Public Address | Cafe | Access: Reaching out

Chelle Hope

Sat, 10 Nov 2018 09:35:01 +1300

Thanks very much. I think the best thing about writing this, aside from being allowed to be totally honest, is finding out people can relate to it. It’s not great that there are others who feel the same or who have experienced similar but it helps me to know people…

WaterDragon

Sat, 10 Nov 2018 07:53:53 +1300

What an eloquent piece Chelle, and a good thought to give the interviews a bit of preliminary planning. To quote the Quaker phrase it "spoke to my condition"

Chelle Hope

Tue, 06 Nov 2018 22:31:01 +1300

Ok, great. Thanks very much.

Hilary Stace

Tue, 06 Nov 2018 18:33:06 +1300

Happy to help. I'm part of the supervision team for a student who has recently submitted her PhD on a disability topic. Finding interviewees who fitted the eligibility criteria and then found the time and energy to be interviewed at a time and place that suited them both was a…

Chelle Hope

Tue, 06 Nov 2018 11:58:48 +1300

Thank you so much for your kind thoughts and thoughtful reply.

While disability encompasses so many diverse experiences, there are common threads that many of us can empathise with as you’ve demonstrated. In my research so far I’ve found that people with disabilities are also taught from young to distance…

Chelle Hope

Tue, 06 Nov 2018 11:46:19 +1300

Actually... I’ll get in touch quite soon if that’s ok. Thinking about it, it’d be good to plan a bit well in advance for interviews, especially while I have some time on my hands. There’s no harm in talking and thinking about it. I’ll email you when I have my…

Chelle Hope

Tue, 06 Nov 2018 11:35:36 +1300

Oh, it’s not the PhD at all that’s the tough bit of my life right now. It’s everything else that’s getting in the way of me working on it properly and also just life in general. Having to take a break is not ideal because it’s the only thing in…

Katie

Tue, 06 Nov 2018 11:34:09 +1300

Hi Chelle, I think most people with chronic disability will be able to relate to at least some parts of this article, especially how isolating disability is.

Personally, while my disability isn't rare, the stigma attached to it (epilepsy) means it's incredibly difficult to meet up with others simply because…

Hilary Stace

Tue, 06 Nov 2018 11:21:29 +1300

Doing a PhD is tough, regardless. Have you found enough interviewees? I might be able to help if you are looking for more.

Chelle Hope

Tue, 06 Nov 2018 09:45:22 +1300

Thanks Hilary. I’m already better than I was but it’s not a fun time. There’s some stuff I need to sort out before I might feel like I have my head above water again but I think I’m heading in the right direction.

Hilary Stace

Tue, 06 Nov 2018 09:28:46 +1300

Thanks for this, Chelle. And best wishes for dealing with all those challenges – particularly finding an accessible house in Wellington.

Public Address

Tue, 06 Nov 2018 09:28:46 +1300

Discussion from blog post.