Riley, a young adult with cerebral palsy, talks about their advocacy work with the Blaze the Trail campaign
Hi, I’m Riley Saban, I live and work on the Mid North Coast in NSW and I am eager to tell you about a significant endeavour that I’ve recently embarked upon. I completed my primary and secondary schooling locally and I was fortunate to benefit from schools that not only listened and learned about me, but also provided the essential support needed for my academic success.
I had a team that always supported me and together we found a way. I am driven by a personal mission to make a positive impact in our world. Since leaving school, I have been surprised and saddened to learn that not everyone in the disability community has had the same educational opportunities as I had.
Wanting to change this and create equality for all people, I joined a group called CPActive who were doing exactly the type of work I wanted to be involved with.
Now, I want to share and update everyone on what we have been doing.
Blaze the Trail is a campaign started in 2023, led by young people with disabilities which aims to smooth the transition from education to employment. The issues we wanted to address came from discussions from the young people in the CPActive group directly. From these discussions, the Blaze the Trail campaign defined what we wanted to improve. The 'asks' of our campaign are:
- making exams more accessible
- creating pathways for people with disabilities to become teachers, and
- ensuring there are clear pathways from school to a choice of employment.
Already, CPActive champions met with the New South Wales government and they committed to these goals for the state of NSW.
Getting involved with Blaze the Trail isn't just about advocating for change; it is to create a world where accessibility and opportunity are standard for everyone. Through this campaign, we aim to ensure that future generations of students with disabilities can pursue their dreams with fewer hurdles, and they are empowered by the knowledge that their potential is limitless and recognised.
The CPActive Champions understand that Blaze the Trail should not just be for NSW—it should be for all states—so, we have reignited the campaign!
On 3 April, Nicole Kozelj, Marusha Rowe, Saranna Schultz, Teigan Butchers and I attended a meeting with Minister Kate Washington in her office to check on the progress of Blaze the Trail and offer our assistance to create these changes. The rest of the CPActive team were waiting outside to hear about our results. We were waiting at reception, when we got the message a fire alarm had gone off! At first we weren't sure if the meeting would proceed, but after some quick checks by the fireman, we all did eventually get into the meeting.
Our team took the opportunity to introduce ourselves and share stories about our personal education experiences. Kate Washington talked about how she was busy with the new NDIS regulations and how it could affect the Blaze the Trail campaign. The best outcome from the meeting was when Kate talked about the next step should be setting up a meeting with the Minister of Education, the CPActive Champions, and herself to discuss the importance, implementation, and progression of Blaze the Trail. We didn’t yet get a specific date but at least an approximate one in the next quarter. I feel this was a great outcome to ensure this campaign continues to move forward.
Overall, I feel that Kate listened to our team and understood the vital need of the Blaze the Trail campaign and that the CPActive Champions are a fantastic resource to help guide and implement the asks, although I was disappointed that no concrete steps had already been taken to address our previously agreed to asks. I am looking forward to regrouping with the team and attending the next meeting with the education minister to take the steps to ensure Blaze the Trail continues to progress and make the positive differences all students need.
If you would like to support Blaze the Trail to ensure our education and employment systems are accessible and equitable, please head over to https://cpactive.org.au/blaze-the-trail/ and sign our petition!
For more information about schooling and entering the workforce as a person with cerebral palsy, My CP Guide hosts a variety of information resources that can be applicable for people of all ages. Browse the Education and Work sections to learn more, or check out our downloadable resource Navigating the employment journey for people with cerebral palsy