Dr Michael Kendrick presents to Enabling Good Lives Posted by Posted by Imogen Loakman on 6 March 2016 Posted on: 6 March 2016
Dr Michael Kendrick, internationally renowned educator, advocate, consultant and author, presented to EGL participants and their families on 25 March 2014.
He spoke about what it is to have good life is and shared positive life stories about disabled people from around the world. During his time in Christchurch, he also presented to navigators and providers.
Kendrick presentation inspires Lamont family:
Andrea shares her views on Dr Kendrick’s presentation as a parent of EGL participant Tyler.
Andrea Lamont and her son Tyler.
I am lucky enough to have attended four presentations by Michael Kendrick
since the late 1980s. He inspired me way back then and I kept wishing the stories he told could happen for Tyler (my son) and me.
Fifteen years later and this has now become a reality with EGL. I am thrilled and excited to be on this journey to help Tyler have a good life.
Many of Michael’s words have stuck in my mind, including: “Life comes as a
whole not a series of parts” - meaning “focus on the person first - not the
disability.”
Other words from Michael that inspire me are: “Echo to the world and go out in the world.” At his recent presentation we learnt that we have to challenge
our thinking and words. We can make impossible situations change by having positive attitudes.
What inspired me was that he used the word “natural”. The example given was: “It is natural for our children to want a good life and that they live in a world that is natural to them.”
Dr Kendrick has given us ideas of how to overcome obstacles in relation to what Tyler and I are working on as part of Tyler’s EGL plan. Many things will get in our way but we keep going. He also told us to seek others that are like minded.
Tyler says that Dr Kendrick had interesting concepts: “Everything that is too hard you have to make it easier for yourself. It made me think about
what I want in life in a positive way.”
Story taken from Christchurch's Enabling Good Lives Newsletter | June 2014