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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for New Zealand Down Syndrome Association (NZDSA)
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DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20261015T120000
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SUMMARY:Your health and disability Code of Rights
DESCRIPTION:Your health and disability Code of Rights\nThe Office of the Health and Disability Commissioner and the Independent Advocacy Service will discuss your rights and how to advocate for them when receiving health and disability services. \nPresenters\nRose Wall\nDeputy Health and Disability Commissioner\nOffice of the Health and Disability Commissioner\nDr Esther Woodbury\nPrincipal Advisor\nOffice of the Health and Disability Commissioner\nRandal Southee\nChief Executive\nNational Advocacy Trust \nBiographies\nRose Wall is focused on the rights of disabled people when using health and disability services and is committed to improving the accessibility and responsiveness of HDC’s complaints process for disabled people I tāngata whaikaha. \nDr Esther Woodbury is a disability and human rights researcher and advisor. Esther has worked in disability across government\, tertiary education and community sectors\, in research\, monitoring\, community engagement and governance. \nRandal Southee is the CEO for the National Advocacy Trust\, who are contracted through the Director of Advocacy and under the Code of Rights to provide free and independent health & disability consumer advocacy across the motu to all people who use a health or disability service. \nTheme: Health and advocacy\nAudience: Parents\, whānau and professionals \n 
URL:https://nzdsa.org.nz/event/your-health-and-disability-code-of-rights/
LOCATION:Zoom\, New Zealand
CATEGORIES:Virtual Conference 2026
ORGANIZER;CN="New Zealand Down Syndrome Association":MAILTO:na@nzdsa.org.nz
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DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20261015T193000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20261015T203000
DTSTAMP:20260905T000419Z
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SUMMARY:Friendship as a bridge from loneliness to connection
DESCRIPTION:Friendship as a bridge from loneliness to connection\nSelf-advocates with Down syndrome explore friendships\nFriendship is a universal human experience that plays a significant role in shaping individual well-being\, social inclusion\, and our sense of belonging. Research consistently shows that friendship is among the most meaningful interpersonal relationships people form\, contributing to connection\, belonging\, and life satisfaction.\nThis presentation shares findings from a research project in which self-advocates with Down syndrome and activist researchers worked together as co-researchers to explore friendship formation and experiences. The research highlights what people with Down syndrome value in a friend\, the importance of friendship in their lives\, and the barriers they encounter in maintaining friendships. Importantly\, the project centres the voices and lived experiences of people with Down syndrome\, with self-advocates taking an active role in interviewing their peers and bringing their perspectives into the research process. In doing so\, the project demonstrates the value of inclusive research\, where people with lived experience are not only participants but also actively contribute to creating knowledge about issues that directly affect their lives. \nPresenters\nSTRIVE members and Dr Franco Vaccarino \nBiographies\nErin Smith is a founding member of STRIVE\, the NZDSA self- advocacy and leadership and advisory group. \nAndrew Oswin is a founding member of STRIVE\, now a founding member of STEP-UP and currently the New Zealand representative on the Down Syndrome International Ambassador programme. \nDr Franco Vaccarino is a researcher specialising in intercultural communication and has been involved in several international collaborative research projects. He is also passionate about inclusive research\, in which people with learning disabilities are actively involved as co-designers and co-researchers in research that concerns their lives and experiences. \nAs an activist researcher\, Franco seeks to challenge traditional power relationships between researchers and people with learning disabilities by supporting them to become active contributors\, leaders and producers of knowledge. Emerging research paradigms\, models and methodologies have increasingly opened the research process to people with learning disabilities\, recognising the value of their lived experience and expertise. \nFor Franco\, inclusive research means conducting research with and by people with learning disabilities\, rather than simply conducting research about them. It therefore places their voices\, experiences and active participation at the centre of the research process. \nTheme: Friendship\nAudience: All welcome \n 
URL:https://nzdsa.org.nz/event/friendship-as-a-bridge-from-loneliness-to-connection/
LOCATION:Zoom\, New Zealand
CATEGORIES:Virtual Conference 2026
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nzdsa.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/strive.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="New Zealand Down Syndrome Association":MAILTO:na@nzdsa.org.nz
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