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.

Both my father and my husband have disabilities so I wanted to check out Mackay Aquatic Recreation Complex with the Cérge app to see if it could help us and make things easier. Before I visited the pool, I felt very curious about how the visit would go, as a person without a disability personally there is lots that we do not consider. With both my father and my husband having disabilities, and to put myself in their shoes was eye opening.? We used the Cérge app to let the staff know we were coming and required a tour of the facilities to see what would be suitable. After looking around the grounds, we felt comfortable and well accounted for. Staff were helpful and trained in the equipment that is offered for people with a range of disabilities.? Before I went to the location, I was optimistic. As one of the newer facilities within our community, I feel that they will be the most helpful and new facilities to cover a range of disabilities. The staff were so kind and ready to roll. They answered all questions confidently and with great understanding.? We had a wonderful experience and will definitely use Cérge in many more businesses to let them know our needs. I’m off to let dad know about Cérge and to give it a go! He will require more needs than me and I feel confident they will have him sorted!?

“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. 

As a Paralympian who has travelled to many parts of the globe I know all about access or lack there of. I am wheelchair user and access to me is very important. I can arrive at a destination and literally not be able to get in and access it. It’s very very frustrating.I know Cérge isn’t about making sure every business is spot on with their access but what Cérge does is gives you all the information on the venue so that you can make an informed decision. This just makes sense. Kinda like being a vegan and looking at a menu before you go to a restaurant to make sure you can eat something.As a Paralympian I have spent my fair share of time in gyms and rec centres. Many, all over the place. Good, bad and ugly.Today I visited Michael Clarke and used the Cérge app to let them know I was on my way and what I required. The staff at the centre were wonderful, they were friendly, helpful, polite and could not have done more for me. I was given a grand tour of their lovely premises and I felt welcomed and very at eased. To be honest I could not rate them highly enough 10/10 for today's visit.My lovely tour guide was Jerson and he was such a lovely friendly person, he made me feel very comfortable, there was no rush and he was happy to take as much time as I needed. He was informative and so very polite and happy.Usually going to a new venue I would feel very nervous because I would have some anxiety that I may not be able to access the centre. I would have million things going around my mind and also hoping I will be treated respectfully.Today after using Cérge and looking at all the information I felt very calm and relaxed, everything about my experience there was amazing.I felt like a VIP from start to finish.Having information before I went to the any new venue and having the staff prepared and welcoming before my visit would make all the difference if Cérge was in places like cafes, restaurants, the theatre! Oh it would be so helpful to my life!Today was really great, as a person who owns a company - "Wheelie Essentials” to help wheelchair users with accessories when travelling I’m certainly not new to understanding the challenges we encounter daily but gee it’s refreshing to have such amazing and innovative technology breaking into the world! How truly exciting!

On Saturday, my partner and I had a delightful date playing mini-golf at Point Walter Golf Course! For me, managing social situations can be tricky fas I experience additional barriers to communication, social anxiety and agoraphobia.When I am faced with unfamiliar faces or new settings, my comfort zone shrinks and being able to vocally communicate becomes impossible. That's where my AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) device steps in, helping me connect with others when I cannot rely on my vocal speech.The biggest hurdle for me in accessing the community often lies in people's perceptions. Using an AAC device sometimes leads to misconceptions, such as the assumption that I can't hear when other’s talk or that I don’t have the capacity to understand what they’re saying.It can sometimes be amusing to witness the charades people do trying to act out what they want to communicate before I type the familiar phrase, “Please speak as you usually would—I can hear and understand you”. Sometimes amusing, often frustrating.So….. here's where the magic happened! The Cérge app put me in the driver's seat, allowing me to decide which of my access needs I shared and the level of detail I felt comfortable sharing. See ya later assumptions! Instead of explaining the intricacies behind the way my Autism presents, I could focus on what I needed on that particular day at that particular venue to enjoy it stress-free.Checking the Sensory Guide before leaving the house was a game-changer. It reminded me to grab my noise-cancelling headphones, hat, sunscreen and therefore preparing me for both the environment at the golf course and the noise levels I might experience at the cafe.Richard in reception was open and receptive to communicating with me and made me feel seen and welcome. He took the time to explain the details of the course in a way that gave me all the information I needed without any uncertainty.The result? An absolutely fantastic time at Point Walter Golf Course!Even though my partner beat my score by 10 (lucky them!), I had a wonderful time!Thanks to the Cérge app, putting me in control and making the outing stress-free and enjoyable!

I’ve avoided outings due to having experienced non neurodiverse friendly businesses that can exasperate PTSD meltdowns and AUD sensory overload. In the past I have been treated pretty average by staff at places and it can spike my PTSD. My son is ADHD so we look to choose "safe" environments to prevent running off with a younger, eager to follow sister and getting into harm's way. Again for him, if the environment is too over stimulating he can be unable to focus or process safe decisions increasing his impulsivity and dangerous situations. Not to mention I become more stressed and it’s just literally no fun at all. This week I wanted to have a belated birthday celebration at Albany Creek Leisure Centre for my 7 year old. We were looking for a relaxed environment to meet a friend and celebrate while showing off my son's new swimming skills. I had reviewed the centre through the helpful Cerge App and the Visual story description and decided to give it a try. I was nervous I was anxious I need to be able to be prepare for multiple of situations or possible situations. Using Cérge it was helpful listing user friendly business to consider and I also found helpful that it shows the distance to the location when considering central meeting point for convenience. Cerge helped reassure I was choosing a neurodiverse friendly environment, allowing me to view the facilities through the Visual Story therefore helping in assuring we could all have an enjoyable, safe time. Toddler pool, Safe entry, Disability parking, Marked pedestrian crossing (better for kids), Spacious and modern shower, ND friendly, Feel welcome, The simple communication and easy entry really helps ease anxiety for me. When attending events being on the spectrum and trying to juggle communication, bags, payments and process information and excitable children at once can often become overwhelming, and dampen a experience. If staff are impatient or unhelpful it’s just makes it a terrible concoction of events. Albany Creek Leisure counter staff were engaging with the kids and helped ensure their wrist bands were put on correctly by them and I was so greatfull for their helpful service. The environment was calm and spacious which meant I didn't feel we were encroaching on anyone's space or activities whilst having plenty of room for kids to play and splash. Once we had splashed our way through the available amenities and all tuckered out ,we were able to have a warm shower in their modern design spacious bathroom facilities. It was a highly enjoyable day out for all that attended and would recommend it for those looking for a relaxed, friendly, accessible environment with loads of entertainment and different programs on offer. Use Cérge! You’ll get all the info before you arrive and no chance of feeling stuck or getting into a pickle you weren’t aware of.