Lily
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
Lily is a young woman with spina bifida and lymphedema. She explained to the Royal Commission that she is not paralysed and can stand and get down on the ground, but this comes with significant risks.
Recently, Lily started a course at TAFE. She told us she was putting a lot of effort into her study. First Aid was one of the subjects and one part of the course required her to do a CPR demonstration. To do this she needed to get down on the ground.
In light of her health conditions, she was reluctant to do this ‘for the sake of a demonstration’. Lily talked to the teacher about the possibility of reasonable adjustment.
Nothing happened for a week or two until the education manager approached her and told her to come to a meeting.
‘I had zero knowledge that this meeting was to take place and therefore I was left feeling ambushed when I went into that room,’ she said.
Two teachers and the education manager confronted her. Lily had no advocate and no opportunity to ‘gather evidence’ to support her case.
Lily explained her situation but was told she would have to do an extra unit on top of the work she had done within the first aid course. If she didn’t do this she would ‘receive an incomplete and fail’.
Lily felt completely blindsided by this outcome and anxious about her future. She also felt angry they dismissed her concerns and couldn’t find a workable solution.
After thinking things through she spoke to an advocacy group. Armed with information about relevant legislation, she went back to the education manager and formally asked them to reconsider her case. Again they refused.
The decision made no sense to Lily. First Aid wasn’t even an integral part of her course.
The whole process caused so much stress and anxiety it tainted her first year.
Lily has three years of study left and is worried how her future study will go in ‘such an ablest education system’.
‘The only reason I got through it is because I am lucky to have good supports in place,’ she said.
Lily would like changes made to the curriculum of all courses to make them ‘inclusive of people with different abilities’.
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.