Cérge

I have osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bones) which can make it hard for me with exercising. My bones can break easily and I can be in a lot of pain. Swimming and low impact are really the best choices for me. I use a wheelchair and would need assistance getting in and out of the pool. My carer and I visited Eltham Leisure Centre We used the Cérge app to let the staff know we were arriving in an hour and that we were looking at the pool and would like a tour of the facilities. I wanted to see if I felt comfortable before promising to swim. It’s been a while since I got in a pool, so I had a little anxiety. With the new Cèrge app where I was able to notify staff at Eltham Leisure Centre that we were coming before we got there. This will be helpful in the future as I can request a quieter place, a separate lane if possible and assistance. Sometimes the thought of getting to a place and not having supportive staff is a barrier in itself. I have my support worker which is fantastic, and she is great but having staff that don’t really know how to help can be very awkward. I’m glad I can use the app to tell the staff exactly what I need. It takes the weirdness out of watching them work out how to help, whether to help or sometimes people just don’t help. Can you imagine dropping a leaflet and no one helps you pick it up? It’s embarrassing and annoying! When we arrived, the staff were happy and helpful, we were greeted at the front and the staff member organised another lady to give us a tour of the centre. They have 4 pools, Baby, Small heated pool for swimming lessons, Hydrotherapy pool (has a ramp), and a 25m lap pool (has a ramp). All at different temperatures. Toilet and changerooms on pool deck which is very handy. They had an Aqua class going at the time we went, and it was full even being so early. It is great to see the place getting used and lots happening. The staff member gave us a leaflet which had all the timetables for all the classes, and she also put all the prices on the leaflet for me. Of course, after all exercise there is a coffee shopping. Perfect end to the day! The Cérge app is a fantastic tool to be able to ask for specific things, we know now we can ask for a quieter space or lane if we need that on the day or to let them know we are coming but that we are ok. I will be looking out for more Cèrge facilities. Please tell them your needs before you get there which is very useful and makes you feel a lot more comfortable getting out and trying new things.

I have anxiety, fibromyalgia, issues with sensory overload ADHD 
and rheumatoid arthritis. So I have quite a few barriers to 
accessing an aquatic centre and feeling comfortable.
In my daily life for work, I support clients include mature-aged 
women with chronic pain and health conditions; and stroke 
survivors requiring minimal support.
So using Cérge to visit Watermarc Banyule yesterday was a 
tremendous experience as a user but also seeing the benefits for 
the people I work with. My own intrinsic experience in two 
varying ways yet both amazingly complimented each other and 
how this can change so many lives and enable me to support my 
people SO much more.

As I drove towards the venue there was some construction near 
the venue with some of the area out of street view. I was a bit 
anxious but having read up in the app I remembered that it was 
said the venue is on a hill and there is underground parking; with 
direct access to the venue with a lift!!
Yay no stairs!
It helped to know it would be a big building so you knew what to expect. Not 
all people with disability need lifts, or ramps. But today, for me. I did.
I did not get lost and nervous as I usually do when going to a new 
place, so it was a nice experience. It’s actually incredible how just 
being able to mind map a venue from looking at all the 
information beforehand seriously relieved so much for me. The problem- you have to literally scour multiple websites to try 
and get the information you need.
I need more than a car park, opening times and a pretty webpage.
I need to see the toilet.
The change room
I need to know the smells and noises.
The stuff that isn’t pretty on a website is usually what most people 
need but can’t find, so they stay home. Trust me.Noah told me where the change rooms were and they were clean 
and not crowded. I had seen them in the Visual Story and they 
looked the same which is always comforting.
I used the exercise equipment as stated in the app to use in the 
pool; I always thought people had brought their own! When I 
asked when are the usual quieter times, Noah understood that I 
would enjoy a time when the water slide closes in the late 
afternoon and then the rest of the facilities are still open to be 
used. Noah felt like a friend. I think me using Cérge kinda made it 
feel like we had a mate in common so we had rapport quickly.

Overall a very pleasant experience that I would do again and 
recommend using the app to clients, friends and family. I would 
actually go to places mostly that are on the app as I will feel less 
anxious and I will know before I arrive if physically I can use the 
facility or not.

I thought my love for basketball was gone forever, I thought we had our time & now we were over for good. I haven’t played basketball for 6 years, it’s like losing so much of my identity, a part of myself.I’m a huge fan of sport but I have anxiety & depression, I like to live alone and I like quiet places. Quiet places & sport don’t always go together that well, so for the past few years anxiety wins & I haven’t been able to immerse myself in sport like in the past.I know playing again would help. I just can’t get to the point of where it can help me because my barriers aren’t in playing the sport. My barriers are leaving the house.Whenever I have to go somewhere, my mind pretends like I am already there & starts having different conversations.So many voices & thoughts all telling me different scenarios & that makes it hard for me to concentrate. When I reach the place where I know it will be busy my heart starts beating fast, I feel alot of anxiety & discomfort & my brain get frozen.All I can think of is bad situations. Bad outcomes. Bad scenarios. It’s exhausting.I am scared people are going to make fun of me & won’t talk to me & it loops around & around. When I go in there & I am not comfortable I start feeling anxious & uneasy & feel like running away. Fight or flight kicks in & it can really take over my life.I heard about Cérge & at first wasn’t sure it could help me. I didn’t want to make a big deal or draw attention to myself but I noticed Eagle Stadium was on the app & they have basketball. I love ball.It took me a while to work up the courage to go to check it out. I looked at the Visual Story & Sensory Guide & went through all the stuff on the app. I knew if I could prepare my brain for what it would see by looking at all the photos, then when I get there it would be like what I have already seen & it would hack my brain to feel more at ease.The survival tips and processes of anxiety & depression are very real & often very unnoticed.After a few months I finally felt ready. I had all the information and all the visuals. I used the app to let customer service know I was going and used the Cérge chat in the app also for support.Arriving at Eagle Stadium & going to the courts felt like home, I could not look away. The smell of the court, the squeak of the ball. My body remembered & it felt like home. The staff were so welcoming and kind & gave me a timetable and spoke to me about what was on and when.Hearing the bounce, the ball, the cheers, the thumping as people ran up & down the courts. I need to be back. I am so coming back.I left with desire & a plan! The staff gave me details of who organise teams so I can play in a team & I also asked about tennis because I would love to play tennis. Buts that’s the next story!
 

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.

We are teaming up with a new initiative, Cèrge. Cèrge is a communication platform created to help people with disability connect with local businesses in their community. It allows organisations to provide personalised services to customers with disability with the aim of reducing the fear, anxiety and discrimination individuals with disability go through as customers. Through the Cèrge app, the customer can notify participating businesses that they will be arriving, giving staff awareness of what the customer may need while in the store.Today our customer visited the Swan Hill Leisure Centre to have a shot of basketball with his support worker. He was able to communicate through the app notifying the leisure centre of when he would be arriving and what he was planning on doing while there. Upon arrival he was met by staff who greeted him by name creating a welcoming experience for our customer. This helped our customer feel very comfortable and he went on to enjoy a shot of basketball while there! Swan Hill Leisure Centre Cérge Cérge Community

Story of inclusion from staff member Hamish at Splash Devonport Aquatic and Leisure Centre. We love Cérge, we were talking today amongst the staff about how incredible it really is and what it can do. When Terry Sent the notification through last week, we had time to get the hoist set up and the aquatic wheelchair for him. We also knew when he was arriving, what he needed and some information about his disability that he wanted to share. Terry is a legend. When he arrived, because we had the notification prior and I had set up stuff for him, it kind of started connection before he had even arrived. So, when he arrived I just walked over and said “Hey Terrence, I’m Hamish”. It felt so easy! Terry had a look at the pool, the gym and the Exercise physiologist as all of these services will assist him. We are excited to have Cérge at Splash because we are more than willing to help anyway we can and sometimes with visual disability we have to guess and invisible disability we can’t see, therefore can’t know how to help. Cérge saves time, instead of Terry having to wait for 10-15mins for to set up it was done. It saves him time and saved me time as it was done before he arrived and not when I had a counter full of swim lessons! We have a “Sensory hour” in the gym where we turn the screens and lights down from 1pm-2pm which is pretty awesome as not many gyms are silent! Hahah We are more than happy to cater to the needs of the whole community When I heard Terry hadn’t been for a swim for ten years and now has the chance at Splash I was chuffed. This is just awesome. 100% Thanks for visiting Terry, see you soon!