Entries by Coen Lammers

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Bears take the field in Christchurch

Several players with Down syndrome recently featured in New Zealand’s first fully disabled rugby team in Christchurch. The team is called Polar Bears and is part of High Schools Old Boys’ and an international organisation called Tri Trust Rugby. The team has 20 players with intellectual and/or physical disabilities and are aged between 12 and […]

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Exciting new job opportunities at NZDSA

National Administrator and Finance Officer New Zealand Down Syndrome Association (NZDSA) works alongside families, whānau and carers to support and empower people with Down syndrome to realise their potential and aspirations through all life stages and within all communities. We work towards the vision that people with Down syndrome are valued and equal members of their […]

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How to navigate the maze of benefits

Families with a child with Down syndrome in many cases face a lifetime of navigating Government departments and agencies to receive the support they need and are entitled to. COEN LAMMERS makes an attempt to point you in the right direction. Dealing with the Ministry of Health (MoH), Ministry of Social Development (MSD), Ministry of […]

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They Call Me Sam aims to change perspectives

Jolt Dance in Christchurch has teamed up with Belmont Productions to create the short film “The Call Me Sam” to offer a different perspective on disability, focusing on the individual rather than the diagnosis.   The short film looks at the life of Sam Stevens, a Jolt dancer with Down syndrome.  The film grew out of a […]

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Busy year for STRIVE self-advocates

The STRIVE self-advocacy team had another busy year and even the  lockdown could not stop their work. STRIVE is a team of people with Down Syndrome who are a members advisory and leadership group who advise and support the New Zealand Down Syndrome Association board, and are ambassadors and advocates for people with Down Syndrome. Judging […]

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Great videos to help people with learning disabilities

Actor Duncan Armstrong stars in a series of new videos released by the Health and Disability Commissioner and the Nationwide Health and Disability Advocacy Service to help people with learning disabilities think about their own experiences with using disability services and their rights under the Code. There are five videos, each with a different story. […]

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New resource aimed to destroy myths

The new Living with Down Syndrome publication will destroy myths and help overcome barriers for people with Down syndrome to reach their full potential. The New Zealand Down Syndrome Association (NZDSA) this week published the enhanced 2020 edition of the resource to coincide with World Down Syndrome Month and regards the booklet as a must-have […]