Chappy Chats with Sarah Petchell 96five Podcasts

Despite all the advancements made around the areas of inclusion for those with a disability, it can still be difficult to forge a path through life, especially if you have leadership ambitions.

But as you'll hear in this episode, nothing is going to hold Claire Mitchell back from what she wants to achieve.

Claire is a woman with Down syndrome, who is ambitious and driven, with a passion for society to see her and her peers as equals. 

She holds leadership positions as the Queensland representative on the Down Syndrome Advisory Network, and is also the first person with Down Syndrome to sit on the board of Down Syndrome Australia as an independent director. 

In 2022, Claire was an Australian delegation member at the 15th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, at the United Nations in New York.

Chappy Chats is a production of 96five Brisbane and SU Australia.

Artwork by Tamar Petersen of Red Box Studios.

To find out more about becoming a chaplain, visit the SU Australia website.

Find more 96five podcasts by downloading the 96five app, at the 96five podcast page or wherever you get your podcasts.
Support the show: http://www.96five.com/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leading a school is never easy, but what are the challenges you face when 100% of your students have special needs?

Murray Bowman is the principal of Pine Rivers Special School, which caters to students who have been verified as having a significant intellectual disability.  

Many of the students also have a verified secondary disability area which adds to the complex nature of the learning requirements. 

Every student in the school, whether from prep to year 12 require the highest level of support offered by Education Queensland, so it takes someone pretty special to lead a highly specialised unit of teachers and support staff. 

We'll find out how Murray and his team of teachers, teacher aides and support staff care for the students and families of Pine Rivers Special School.

Chappy Chats is a production of 96five Brisbane and SU Australia.

Artwork by Tamar Petersen of Red Box Studios.

To find out more about becoming a chaplain, visit the SU Australia website.

Find more 96five podcasts by downloading the 96five app, at the 96five podcast page or wherever you get your podcasts.
Support the show: http://www.96five.com/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robyn Fellowes story is one of sheer grit, smashing through the glass ceiling of the Australian Army’s special forces, and becoming the first Australian woman to wear the coveted green beret of the Australian Commandos.  

Despite a childhood marred by the effects of domestic violence, Robyn’s life story is one of resilience, mental toughness, empowerment and positivity. 

Throughout her military career, Robyn has always championed the cause of women, whether by supporting those who stood alongside her in the defence force, or by empowering women during overseas deployments. 

One of Robyn's career highlights was as the Australian Army Gender Advisor to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan.

You can read Robyn's story in her autobiography 'Wings of Change', which is available in paperback or for Kindle on Amazon, or as an audio book on Audible.

Chappy Chats is a production of 96five Brisbane and SU Australia.

Artwork by Tamar Petersen of Red Box Studios.

To find out more about becoming a chaplain, visit the SU Australia website.

Find more 96five podcasts by downloading the 96five app, at the 96five podcast page or wherever you get your podcasts.
Support the show: http://www.96five.com/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are currently over ten thousand prisoners in the state of Queensland, with statistics showing that almost half of prisoners who are released, will return to the correctional system within twelve months. 

Prison chaplains really are working at the coal face, connecting with inmates and dealing with the harsh realities of prison life. 

Graham Hembrow is the coordinator of Inside Out Prison Chaplaincy, which falls under the banner of Carinity’s chaplaincy services. 

Graham has had a calling to serve and witness to prisoners his whole life, and leads around 40 chaplains as they forge meaningful relationships and bring hope behind bars. 

To support the work of Inside Out Prison Chaplaincy with a donation, by becoming a prayer partner or volunteer chaplain, please visit www.insideoutchaplaincy.org.au

In this episode Graham shares about the challenges of the role, why he does what he does, and some of the stories of lives changed for good.

Chappy Chats is a production of 96five Brisbane and SU Australia.

Artwork by Tamar Petersen of Red Box Studios.

To find out more about becoming a chaplain, visit the SU Australia website.

Find more 96five podcasts by downloading the 96five app, at the 96five podcast page or wherever you get your podcasts.

 
Support the show: http://www.96five.com/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The high school formal is a rite of passage for Australian students during their final year of school.  It’s a way of recognising that transition from childhood, as a celebration of 12 years of hard work, and a way to usher in a new season of life. 

But going to the school formal is not as easy as it seems if you come from a family that is doing it tough financially. 

Tammy Robinson has earned her nickname of the Formal Fairy Godmother, through her tireless work helping students in South East Queensland attend their school formals.

When Tammy found out that many students in her city of Logan were missing out on their school formals because they couldn't afford the cost of formal wear, she decided to do something about it.

She started Formally Ever After in 2019, both as a way to support students and families in her community, but also as a way to cope with the grief she was experiencing after losing a number of important people in her life.

Formally Ever After provides formal wear, shoes and accessories at no cost to those who need it, with all items being donated by the community.

In this episode of Chappy Chats, Tammy talks about her story, how a simple act of kindness can change someone's life, and how she's come to help almost 6000 students attend their school formal.

To find out more about about supporting the work of Formally Ever After, or to make a donation of formal wear or accessories, please visit the Formally Ever After Facebook Page.

Tammy is also a Home Care Lifestyle Carer with Carinity, assisting the elderly to live independently in their own homes for as long as possible.  Having worked or volunteered in the aged care sector since she was 12, Tammy calls this work her life purpose.

Chappy Chats is a production of 96five Brisbane and SU Australia.

Artwork by Tamar Petersen of Red Box Studios.

To find out more about becoming a chaplain, visit the SU Australia website.

Find more 96five podcasts by downloading the 96five app, at the 96five podcast page or wherever you get your podcasts.

 
Support the show: http://www.96five.com/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you’re what society would deem as different from everyone else it can make life challenging. 

It can be a challenge to fit in, a challenge to find work, and a challenge to live a normal, day to day life just like everyone else. 

In this episode Jeremy Wilson will be talking to me about what life can be like for people who have a disability, and why he wants society to be more accepting of those who might be just a little bit different from everyone else. 

Watch Jeremy's mini documentary: BNE Stories: Jeremy’s life-changing connection at Boronia Brew.

Visit the Help Enterprises website for more information on their mission and services.

Chappy Chats is a production of 96five Brisbane and SU Australia.

Artwork by Tamar Petersen of Red Box Studios.

To find out more about becoming a chaplain, visit the SU Australia website.

Find more 96five podcasts by downloading the 96five app, at the 96five podcast page or wherever you get your podcasts.
Support the show: http://www.96five.com/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.