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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for New Zealand Down Syndrome Association (NZDSA)
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DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20261005T193000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20261005T203000
DTSTAMP:20260906T061328Z
CREATED:20260904T232321Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260906T061328Z
UID:18175-1791228600-1791232200@nzdsa.org.nz
SUMMARY:Finding Your People: How to Create Community
DESCRIPTION:Finding Your People: How to Create Community\nIn this presentation Brigit will tell us what the research says about the impact of loneliness on health and wellbeing. She is also going to talk about ways to find “your people” and create a sense of community in your own life. \nPresenter\nBrigit Mirfin-Veitch\, Kaiuruki Matua – Director\, Donald Beasley Institute \nBiography\nAssociate Professor Brigit Mirfin-Veitch is the Director of the Donald Beasley Institute (DBI). Brigit has led or been involved in a wide range of disability rights-based projects in the area of health and well-being\, access to justice\, violence and abuse\, parenting\, and the progressive realisation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities\, particularly Article 12 – Equal Recognition Before the Law – and Supported Decision Making. Brigit was centrally involved in the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care as a researcher\, expert witness\, and advisory group member. \nTheme: Research and advocacy \nAudience: Parents\, whānau and professionals
URL:https://nzdsa.org.nz/event/finding-your-people-how-to-create-community/
LOCATION:Zoom\, New Zealand
CATEGORIES:Virtual Conference 2026
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nzdsa.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/finding-your-people.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="New Zealand Down Syndrome Association":MAILTO:na@nzdsa.org.nz
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DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20261005T120000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20261005T130000
DTSTAMP:20260906T060913Z
CREATED:20260904T232033Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260906T060913Z
UID:18172-1791201600-1791205200@nzdsa.org.nz
SUMMARY:Leadership and Agency through Dance
DESCRIPTION:Leadership and agency through Dance\nOver 25 years Jolt has built a community of dancers with intellectual disabilities\, their whānau\, wider disability groups and mainstream organisations. Our work focuses on the individuality of the dancer\, rather than their diagnosis. We believe dance has the potential to empower\, create equitable spaces\, and challenge deficit perspectives about disability. This presentation will share our journey\, what we have learnt\, and the pathways we have created to embed agency and leadership. \nPresenters\nJacob Levington\nKaitiaki Whaikaha\, Jolt tutor\nCaitlin Fleming\nDisability Leader\nLyn Cotton\nFounder and Artistic Director of Jolt \nBiographies\nJacob Levington is an experienced dancer and teacher in Jolt. He is a member of Jolt Performance Company\, he is in charge of his own Jolt classes and is a member of the Kaitiaki Whaikaha team in charge of funding. He has taught and performed nationally and internationally in Glasgow\, Rarotonga\, and South Korea. \nCaitlin Fleming works as an assistant in Jolt Collective\, Drop in and Jolt zoom classes. She has danced with Jolt for 12 years and performed in professional theatres. Caitlin is a member of the Jolt Leadership team. \nLyn Cotton is the founder and Artistic Director of Jolt. Originally trained as a teacher\, Lyn became involved in inclusive dance in London and trained with Wolfgang Stange (Amici dance). In 2001 Lyn established Jolt which has grown to become the largest inclusive dance company in Aotearoa. As Artistic Director\, Lyn has built Jolt into a ground-breaking and fearlessly innovative dance company\, pioneering initiatives such as Jolt Interactive\, performances designed specifically for diverse audiences\, and Move\, New Zealand’s only dance teacher training programme for people with disabilities.\nIn 2014 Lyn won the Attitude TV Award for “Making a Difference” and in 2016 she received a Winston Churchill Fellowship. \nTheme: Performing Arts\nAudience: All welcome \n 
URL:https://nzdsa.org.nz/event/leadership-and-agency-through-dance/
LOCATION:Zoom\, New Zealand
CATEGORIES:Virtual Conference 2026
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nzdsa.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/leadership-and-agency-through-dance.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="New Zealand Down Syndrome Association":MAILTO:na@nzdsa.org.nz
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20261003T160000
DTEND;TZID=Pacific/Auckland:20261003T170000
DTSTAMP:20260906T061210Z
CREATED:20260904T231319Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260906T061210Z
UID:18166-1791043200-1791046800@nzdsa.org.nz
SUMMARY:Alex's Good Life
DESCRIPTION:Alex’s Good Life – How Did It Happen?\nAlex will share his personal journey towards creating his Good Life and how he made it happen. He will share what a Good Life means to him\, the importance of having choice and control in his life\, and what he has learned along the way. Drawing on his experience\, strong voice and positive attitude\, Alex hopes to inspire others and help make the world better for everyone. \nPresenter\nAlex Snedden\nSelf-advocate and experienced public speaker \nBiography\nAlex Snedden is a proud man with Down syndrome. He uses his skills to help people with Down syndrome live better and have a good life.\nAlex is a self-advocate and experienced public speaker. He speaks about disability rights\, inclusion\, and treating everyone with respect. He has spoken at big and small events\, including at the United Nations in New York and\, in April 2025\, the Global Disability Summit in Berlin.\nAlex enjoys helping people understand that having Down syndrome does not stop what they can do. Helping other people is important to him\, and he thinks he is good at it. He values being part of his community and believes everyone should have that opportunity.\nAlex lives in his own home in Auckland\, and he chooses what he does and when he does it. He even chooses if he wants to do something or not. This was a big goal of his\, and he planned for his future with his circle of support\, who also support him with his decisions. His Catholic faith is also a very important part of who he is and his life.\nAlex works hard to show what is possible. He has many friends and knows what a good life means for him. He wants to use his experience\, strong voice\, and positive attitude so that the world is better for everyone. \nTheme: Self-advocacy\nAudience: All welcome\nJoin Zoom Meeting\nhttps://us02web.zoom.us/j/87356366041?pwd=saRr5E7irdbTsabkPG7PlamMPrU5Va.1\nMeeting ID: 873 5636 6041\nPasscode: 250069
URL:https://nzdsa.org.nz/event/alexs-good-life/
LOCATION:Zoom\, New Zealand
CATEGORIES:Virtual Conference 2026
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nzdsa.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/alexs-good-life-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="New Zealand Down Syndrome Association":MAILTO:na@nzdsa.org.nz
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