Briar was part of the consumer advisory group that helped establish the website My CP Guide. From there she became a member of the working group looking at establishing the mission of Cerebral Palsy Australia into the future. It was with great joy that she accepted the position of deputy chair of the Board of Cerebral Palsy Australia and deputy chair of the advisory panel for Cerebral Palsy Australia earlier this year.
Living with a number of physical and mental health conditions including cerebral palsy, Briar draws on her lived experience and professional background to help educate people as to what it is like living with a disability, in an effort to change people’s perspectives. She is particularly interested in the intersection between cerebral palsy and mental health conditions. Briar would like to see the development of a model of care that supports the physical and mental well-being of people with cerebral palsy.
Briar completed a social work degree and a master’s in policy and applied social research, but like some people with cerebral palsy she found it difficult to find suitable employment in these areas. This made her passionate about people with cerebral palsy having equal access to education and employment opportunities. Over the years she has been able to build a collection of roles that have allowed her to help educate people about physical disability and mental health. She has developed a mental health program that was rolled out in workplaces across Australia, as well as developing e-learning modules for people with lived experience of disability wanting to seek employment. However, her main passion is advocating for people with cerebral palsy to ensure they are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve. Briar is looking forward to the opportunities Cerebral Palsy Australia will have to change the lives of people with cerebral palsy.
