Cérge

The further adventures of Cérge!Today reaffirmed just how life changing Cérge is…At this time of year we are all under extra pressure, add in a chronic illness or disability and things can build up pretty quickly. Using Cérge I can eliminate the stress of a “Big Box Store” shop and support local businesses at the same time.A huge thanks to the team from White's IGA Bli Bli for assisting me today, easing my sensory overload by turning down the lights and switching the music off. It may seem small but I assure you, even this minor adjustment helps myself and many others function so much better day to day. Thanks for the support White’s IGA

My life story is a long one and I don’t need to go into all the details, but I have been diabetic from aged 7. I had a sub arachnid haemorrhage (SAH) two years ago. I have an ABI which caused a stroke and I still don't have full mobility. Because of this I tire quickly when walking. I'm immune suppressed from a double transplant of kidney and pancreas therefore I get anxiety with big crowds. I won’t even start with the 3 emergency c sections. That’s for another day! Due to my immunity choosing adventures outside is always good for me, fresh air is a good medicine and less germs. However,I need to plan my days around my mobility and the access to a venue. I use a walker at times, big days I use my wheelchair. I make the most out of life and enjoy trying new things. It can just be exhausting trying to plan for support workers, access, people staring, people assuming. I also have trouble finding the right words and need people not to slowly talk to me like I’m stupid but also not talk at me at a million miles an hour. Just please have a conversation with me and give me a chance to respond. The world can be so fast and especially when trying to process new information. I saw the social media stories about Cérge and wasn’t sure whether it was for me. I checked it out online and asked some questions to get clarity from the Cérge team. I don’t like to stand out but I do like to get involved in life. I liked that Cérge seemed like a wide variety of people were using it and that you could literally just access the information and go about your day. I like that I’m in control. A support worker is completely different to using Cérge.Using Cérge is like being able to support myself fully because I have the information before I go and then use support for the things I’ve already decided I’d like to do not the other way around. I browsed through the different venues and started to feel very excited, there is an access guide and visual story plus a virtual tour. I get more information about the venue online than even being at the venue itself and missing stuff hahah I chose to visit Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. What a day. Wow! I find it really hard when ppl look at you and see the disability and treat you different. Here I didn't feel that. I felt like everyone else enjoying the animals and the nature. Oh the nature! I saw so many koalas, saw a Tassie devil growl…. And yawn. They aren’t terrifying at all! Hehe I got to feed kangaroos and wallabies. The paths are awesome, heaps of tables for me to wheel up to! We’re cruising along and I saw the dingos being walked. I got to get up close and personal as the handler said it was good training for them to be around wheelchairs. The encounter with the Dingo was pure timing and chance. My lucky day :) Cérge, thank you! Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, thank you. I am so full of adventure and life and feel excited about all the venues I can now try out and add to my life and LIVING! YES!

I’m a local Disability Support Worker. I heard about Cérge and 
wanted to see how it would work for some participants within our 
organisation. I was really keen to see if having a business know 
what the person may need before we arrive would streamline the 
process and remove any awkwardness and waiting.
I was excited to see the different venues available from cafes to 
tourist type of venues to local supermarkets. I was keen to pick an 
“everyday” type of business as I know this would help a lot of 
people if they could be independant to shop alone or with 
support but driving the experience themselves. That would be 
very impactful for them.
When I arrived Donna showed me where the toilet was located. A 
nice added extra to customer service because we all know as a 
parent someone is going to need the toilet as soon as we arrive 
somewhere.
Kate greeted me out front and showed me through the store. A 
fabulous store and so many yummy items!
I listed that I needed bread and milk. I was shown to these 
locations whilst also being shown other areas and staff who 
service those areas. It was a wonderful tour and I didn’t expect 
such amazing service. Obviously I wouldn’t need this all the time 
but for my first time and planning for possibly taking participants I 
was very happy.
I noticed how clean and spacious the store was which would be 
fabulous for my clients who have walking aids. Not to mention if 
they are immunosuppressedI was told by Kate that if I had a participant who had sensory 
issues, to put it into the app and the music and lights can be 
turned down.
What!!!
That is incredible and truly felt so inclusive! Nothing was too much 
trouble. It felt like everyone was welcome, which doesn’t always 
happen.
If I had participant in a wheelchair, i can mention in the Cérge app 
they said they can make sure aisles would not be obstructed. I’m 
so blown away :) this two way communication is world first and so 
unbelievable.
The staff at Forest Glen IGA were very helpful and informative. 
This is just fabulous for when I am pre planning a visit to anywhere 
that uses Cerge with a participant to be able to make sure their 
needs are met.

My daughter is ASD and can be so over stimulated in 
environments like this.
Oh wow, they could help us.
I would be able to share the Visual Story to prepare her and then 
use the app to let staff know how we were travelling.

Funny how as parents we just trudge along doing everything and 
sometimes don’t ever consider how life could be a bit easier.
If I could shop with my daughter with some back up angels that 
changes my life!
Wow.
YES!

I wear two hats as I am the dad of a son (28 years old) who is quadriplegic, with Cerebral Palsy and I’ve been his carer for most of his life until NDIS came along. My son Christoper is an incredible human and is volunteering as the Qld Air Museum Video Production Manager. He uses a head switch and eye-tracking to control his devices and edit videos, operate cameras and fly drones. He is also my very own personal tech support! Haha
Being his dad and carer has taught me a lot over the years. My second hat is that of being the President of the Queensland Air Museum. I am one of over 140 active volunteers. 

You see our volunteers want to be able to provide a welcome and good service to anyone and everyone who visits us. We want to be as accessible and inclusive as possible and we want everyone to enjoy our amazing venue and we hope that shines through when you visit. 
We want people to feel as though we are interested in treating them as a person and not as a disability. Everyone comes to enjoy history and planes and that’s a passion we can all share together.

The Cérge website is brilliant and it’s started us on such a good path. We now have a button front and centre on our website - a wheelchair icon as it’s the universal symbol for disability, even though we know not all disability means a wheelchair. We have a lot of information now to share with every customer before they even arrive so they can check us out before they travel to visit us: Access guides, Visual Story, Virtual Tour, Keyword Sign Board, Audio Guide 

It is so brilliant that people can see it so easily and from the safety of their home where they can plan their outings. They can even use the measuring tool in the virtual tour to measure heights. It’s very cool!

Cérge has been the talk of the town here and has started us with a bunch of new projects and plans. We now have one of our volunteers who has taken on the role of developing an Access and Inclusion plan. 
Obviously infrastructure is always one to improve on. I’m working on a way to assist people with mobility challenges to access cockpit of an aircraft.

Alongside this we are also currently launching a major infrastructure development that is very exciting, it will take time but we have lots of things on the go to deliver the best access and inclusion possible. 
We are very excited to have Cérge showcasing our air museum which we just love. Opening up and seeing all of the photos and the virtual tour just speaks volumes to our visitors and visitors to be! Not to mention the whole community who sees our business caring about each person as best we can. 

My role as president is to influence the culture of our organisation as well as the infrastructure and we are always trying to improve!
See you soon for a tour of all the amazing planes and many displays!

“I don’t need it easy, I just need it possible" – Bethany Hamilton (Disabled Pro Surfer).  

For a while now I have been trying my best to have new experiences but sometimes due my disability which makes me a bit unsteady on my feet (stairs can be a bit tricky) and being touch sensitive to some sensations, sticking with the activities and places I know can be easier and pushing myself into the unknown can be tough. 

When I saw that Cérge was launching on Aquaduck Sunshine Coast and I couldn’t believe it. I had seen the Aquaduck before and wanted to go, but was unsure about it all. Cerge made it possible.

Cérge has a virtual tour of the Aquaduck experience so I was able to virtually walk on board, check out the seats, look how many stairs there were and prepare. 

This made my whole experience so much better. I had very little anxiety about trying something new because I could see everything and had a complete mind map of what was ahead. I knew the areas I would need support for the stairs, I could see how the seats were organised. I knew where I wanted to sit. I could see the location of the boat driver and other passengers and all of this combined made my anxiety very little. 

My Support Worker, Mel and I had a wonderful time on board. I am looking forward to using the app more often to help us communicate to the business what we need before we arrive which just saves time and make the whole experience far more inclusive. 

I’m very excited that Cérge is now available at such cool and fun places! It makes me want to try new things that I never usually would! It opens up all sort of possibilities for me that I may not have had the courage to try before.

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This Story of Inclusion made possible by the Queensland Government's Accessible Tourism Enablers Grant and the Access Accelerator Program, a partnership between Spinal Life Australia & Cérge. 

I visited IGA yesterday at Mt Coolum and got to see Cerge in action at a supermarket for the first time.I'd just had an upsetting specialist appointment and so wasn't really in the mood to push my comfort levels and shop but I shouldn't have worried. I notified them 10 minutes before I arrived on the app and by the time I'd walked in the door, a lovely person (Candace) called me by name to greet me and introduce me to the shop. I was so touched that she'd read my bio and brought a chair with to sit near the exit in case I needed it, that I nearly started crying.She offered to assist me in any way that I needed but as I had a support worker, I was happy to shop with her for the most part. Vanessa came later and checked in on me to see if I had any questions or if they could help in any way. They turned the volume down and the lights down for me as well which was such a welcome relief from how it usually feels to shop!I was surprised at how compact the shop was with carparks right outside on the curb making it a more comfortable commute. Their deli, pantry, fridge, special goods and fruit and vege section was well stocked, meaning that I could go there for a one stop shop (hallelujah!) There selection of foods that cater to different health needs (gluten free, vegan, dairy free etc) also made me give it a big tick of approval.Vanessa helped me put my groceries through the register and then Bronwyn (I believe this was her name) came over and made me nearly cry again with her beautiful warmth and kindness! It was honestly one of the best shops that I've ever had, even if I needed to sit down half way through it didn't matter... I felt safer shopping there knowing that the regulars would see the Cerge sign at the entry and so would be more understanding this IGA supports people who need a little more help and attention.I came home and told my husband all about it, who said he'd be happy to drive me to any of the 5 that are linked any time that I want! I am so, so grateful for this amazing service. We need to continue making areas more accessible, friendly and inclusive so that we don't marginalise people and restrict access.Thank you Mt Coolum IGA, thank you Roz White, thank you Cerge and Chris !! You are all superheroes in my eyes for making a positive and welcome change.