INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC Captions by Pippa Jefferies. www.able.co.nz Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2014 INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC CONTINUES You can either, um, sit on the fence and let the world go by or do something about the` not only the predicament you're in but thousands and thousands of other people, not only in NZ but all around the world as well. Robert Martin's a seasoned traveller and international speaker. As a child, he was placed in an institution, isolated from society simply because of his learning disability. For over two decades, Robert's dedicated his life to advocating and encouraging others to speak up for themselves. I've been doing it since 1991, basically. Probably over 50 trips. Our first trip was, um, to Holland back in '93, and I've been in just about every continent, except Antarctica. It did get a bit tedious there for a little while. Robert has a strict travel checklist to be sure he's packed everything he needs. I've got an iPad in here too so I can use it too, so I've got that. And, of course, my thing I need to get out of the country. Need that. My passport. Yeah, I need my passport. That's what I need. Where are you travelling to today? Where are you travelling to today? Um, Melbourne. To Melbourne? To Melbourne? Yes. Passport, please? Passport, please? Yes. There you go. That's your luggage receipt on the back there. That's your luggage receipt on the back there. Oh yeah, excellent. OK, enjoy your flight. OK, enjoy your flight. Thank you. I bring my music with me. I get a bit stressed out at airports sometimes, and it's important to actually have things that, um, de-stresses me. Robert's flying to Melbourne. He's the invited guest speaker at the VALID Conference. The organisation represents Australians with learning disabilities. Morning. How are you? Morning. How are you? Hello, Robert. How's it going? How's it going? Good. How are you? How's it going? Good. How are you? Good to see you. Good. How was your flight? How was your flight? Oh, good. It was really good, yeah. He'll deliver a keynote address, and he's presenting an award named in his honour, the Robert Martin Award. PERCUSSIVE MUSIC All right. All right. Well, we're here. Robert Martin is known at the highest political levels. Yeah, OK. Yeah, OK. Thank you. Yeah, OK. Thank you. Yeah. He was a key member of the team who drafted the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and spent his life promoting self-advocacy. Oh, here again. Robert usually travels with a support person. Finally at the hotel. Today he's flown solo. But he's sticking to the set routine he's always follows on arrival in a new city. I usually, um, do my shirts and stuff first. I have to say, one time when I was travelling overseas, my bag fell apart, and that was a bit embarrassing, you know, with all your, uh, not-mentionables, as they say. He's gone from having almost no say in his life to sitting at the tables of power. That's better. When I've been away for Inclusion International, I had to sit at the top table. I found it difficult. Or meeting presidents of countries and stuff. You know, meeting, um, oh, the UN, um... what's his name? Um, the UN director, um, Ban Ki-moon, and the guy before that as well. So meeting with those kinds of people, I mean, you know, how people would have thought that was ever possible that I'd meet with some of the, you know, biggest people of our times. Wow. There seems to be a real move forward to actually support people to have a say in their own lives, and no matter what their disability is ` if they have high needs or if they can walk and talk. FUNKY MUSIC Home is in small-town Wanganui, NZ, where he lives with his wife, Linda. It's a match made in heaven, really, because she likes sports too. She's a sports fanatic like I am. Um, she likes lot of other things as well. She likes jigsaw puzzles and stamps and stuff like that. Robert and Linda have been together for 25 years. They met on a work skills programme. FUNKY MUSIC CONTINUES I don't think probably otherwise she'd be so accepting of, you know, the travel I've done over the years, because I've done it since` well, basically, I've been away overseas from 1991 to... to now. In the years he lived in an institution, Robert had few possessions. He's made up for that now with a house that's overflowing with DVDs, vinyls, videos and books. I know it looks like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but I've got over 500 rugby books. Yep, and here's another room full of stuff, as you can see. < Miles and miles of books. There's my sports DVDs, my animal, um, DVDs, documentary DVDs. Over here I have my record collection, which I'm actually starting to, uh, convert to mp3. And this one is,... oh, It Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady by Helen Reddy. A really good song. I remember when she came to NZ, she slapped a, um, person that was interviewing her because he put the thing right in her face, and she didn't like that, so she slapped his face. (LAUGHS) She didn't like it. I suppose nobody likes a thing shoved up their nose, I suppose. Oh, I've got 10,000 45s. I've still got a few LPs left but not many. So I've got some real classic stuff in here. Oh, my heart and soul, my collection. There you go. He'd have a house full of animals if he could too, but he sticks to soft toys instead, collected from around the world. I bought this one when I was in China, my panda ` it's my panda ` so I bought that when I was over in China. I did see it here. Robert's lived independently for the last 25 years, yet in the 1950s, no one imagined it would be possible. BASSY MUSIC LILTING GUITAR MUSIC Robert was just 18 months old when he was taken from his family and placed in institutional care at Kimberley Hospital in Levin. I wasn't meeting my milestones that probably my sister was, and my sister was probably 18 months older than me. Mum kind of went from pillar to post trying to find out what was wrong with me, but nobody would tell her the truth until she went to a doctor, and he said, 'Oh, he's mentally retarded.' So, you know, 'put him in an institution and throw away the key' kind of attitude. I remember crying for Mum and Dad and my sister at times, but they didn't come. LILTING MUSIC Those things were really sad for me, because other people sometimes had other people come and see them, whereas I didn't, so I always kind of felt left out. Robert spent nearly 13 years of his life here. LILTING MUSIC CONTINUES Kimberley and other institutions like it are now closed, effectively outlawed by legislation in 2006. But it was too late for Robert's childhood. This is where I used to live. POIGNANT PIANO MUSIC I don't think they encouraged families to come and visit, but I think some did. MUSIC CONTINUES I found it really difficult because I no` hardly any friends, hardly anyone to play with. I used to play with the staff more than I played with the other children because a lot of them were more disabled than I was and they weren't` didn't have the same interests as what I had. It was really really difficult for me, and back then I was only interested in animals, anyway. I didn't have any other interests. That was my main interest. '50S STRINGS MUSIC A group of distinguished doctors from Australia pay a visit to a training school at Levin, where pupils who show any aptitude for learning are given a chance to add to their knowledge. Amazingly, in the 1950s, Kimberley was paraded as a progressive hospital. It was revolutionary to provide an education for children with an intellectual disability. It was sold as a place that offered training that could lead to employment. A certain skill is developed in this repetitive work. But this was no place to call home. The rooms look very much like classrooms anywhere. '50S MUSIC CONTINUES Established in the remote countryside, far removed from the local community, nobody really knew what went on here. They're not under any jurisdiction of what happens in our communities, because these were away from the communities, so they could do` practice what they wanted. You know, you used to see people` staff tease people and get them worked up, and then they'd punch them. Why tease somebody and let them go off the rails just so they can punish them? You had a day room, and you had the toilets, and not one of those toilets had an enclosed environment. So when you went from the day room into the toilets, it was basically open slather. You could see what everyone had for breakfast. Where's the human rights in that? Where's the dignity? I remember those brown bouncy rubber balls. They were, kind of, really bouncy. And I tried to bounce it over the villa, but I miscalculated, and, of course, it hit the louvre window. And, of course, the staff were going past the corridor, and they were long corridors in those villas, and it hit him on the head. And he caught me, and he kicked my arse from the time he caught me to the time I got to my own villa, and I didn't have any tea. On top of the physical abuse at Kimberley, Robert was also sexually abused. I didn't understand back then because I was so young and so naive, probably. Well, I wondered what he was doing and why he was touching my private parts, but I just didn't understand those kinds of things back in those days because I had no inclination that that was wrong. I think because people are in control, they think they can do what they want to. That's, really, the sad thing about these places is that, you know, these places were here to protect us, but, really, they weren't. It was easy to get into these places but bloody hard to get out of them. You know, bloody hard. At 15, Robert was finally released from Kimberley. He needed counselling to deal with the abuse he'd experienced. LILTING GUITAR MUSIC His ability to move forward and embrace a new life makes him a popular speaker. Hello. How are you? Hello. How are you? Good, thanks, Robert. Thanks for coming again. Oh, that's all right. Oh, that's all right. We enjoy having you. Oh, that's all right. We enjoy having you. You do a good job. Oh, thank you very much. There's your name badge. Oh, thank you very much. There's your name badge. OK, thank you. And your bag, and your programme's in your bag. Well, this conference is about people having their own voice, it's about speaking up, and it's about, you know, delivering a message that everybody can speak up no matter what your disability is and having the chance to actually do so. Hi. How are you? Hi. How are you? Good. Hey. How's it going? Really good to hear what you're doing, and keep up the` It is a struggle. If NZ can do it, Aussies can bloody do it, mate. (LAUGHS) We'll beat you yet in that quiz. We'll beat you. Hello. How are you? Good, and yourself? Good, and yourself? How's it going? Good, and yourself? How's it going? If I can help one person, I'm happy. Lots of people come to this conference purely, um, to be with Robert again. Um, they look forward to it. Everyone knows Robert. To us, a leader. BOTH: Hi! BOTH: Hi! How are you? BOTH: Hi! How are you? Oh, nice to see you! You all have something in common, because you know all about the UN, and Paul and Davis made a DVD with us about the UN Convention,... Cool. Cool. ...and Jane just helped me present on the UN Convention. 1000 delegates are attending the conference. Many have heard Robert speak before, but he's not just here to schmooze. He's been asked to identify a future leader from among the attendees. The person who receives the Robert Martin Award should be someone who shows leadership in self-advocacy. He's a man who has come from an institutional background, who's fought his way into the community and hasn't stopped. He went all the way, um, all around the world, uh, became part of an international movement. And once he got on to the committee, he actually lobbied really hard to get other countries to actually embrace self-advocacy. See the achievements people have made in their lives, you know, around coming to this environment and learning about how to speak up, learning about self-advocacy and learning to take those first steps, and those first steps are always the hardest, but once you learn those kind of skills, you know, you actually really, um, fly. (PLAYS UPBEAT TUNE) He's pretty clear who deserves the award. I'm just keeping it to myself at the moment. In the institution, Robert had no opportunity to play team sports. When he left Kimberley, he started playing cricket, rugby and soccer, and then he got involved in his community, but pretty quickly he showed real leadership skills. (GRUNTS) (GRUNTS) PEOPLE SHOUT Oh, good stuff, Adam. Well done, Adam! I found that when I played sport, I could actually play it. I had some sort of talent, because, I mean, both my mum and dad were quite good sportsmen in their own right, so I think I've just inherited things from them. Because I haven't been coached a hell of a lot to play sport, but I've tried to learn by watching people, by watching people on TV and just kind of taking it from there. Catch! Catch! Go! Catch! Go! PEOPLE EXCLAIM Almost two decades after leaving Kimberley, Robert represented NZ in the Special Olympics. He was captain of the soccer team that went to Minneapolis. That was the first time I started travelling, so, yeah, I'd never travelled before that overseas, so that was my first trip overseas. So, yeah, it was just great to be part of something that was, you know` to wear the silver fern on, you know, your right breast was just really really important. So I've actually represented NZ. I've represented Wanganui in heaps of things, like, you know, rugby. I've played for the Bohemians. My competitive days are over as far as sports are concerned, but, you know, when I was younger, I used to be quite competitive, but I've lost those competitive traits now because I'm in the twilight of my career. I've been coaching soccer for many years. I coached the Special Olympics team years ago. People with disabilities weren't supposed to be coaches, but I used to coach. Looking forward to actually training and playing soccer, are you? BOYS: Yeah. BOYS: Yeah. Good stuff, yeah. OK, let's get into it, eh? We've also got the head coach over here ` Steve. You don't try to get them to do things they can't do, but you give them confidence, and I think that` to me that's what it's all about. It's is giving people confidence that they can actually do it. (BLOWS WHISTLE) UPBEAT MUSIC Kind and patient, he's a popular coach to kids at the local school in Wanganui. LAUGHTER LAUGHTER Fell over there. I don't try to be too hard, because they're only little kids, so you try and be invisible. If the ball goes out or if there is a dangerous tackle, then you bring it up. Oh. (BLOWS WHISTLE) Pushing. Free kick. Up here. Yeah! Good stuff, mate. At first it was just the sports field where Robert showed his leadership. As his confidence grew, he realised he had a greater role to play. He helped create the leading advocacy organisation for people with learning disabilities, People First. He's been a former president of the central region and is always on hand to support his local branch. We didn't want more rights than what the staff had; we just wanted to be recognised as the same. You know, we weren't down there; we were their equals. We need to get a list of all the people that have been at People First,... Yep. ...that have been doing it for a long time, so what shall we do about that? Everybody can do their own thing, and I think we should have a subcommittee of this as well. But the other thing we need to do is look for some funding. But the other thing we need to do is look for some funding. Yeah. We, kind of, started to actually fight for ourselves, and the people came back to me and they said, 'You know, Robert, you're right, so what do we do about it?' I said, 'Well, maybe we should start having our own committees 'and start talking to people about their rights and all that kind of stuff.' We started to do it back then. We learnt how to problem-solve, we learnt how to bring up issues, how to solve issues, by not taking a big long list but take a few that we can actually bring and settle. < Hi, Les. < Hi, Les. Hey, mate. < Hi, Les. Hey, mate. < How are you? What you been up to? What you been up to? Oh, I've just come back from Japan. Um, yeah, it was a really good trip. We did several, kind of, talks about People First and around the` my involvement within the UN Convention. That actually went down really really well. That actually went down really really well. That was amazing. I've talked to people about that. ALL CHANT It was People First that campaigned for the closure of institutions around the country. We'll be keeping Government to task. We want Kimberley shut as soon as possible. The doors of NZ's last remaining facility, Kimberley, were finally closed 34 years after Robert had left. In 2008, Robert was made a member of the NZ Order of Merit in recognition for his services to people with disabilities. It's the biggest, probably, thing that's ever happened in my life. It means that people with intellectual disabilities can actually achieve anything they want to. I guess that's the really important thing. REFLECTIVE MUSIC Back in Melbourne, Robert has been invited to visit one of the three remaining institutions in Victoria, Oakleigh Centre. They hope he can lend weight to their campaign to close the institution and assist the residents into community-based support. MUSIC CONTINUES Gidday, Robert. How are you? Gidday, Robert. How are you? Hi, Bas. How are you? Pleased to meet you. Pleased to meet you. Pleased to meet you too. Thank you for coming and visiting Oakleigh Centre. Thank you for coming and visiting Oakleigh Centre. Oh, it's my pleasure. Um, this is 1 Allen St, Oakleigh. Yep. Yep. This is a facility that's been around since the '70s. Oh yes, yep. Oh yes, yep. It's an old H block. It's one of the oldest facilities we have in Victoria. Would you like to come with us? Oh, sure. Oh, sure. Eh? Yeah, come on, then. Yeah, come on, then. Ah. Yeah, come on, then. Ah. Lead the way, Colleen. It's only a few years ago that this had 34 people living here. It's only a few years ago that this had 34 people living here. Oh, OK. You can see by the state of it that it needs` well, it shouldn't be here, basically. It's outdated. It's not fit for any form of person with disabilities. > No. No, it reminds me of the times I was in Kimberley, basically, you know. What our goal is about ` it's about community connectedness, it's about getting truly connected in the community with that social group, with that club, having access to all of the facilities and services that you and I have access to and making choices about that. And, you know, you can't do that in an institutional setting. No, you can't. You can't. You know, because it's` And I talk from the experience in the UN of actually having to live life all over again, because that's what it's like. It's a totally different experience of living in a place like this and out in the community. Robert, I'd like you to meet Bernie. Robert, I'd like you to meet Bernie. Oh yep. Bernie's a person that we support who lives here. Oh yes? Oh yes? And Bernie has actually got some really exciting news. What's the news? What's the news? I'm going to move out of here. I'm going to move into number 12... Allen St. That's fantastic. So, what does your new place look like, Bernie? That's fantastic. So, what does your new place look like, Bernie? It looks like a new` a nice house. Yep. Yep. Um, I've got a nice bedroom over there, and I've got new friends. I've got two ladies who live over there with me. Oh yeah? Oh yeah? Her name is... Alice and Phoebe and Donna Moffatt. Oh yeah? That's good. And did you choose those people, did you? Yes. Yes. Good. That's good. That's good, eh, that you've got to choose the people that you wanted to share your life with, eh? Back at the conference, Robert is preparing to deliver another speech and to announce the winner of the Robert Martin Award. I usually wear my very best clothes, like my suit or a really good shirt and tie, so I look the part. It gives kudos to the people, and that's, to me, what it's all about, you know. Simone, how are you? All right. How are you? All right. How are you? Good to see you. It's lovely to see you again. Oh, you too. Oh, you too. Yeah. See you later. See you later. Excellent. OK. See you later. Excellent. OK. Have a good day. Yep, same to you too, Simone. Yeah, anyway, I wanted to talk to you about helping me with my speech I've got to make this morning. As you know I'm giving out an award, so I want... While he thrives on his independence, he's happy to accept help when he needs it. Spelling is not his strength, so a conference volunteer does a final check of his speech. Do you want another note after that saying 'to build on'? Do you want another note after that saying 'to build on'? To build on, yeah. To build. To build. Where, um` To build. Where, um` You did say guardianship? Well` Well` Not what you're after? Well` Not what you're after? No, it's not the word I'm after, but something like guardianship. You know, there is... but something like guardianship. You know, there is... Uh, custodians? Yeah, custodians is a better word, yeah. Custodians, yeah. The whole thing that respect must be earnt; it's not a given thing. It must be earnt. So those are the really really important things. Beautiful. Beautiful. Thanks for all your help. Excellent. Thanks. I really appreciate it. I would like to introduce Robert Martin from NZ. PEOPLE CHEER I guess one of the things I've seen over the years is... Robert believes in a team approach to advocacy. That's reflected in his decision to give the Robert Martin Award to a team of people fighting local issues. And also respect, and respect must be earnt; it's not given. And I guess when I hand out this award today is these are the things that I saw this group really show around leadership for people with an intellectual disability. I'm going to present it to the leaders of Geelong, and they are... Simone Stevens,... Simone Stevens,... APPLAUSE ...Marie Nicholls,... The reason why I chose this group is that they're actually doing as they preach. ...Suzanne Williams. And they're looking to diversify and work with the parent body group, with professionals, and I think that's really fantastic that we include all people. It's about all people with intellectual disabilities, not just the walkers and talkers of our world. There's only one thing wrong with this group. Where's the men? PEOPLE LAUGH, GROAN It's been another successful trip. He leaves with requests from people all over Australia to attend future gatherings. As much as he likes the travel, Robert's keen to start mentoring someone else to take his place on the world stage,... Whoops. Whoops. It was not supposed to happen. ...especially now he has a real place to call home. GENTLE MUSIC I've done all this international work, and sure I've been recognised for the international work, but, to me, it's not about me; it's about us and the things that we have achieved in our time at the helm. Three-quarters of an hour? Three-quarters of an hour? Oh. Three-quarters of an hour? Oh. Cooked my tea. I couldn't have done the things that I've done without a supportive wife and without supportive people around me. I'll see you then, dear. GENTLE MUSIC CONTINUES There's still lots of issues that I think are still around, and some of them may be along` around long after I've gone. But, I mean, the thing is, is that it's about speaking up now so other people can follow, hopefully, in my footsteps. Captions by Pippa Jefferies. www.able.co.nz Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2014