Community Voices at Birrong Boys High School

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CVs George Kodssi and Hannen Abdallah went to Birrong Boys School on 5 June 2007 to meet a group of 12 students from Lebanese background to talk about disability and some other matters. George Ayoub (Individual Advocate) and Luis (CV Coordinator) were also there to chat with the boys and Manal Saroufim and Ernist Attaalla (Project Workers from the Arabic Council).

The boys said they had already met people with disability, maybe a friend or a family members or neighbour, so they knew about different kinds of disability and how that impact in everyone's life.

When George K talked about his wheelchair hockey and football experience all the boys started asking about the rules of the games and how physical or demanding they were; George K showed them the scratches on his wheelchair metal bars, "…you do not get really hurt because of the special design of the chairs but sometimes if you get in the way then you will have a sore arm or leg but that is part of the deal in sport" he said. (*)

Hannen chatted about her volunteer work at MDAA answering the phone, transferring calls and using a computer; "…sometimes when I am using the computer people come and ask why it is off and I just tell them that the computer is on but not the screen; I use reading software so I do not need the screen. I can type and retrieve information".

The boys asked Hannen how she gets to work and she explained that she uses public transport (train), "I received training and support from the Guide Dogs Association, they gave a dog to help me to learn the way from the train station to MDAA office at Harris Park...I am also a member of CV" she added.

We finished saying thanks to the Birrong Boys, and Manal and Ernist as well as the Deputy Principal and Principal of the school for inviting us there.

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