Cérge

When people don’t try and communicate and can’t be bothered it makes me feel uncomfortable, unimportant and small. Just because I can’t hear doesn’t mean I should be treated differently.  Today I arrived at Huntly Aquatic using the Cérge App. I am a Deaf woman and communicate via sign and lip reading mostly. I often have communication struggles and a lot of people do not use sign language or it takes them a while to realise I am Deaf and that I need to communicate differently than what they may have assumed.  However today, at Huntly Aquatic I was greeted by two staff members who were very pleasant and kind. I will be honest I was nervous because I wasn’t sure what it would be like or if there would be a communication breakdown. I had put my information into the app so I knew they were aware which I think helped both sides prepare.  When I arrived we spoke together for about 5 mins, we used a range of gestures, writing and typing on the phone which is fine. I liked that they were enthusiastic to do their best to communicate with me and it didn’t feel like a bother.  We enjoyed having a chat :) I was able to find out everything I needed to know about the venue and the locations of all 3 pools. They have a kids areas too which was great because now I shall return with my kids and have a great family inclusive day out.  Being a Deaf person  sometimes I experience people thinking I have a low intelligence or that I won’t understand them. This is a really damaging assumption as I am a smart woman and live a great life, I just can’t hear. I am really mindful of not wanting my kids to experience or witness discrimination as I went them to have a great experience in the world and see all people as equals.  I really enjoyed using the Cérge app, I had heard good things about it from a friend who used it in Auckland and so I was happy to give it a go!

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 son Henry is autistic and has very poor proprioception and muscle tone so he doesn’t go to a lot of places often because it’s usually far too much sensory input for him. His “wet noodling” around the place can crash into things etc. This causes extreme frustration and embarrassment for him and sometimes staff can be rude at times like this or not know how to help. It’s frustrating and my heart breaks for my son.I have to say I was pretty nervous going to White Ridge Farm with my son. I wasn’t sure how he would cope, how the staff would be and to be honest, if it would just be a disaster. We knew @cerge was at the farm so we were keen to give it a go as we have heard great things.The night before I read through the Visual Story on the app with the children and they felt as though they knew what to expect and were very excited. This was an amazing resource and certainly helped my own nerves because I new everyone had seen photos of the venue along with sights, smells and other possible sensory interactions.I notified White Ridge Farm on the app 60 mins before our arrival about our must knows which were areas and activities that are less noisy/busy with fewer people and plenty of space for Henry’s unique walking style and that we are bringing along the pram for him to sit in when he needs to.I received notification that they had read and acknowledged our requirements within 10 minutes of sending it. Talk about service!I booked our tickets online prior to ensure that we wouldn’t have to spend too much time at the entrance buying them where Henry would get anxious before our day even started. That process was great the staff member at the counter acknowledged that we were with Cérge and took extra time to go into further detail about the farm, directed at the children, about some of the sounds/smells/textures they may come across on our journey and gave them a map to help them orientate. This was great and made us feel like we were appreciated and not a bother.Once inside, the area was vast and there was PLENTY of the space that we needed on the paths. The staff were very friendly and answered every single one of Henry’s questions (and this kid asks a LOT of questions ). They also reiterated some of the strange ways his hand may feel as he feeds the animals, which is something I hadn’t even considered so thankful to them for that!Being able to take our own food and have a picnic was perfect as it’s always so hard to find foods that Henry will eat based on texture and we generally avoid places where outside food is prohibited.I would definitely recommend it to any families wanting a great day out! It was so great! The ability to let the farm know our situation through Cérge prior to arrival, the Visual Story to prepare and the amazing staff at Whites Ridge Farm. What a great day! I can’t wait to go out again and usually after a day out I think I never want to go out again! 

We avoid the shops like the plague as Henry (autistic) normally is overwhelmed within minutes of arriving. To be honest sometimes even before we’ve made it through the car park to get to the shop.This happened a few weeks ago when we had to leave mid shopping experience, I thought we would be ok but it was a disaster. There were boxes everywhere, the store was loud as the music was playing through the loudspeaker and Henry had had enough before we even managed to get half way through our list. We left. Again.I don’t know how many times we have had to abandon cart mid shop, mid car park or just plain avoid shopping altogether. When people say “I’ll just pop into the shop on the way home” because it’s just something they can do. I think to myself I can’t imagine that ease as that is not anything like our life.We notified them via the Cérge app an hour before arriving with our must haves - low noise and light levels if possible and plenty of space for Henry to walk, hold (swing around ) a basket and for the pram if required.Henry is autistic and has a walk which requires more space and I have a pram for him as he can tire easily. We entered the store and within minutes had a lovely woman come up to us and explain that they had received the Cérge notification and could see the must haves and if there’s anything further she could do for us to let her know. I was impressed immediately.The music was off and it was quiet with the staff members moving anything out of the way as we approached and giving us a smile, making sure we could find everything and not showing any bother about it. Do you know how good it felt to not feel judged or like we were annoying people!They also did not stare at his AFOs and spoke to him rather than ignoring him like we experience in other places. This was such an incredible and beautiful extra. Instead of “just avoid, don’t look” which I think sometimes is because people don’t know what to do and I get that. But gee it was nice to feel like a part of the community having chats whilst shopping and Henry happy.My anxiety was the lowest it’s ever been whilst shopping! Henry was getting a little overwhelmed by the end of our shop and Jodi (Manager) opened up another register for us so that we could move through faster, including the kids in the process and again asking if there was anything else we needed help finding.So good! This kind of inclusive and also intuitive experience was so amazing! It was a wonderful experience and definitely a place we will shop again! I didn’t feel the usual stress I do when Henry started showing signs of being overwhelmed (which was right at the end this time, not the start!) as I knew we had the support of the staff members and this was such an incredible feeling of comfort.Henry has already asked when we are going again!!Wow!!Wow!!Wow!!

Hey Cèrge,I would like to say a big thank you for inviting me to be apart of this app and community. Today was my first time visiting the Tewantin RSL for lunch, the staff are amazing so helpful and friendly they made me feel welcome and the food was so good I will give them a 10/10#rsl #hospitality #inclusion #customerservice Tewantin Noosa RSL Noosa Shire Council #brisbane2032 #accessibletourism

I generally only go places that I have been or the person who I am going with has been. That way someone is familiar with the surroundings and layout. Having Cerge meant that I could get an idea of the layout and my anxiety was under control because I knew where exits were and what to expect. The Visual Story and Virtual tour were definitely two tools that I would use on a daily basis if Cerge was everywhere. I have an invisible disability so people don’t understand the lack of eye contact or when I become flustered or forget my manners. Sometimes I say things that aren’t quiet socially acceptable but it’s because unknown place and people make me feel quite nervous. I was able to use the app today and let the staff know at the Kingston Butter Factory these key points about me and that made me feel so much comfortable before arrival because I knew the assumptions and judgements were taken out of the equation. Today at Kingston Butter Factory it was a really quiet day we were some of the few people visiting. We had a great opportunity to look at the art works and explore the space. Staff member Dan showed us around all of the spaces to make me feel more comfortable. He explained what happened in each of the rooms and the other people I might see upstairs and who they were and their roles within the organisation. He had a very calm demeanour and was very helpful. After we left I felt very happy. Not exhausted like I normally do after leaving somewhere. This is probably due to less anxiety and the fact that is was quiet and we were able to look around at our own pace. Outings usually deplete me greatly so I can tend to avoid them, where as today I left feeling more energy! Bonus! Having an invisible disability makes it hard for people to understand why I can’t cope with noises and movement. Also knowing that I wouldn’t have an access issue with my NCAA (non canine assistance animal) made it so much easier. Confrontation can bring on a panic attack and knowing that they were accepting was awesome. So many families with children need this app even if it’s just for the Visual Stories to help them know what to expect. The difference for families would be incredible. I would love to see Cérge at more CAFE’s, museums and art galleries in Brisbane City and near me. I’d probably be able to enjoy a full day out if it was like this!