Remembering Pōua David Ellison
It is with deep sadness that we acknowledge the passing of DBI’s wonderful Pōua, David Ellison.
Ko te kawakawa e iri ana i te pare o te whare rūnaka
Ko te weruweru taratara kei te tua o Puketeraki
Ko Kāti Huirapa e hae kino nei i te mamae, i te tiwhatiwha
Ko te pā whakawairua o Huriawa kua riro
E David, E Pōua,
E taki tonuhia ana mātou
Kua wehe atu koe ki tō moeka roa,
Ki tō ūkaipō.
Haere, haere, e oki atu rā.
David embraced his role as one of DBI’s kaumātua with positivity, passion and unwavering interest. He was always excited to learn about how we honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi within the DBI and about the development of our whole team. His memory for our ongoing projects was truly incredible, so kōrero with David always felt very meaningful.
David enriched our DBI mahi and contributed his skills, guidance and energy widely and generously locally, nationally and internationally throughout his life.
We acknowledge the importance of David’s ongoing mahi with the DBI - David was the most wonderful Pōua that DBI could have, he helped influence and guide DBI with his wisdom and compassion. His wairua was strong, and his teachings and memory will continue.
We mihi to David’s whānau, friends and community, he will be greatly missed.
The Tangihanga for David will be held at Puketeraki Marae, 520 Apes Road, Karitane. Community, friends, and colleagues of David are invited to pay their respects from Thursday afternoon, 20th of February.
The funeral service will be at the same Marae at 1pm on Friday 21st of February. If you wish to attend online: https://hopeandsons.co.nz/funeral/ellisondavidtohurangi-1-FIN53015280/
Critical Disability Studies Research Network November seminar series
30 October 2024
Join us for a month of exploring and extending our understanding of critical disability theory, methodology, and research findings from Aotearoa and beyond.
In November, a free CDRSN seminar will occur on four out of five Fridays.* We welcome all interested people, including students, staff, and community members from across the motu. Each 2-hour seminar can be attended online or in person and will include multiple speakers and discussion time.
NZSL interpreters will be in attendance at each seminar.
Seminar One: Kaupapa Māori Methodologies and Research with Tāngata Whaikaha
Date and time: Friday 1st of November 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Speakers: Associate Professor Tristram Ingham, Bernadette Jones, Associate Professor Meredith Perry (Otākou Whakaihu Waka l University of Otago), Dr. Kirsten Smiler, and Louise Were (Te Herenga Waka l University of Victoria Wellington)
Seminar Two: Disability, violence and abuse: a social-ecological model for prevention with and for disabled people
Date and time: Friday 8th of November 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Speakers: Professor Nancy Fitzsimons (Minnesota State University) and Associate Professor Patsie Frawley (University of New South Wales).
Seminar Three: Comparing and contrasting the aims, findings, and outcomes of two Royal Commissions of Inquiry: Where to from here?
Date and time: Friday 22nd of November 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Speakers: Professor Sally Robinson (Flinders University), Associate Professor Brigit Mirfin-Veitch and Umi Asaka (Donald Beasley Institute)
Seminar Four: Developing disability research capability and capacity - showcasing postgraduate research and researchers
Date and time: Friday 29th of November 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Speakers: Tanwen Ward, Áine Kelly-Costello, and Franz van Beusekom (More student presenters to be confirmed) (Otākou Whakaihu Waka l University of Otago)
* There will be no seminar on Friday the 15th of November.
Location: All seminars will be held at OBSLG05 - Otago Business School Seminar Room LG.05
Please RSVP for the seminar(s) that you are planning attending using this online form.
The official information page on University of Otago's website.
Disability Strategy and Action Plan: Rautaki Hauātanga me te Mahere Mahi launched
30th July 2021
We are excited to announce that a Disability Strategy and Action Plan: Rautaki Hauātanga me te Mahere Mahi was launched the by Southern District Health Board (SDHB) in May 2021 . The Donald Beasley Institute was commissioned by the SDHB to facilitate the development of the Strategy in consultation with disabled people, tāngata whaikaha, Deaf people, whānau and the wider community. You can access the Strategy from here: (PDF) https://www.southernhealth.nz/sites/default/files/2021-03/FINAL%20WEB%20Disability%20Strategy%202021.pdf
Reimagining Parenting Update
11th January 2021
The DBI would like to talk to parents with a learning disability who have their children living with them. We are also interested to hear from parents who have children living in foster or whānau care. Please contact us if you are a parent with a learning disability, and think you might like to take part in the research.
You can contact us by email at bmirfin-veitch@donaldbeasley.org.nz, on our freephone number 0800 878 839, or by using this form.
More information on the Reimagining Parenting project.
UNCRPD Monitoring Update
11th January 2021
A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to the second cycle of monitoring on disabled people's access to health and wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand - a fitting topic for the current global health crisis! We are still looking for a small number of people to interview, and invite potential participants to register their interest through the Monitoring webpage.
Stay tuned for more information on how you can get involved in the DBI's Disabled Person-Led Monitoring of the UNCRPD Project.
Mean As!: Stories of relationship, intimacy and sexuality told by people with learning disability
20 March 2020
We are excited to launch the Mean As! Project. People with learning disabilities have their own stories of relationships and sexuality to tell, but often don’t get the chance to tell them. In this “Mean As! Project eight adults with a learning disability had the opportunity to “speak back” to the way society has been taught to read their lives, by telling their own stories in their own way. These stories were shared with four researchers with learning disabilities, who were also given space to develop their own ways of listening, interpreting and responding to what they heard. To learn more about Mean As!, head to Projects.