I hope a lot of people read this article and understand the true meaning In India. Kanchan
-----Original Message----- From: AccessIndia [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Sanchit Katiyar Sent: 11 June 2014 10:26 To: accessindia Subject: [AI] (no subject) Don't expect me to work for free - Opinion - ABC Ramp Up People with disabilities are often asked to sit on committees, contribute to projects and tell our stories. But, as Carly Findlay writes, people are seldom willing to pay us for our time. I believe there is a sense of united empathy between diverse communities, even if our difference is not the same. I find myself nodding when I hear stories from my Indigenous and gay and lesbian friends too. Back in March I saw my friend Anita Heiss speak at her book launch. She's an Indigenous author - so smart, so funny and so beautiful. A lot of what she said resonated with me. Anita addressed the 'working for free' mentality geared towards diverse communities. "Everyone wants an Indigenous person to do something, but they're not valued in the marketplace," she said. Anita told a story about how she had been asked to speak at a public event. She sent her invoice, but the organisers asked to lower it as they already give to charity. "I'm a small business, not a charity," she said, and told them she would donate money to a charity if the organisation's staff did the same. Cue gasps from the audience. I find this happens for disabled people too. Commitment to engaging disabled people often comes without a fee, also even without consideration that we must take time from our paid or voluntary jobs to give this free advice. It's like we are given unpaid opportunities as a gesture of inclusiveness, or worse, that our qualifications, opinions and experience aren't worth money. There seems to be the belief that we should be grateful for opportunities, that at least it's something for us to do. I feel there's an expectation that because we educate incidentally in life, we don't mind educating large audiences for a low fee or for free. Lawrence Carter-Long, American disability advocate, says "If you value the insight and the skill set, the best way to show it is to pay for what you're learning. Changing the world shouldn't require taking a vow of poverty. I'm not a non-profit or NGO. Bottom line? If you value what I'm bringing to you, then pay me. If you don't then that's a clear indicator of what you think our community is worth." I recently consulted with two organisations for free - providing them with firsthand information about living with a visible difference. I spent five hours at one organisation and three at the other. I took time off from my day job to do this work. I received a snack and a drink from each, and a taxi fare, but no payment. I'm not ungrateful. I have a full time job with a good wage. I earn money from freelance writing and speaking, plus teaching. And I do work for free for charities and schools. I've done speaking events where I've donated my speaker fee to causes I believe in. I've donated time to a film project for organ donation. I've volunteered at the hospital providing guidance to young people. I write without payment for other bloggers and boutique online magazines. And I am proud and committed to supporting these initiatives. But when I consult for a private or public organisation, I expect payment. If a company asks me for advice on disability, especially when they'd usually pay a consultant for their services, I expect to be paid. Similarly, if a publication or organisation asks me to write for them for free when they pay their staff to write, and if they generate revenue, I want to be paid. I'd also like a link back to my blog - especially if I've done work for free. Jax Jacki Brown, a disability activist with tertiary qualifications and lived experience in disability, concurs. "There is this assumption that people with disabilities don't live busy lives and that we should be grateful for any opportunity to educate around these issues. And while I am, and I take my educational work very seriously, it takes up my time, travel and money to do it," she says. I believe the work that people like me and Jax do in educating people is important in facilitating change and improving access and inclusion, and it deserves compensation. Our work is not to be given away for free. Carly Findlay is a writer, speaker and appearance activist. She blogs at carlyfindlay.blogspot.com and tweets under @carlyfindlay. Source: http://www.abc.net.au/rampup/articles/2014/06/10/4022534.htm -- With best regards, Sanchit Katiyar. E-Mail: [email protected] Skype ID: sanchit.katiyar11 facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sanchit.katiyar.5 Mobile: +919013816320. Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of mobile phones / Tabs on: http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessind ia.org.in Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ To unsubscribe send a message to [email protected] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list.. Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of mobile phones / Tabs on: http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ To unsubscribe send a message to [email protected] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list..
