Community Service Announcements
In 2008, two television and two radio Community Service Announcements (CSAs) have been developed to increase awareness of the National Disability Awards. The CSAs are available for viewing on the Media Room page.
Three of this year's CSAs feature a person with disability, sharing their inspirational story. The fourth features a young man who contributes greatly to the disability community.
The CSAs will be aired on television and radio stations during the nomination period (17 March to 9 May 2008).
Television CSAs
Caroline Conlon - deaf artistic director and actor
Caroline was born deaf and is a director, actor, translator and presenter. She has performed in New Zealand, Austria, Singapore, US and many times around Australia. She has appeared on All Saints twice, as well as Channel 7 promotional ads and has become a legend as a sign-singing exponent at many Sydney social and cultural events. Caroline has a BA (Communications/Writing) and has worked on many English to Auslan (Australian Sign Language) translation projects.
She co-wrote and performed in Dislabelled, a cabaret for the Paralympics Arts Festival 2000 at the Seymour Centre, then Adelaide Cabaret Festival in June 2002, followed by a two month Australian tour in 2004. She is currently Artistic Director for Australian Theatre of the Deaf and is a co-host for SignPost, a TV program presented in Auslan.
Dawson Ko - National Disability Awards finalist, Karate black belt
At 15 years of age, Dawson was diagnosed with an incurable auto immune disorder, resulting in complete blindness within five years. This forced him to leave school during year 11.
In 2003, Dawson overcame sever depression and recommenced studies at TAFE, completed his Higher School Certificate and gained entry into university where he currently studies a Bachelor Degree in Business.
Dawson took up Karate and soon became Australia's first blind black belt. He now competes at international and state tournaments against sighted competitors.
Dawson also works as a DJ and has created Fashionable Eye for the Blind guy... & Gal - an online fashion magazine.
Over the last few years, Dawson has been involved in voluntary work with the blind community, and after months of planning and consultation, has established the VIP Online Society - a national support and friendship group for young blind people.
Radio CSAs
Darren Lomman - Recipient 2007 National Disability Awards - Go Getter Award, young engineer and entrepreneur, CEO of the Dreamfit Foundation
Darren is a young engineer and entrepreneur who founded the Dreamfit foundation - an organisation that develops modified equipment for people with disability. Projects have included hand controlled motorcycles, joystick controlled hovercrafts, seated surfboards, hand controlled driving simulators, wheelchair accessible yachts and speed boats and wheelchair accessible abseiling towers.
Darren is diversifying Dreamfit to include a range of other services and equipment areas including rehabilitation equipment, workplace modifications, fitness equipment, innovative mobility solutions and adapted vehicles.
Darren also strives to raise awareness of disability issues in the community. He actively creates valuable links between different sectors, organised the 2006 Celebration of Ability expo, is the president of the DisAbled Recreation Club and volunteers with a number of organisations including the Disabled Surfing Association.
Ros Sackley - blind advocate and activist
Ros has been a teacher for many years in the primary, senior secondary and TAFE sectors of the ACT and NSW education systems. She is actively involved in various not-for-profit organisations in the Sydney area concerning blindness and deaf blindness.
Ros is the Deputy Chair of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Disability Network and has been working for its establishment for the past 12 years to give Indigenous people with disabilities a National Voice and to improve their lives in their own communities. She is also involved in an international discussion List relating to the rights of Indigenous people and the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities.
