’s keep an eye on it!
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I’m glad Georgia had a great day, it looks like fun and I’m actually a bit jelly about not being able to do it myself