Margaret Ward

Margaret Ward raised her daughter Mena, who had multiple disabilities, to believe she could have a life like her brother and sister.  In her short life (she died at the age of 30), Mena went to a regular school, worked in open employment and lived in her own home for 11 years.  She showed others what was possible with a strong and positive vision of a good life and a family willing to break with tradition.

Mena’s legacy lives on through the many people with disability and their families who met her and saw what was possible. With the help of creative professionals, paid support workers, and her circle of family and friends, Mena was able to stay in her own home to the end of her life.

As part of that legacy, Margaret worked with over 50 people with disability, their families, and support workers to develop the Seven Steps to Self-Direction.  People across Australia now use this resource to bring their teams together to build good lives for people with disability.

The secrets of fabulous skin self-direction

Margaret Ward raised her daughter Mena, who had multiple disabilities, to believe she could have a life like her brother and sister. In her thirty short years, Mena went to a regular school, worked in open employment, and lived in her own home for 11 years. She showed others what was possible with a strong and positive vision of a good life and a family willing to break with tradition.

This kind of self-direction requires work, commitment, and vigilance, and, as Marg will explain, it’s helpful to know some tricks of the trade.

In this presentation, Marg will share her secrets of self-direction, accrued through her personal experience and understanding of what makes a rich and full life for a person with a disability. She will encourage you to “get going and learn on the job”. By the end of this session, you’ll never underestimate the power of families with a positive vision and a plan.

About this session

• Margaret Ward will be presenting at the main Safeguarding the Future conference
• Thursday-Friday, 23-24 May 2024
• 9:00 am to 5:00 pm AEST both days

Register to attend the conference and/or the pre-conference webinars

Learn about the other conference speakers and their presentations

Pre-conference webinars

• Webinar 1 – Decision-making in everyday life – Janet Klees
• Webinar 2 – Medical safeguarding – Jo Massarelli and Cathy Ludlum
• Webinar 3 – Now is the time for vision – Darcy Elks

Main conference

• The secrets of fabulous skin self-direction – Margaret Ward
• Never too late to get a life – Josey McMahon and Cathy McMahon
• Building bridges to neighbourhood – Sarah Faulkner
• Safeguarding a Micro Enterprise for the future – Helen Neale
• Who is the person behind the behaviour, and what do they need? – Kane Morgan
• It’s a long game – Ann Greer, Valen Litster, and Sally Aubrey
• The importance of trust and relationship in supported decision-making – Kim Roots
• A sibling’s perspective – Rebecca Altaffer
• What happens when I cark it? – Linda Hughes
• Safeguarding Isaac’s good life through a Service for One – Sheree Henley
• More speaker details coming soon!

About the Safeguarding the Future conference

• Thursday-Friday, 23-24 May 2024
• 9:00 am – 5:00 pm both days
• Hotel Realm in Canberra
• Optional networking event on Thursday evening
• Three pre-conference webinars included in the main conference ticket
• Pre-conference webinar-only tickets are also available if you can’t attend the main event
• Flexible pricing is available for people with disability and their families from $0.00 to $225.00
• People with disability, their families, friends, and allies, support workers, education professionals, health professionals, and everyone interested in safeguarding the future of people with disability are welcome to attend.

Register to attend the conference and/or the pre-conference webinars