Where: Burwood RSL Club - 96 Shaftesbury Road, Burwood NSW 2134

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Feel the Vibe is a one day, two-part event on sexuality and disability. Feel the Vibe includes a forum targeted towards disability professionals, parents and carers, and an expo targeted towards people with disability

Session times:

• Feel the Vibe Forum: 10am to 12:30pm
• Feel the Vibe Expo: 6pm – 9pm

Feel the Vibe Forum: 10am to 12:30pm

The forum will offer attendees the opportunity to meet and learn from experts in the field of sexuality and disability, and will feature a range of sexuality and disability presentations including:

‘Steve’s story’

Steve*

This presentation will provide a look into Steve’s experiences as a trans male with intellectual disability.

Steve is a 26-year-old trans male with intellectual disability who participated in the Family Planning NSW Outing Disability exhibition. Through his involvement in the project working group, Steve has become a confident public speaker, bringing his lived experience and a strong voice to the issues faced by LGBTQI people with disability. Steve has shared his story at disability conferences, education forums, exhibition launches and spoken on ABC and community radio. Additionally, he has shared his story with other people with intellectual disability.

‘Talking about sexual health’

Ee-Lin Chang - Senior Health Promotion Officer (Disability) – Family Planning NSW

This presentation will provide an overview of sexual health and how to utilise Family Planning NSW resources.

Ee-Lin has over seven year’s experience providing social and recreational support to adults with disability in both direct service delivery and program management roles. As the Senior Disability Health Promotion Officer at Family Planning NSW, Ee-Lin leads a team of health promotion officers and educators working towards improving the reproductive and sexual health of people with intellectual disability through education, advocacy and the creation of accessible resources.  Ee-Lin is passionate about the rights of all people to experience and express their sexuality and live full and enriching lives.

‘Touching base with the oldest profession’

Saul Isbister - Sex worker activist and President of Touching Base Inc.

This presentation will introduce Touching Base Inc. and explore the resources available to support people with disability who are planning on visiting a sex worker.

Saul has over 20 years experience as a sex worker in both New Zealand and Australia. He has a keen interest in professional development as a sex worker and has experience seeing clients with a range of special needs. Based in Sydney, Saul is a founding member and President of Touching Base Inc. and his work was recognised internationally when he won the UK Sexual Freedom Award – Sex Worker of the Year 2016.

‘Unpacking consent’

Jill Maginnity - Practice Manager – Northcott and Treasurer – Touching Base Inc.

This presentation will provide an overview of consent and address concerns around capacity and vulnerability in regards to sexual relationships.

Jill has been working in the disability sector for over 28 years, developing and delivering a range of learning activities to staff and customers in the disability and community sectors. Her current role provides practice leadership to Multi-disciplinary Services staff across Northcott. Jill has trained in a wide range of subjects including conflict resolution skills, preventing and responding to abuse and assault, sexuality and protective behaviours, management development and team-building. Jill has been supporting people with disability to participate in Mardi Gras on a variety of floats since 2002 and has been on the Touching Base Committee of Management for over 17 years.

‘Occupational therapists…We do it the functional way’

Jaie Thomson, Service Manager, Occupational Therapist – Northcott

This presentation will provide an overview of the barriers to sexuality, and take a look at ways to accommodate, alter or approach situations differently.

Jaie is a Service Manager and Occupational Therapist from Northcott. Jaie leads a team of multi-disciplinary service staff across Western Sydney, providing leadership and support. Jaie has over 10 years of experience working with adults with disability. She has developed a strong passion for supporting individuals with disability to have greater opportunities to access and explore their sexuality.

*last name excluded for privacy reasons

Feel the Vibe Expo: 6pm – 9pm

The Feel the Vibe expo will include exhibitor stalls, adult product displays topic talks hosted by our exhibitors and entertainment. Attendees will learn about sexuality, sexual health and sexual fulfillment in a safe, friendly and supportive environment.

The event provides unique opportunities for attendees to meet new people and to learn more about making choices in the area of sexuality. It offers a fun, light-hearted, safe and welcoming environment with entertainment and sexuality-related topic talks.

Stall holders include:

• Touching Base Inc.
• ACON
• Claude
• Max Black
• Family Planning NSW
• Intimate Whispers
• Astroglide
• Northcott
• April Nites
• MiaMaxx

Performance by Dizzy Bility

Topic talks are fun, interactive and informative sessions where attendees can learn more about sexuality. Topic Talks include:

• Talk. Test. Enjoy – Talking about STIs and safe sex hosted by Family Planning NSW
• Toy Talk - Let us introduce you to some toys that might suit you best. From toys that allow for some extra reach, vibrators which can be used hands-free, toys comfortably used in a set postiion to simple toyts to app-controlled toys hoted by Max Black. 
• 10 tips for clients seeing a sex worker – Find out about some hot tips for seeing a sex worker hosted by Touching Base
• Getting to know lube – A fun way to learn about what lube is and why it’s so important hosted by ACON
• Make your own sex toy – A fun, hands on opportunity to design and make your ideal (pretend) sex toy hosted by Northcott Innovation