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Media Release: Australia’s first podcast for Mob with disability drops this Thursday

By March 14, 2023May 16th, 2023No Comments

The first ever podcast dedicated to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with disabilities will be released this Thursday 16 March, on Closing the Gap Day.

Created by the First Peoples Disability Network (FPDN), “Yarning Disability” is hosted by FPDN Advocate and experienced radio host, Bernard Namok, a proud St Paul, Badu, and Erub Torres Strait Islander man with his own lived experiences with disability.

Each episode of Yarning Disability will showcase the story and experiences of an Aboriginal and/ or Torres Strait Islander person living with disability or caring for someone with disability, and will also feature disability industry professionals.

FPDN National Training and Engagement Manager Carly Wallace said Yarning Disability was a unique podcast in Australia, and perhaps globally.

“Before now there was no specific podcast dedicated to the stories and voices of First Peoples living with a disability in Australia so we created Yarning Disability,” Ms Wallace said.

“FPDN’S work is to ensure the voices of First Peoples living with a disability are heard. We hope the stories that come from Yarning Disability will be a catalyst for change, not only in our community but systematically. We’re proud to create this platform for our Mob with disabilities to tell their own powerful stories.

“Getting to the launch of Yarning Disability has taken six months of work with all the planning and sourcing of stories. We’ve recorded ten or so stories so far and we have plenty more to come.

“I’m especially excited for people to hear Mat Fink’s story. Mat is a veteran of the Australian defence forces who has developed a lot of his disabilities, both physically and mentally, from his time in the Navy. He’s also recently been diagnosed with adult ADHD and Autism, so it’s a really interesting story he has to tell.

“These stories from Yarning Disability are raw and honest and will hopefully educate Mob and the disability sector around the experiences of First Peoples living with a disability, their carers and families, and the broader community as a whole.”

The first episode of Yarning Disability will be available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Audacity, and other podcast streaming services on Thursday 16 March. The second episode will be available on 27 March and will be available every second Monday from then on.

For interviews, please contact:

Bernard Namok, Yarning Disability Host, 0456951400

Or Carly Wallace, FPDN National Training and Engagement Manager and Yarning Disability contributor, 0401538017