For most of Byron's life, he has known that he is gay. But it is only in the last year that he has come out publicly. 

It's not just his sexuality that Byron has struggled with in his life. He also has a serious physical condition that causes him ongoing pain and distress. Not only that, a childhood accident left him with damage to his brain and he also has ADHD.

But Byron will not allow himself to be a victim of his challenges. Through his art and with therapy, he's fighting to make a better life for himself and to become a beacon of light, strength and hope for others. 

He also has a very unique business idea that he will share with us.

Jess is active in her local community and has a network of support including her work colleagues, family and friends.

In the first episode we talk to Leonie. She shares her story of growing up, living independently, her relationships, and her journey to a job she loves.

Ben is a passionate artist who designs apparel for his fashion micro business called Hazzah.

Ben started his clothing brand when he was 19 because he wanted people to be accepted for who they are, to embrace being unique and to have fun in the clothes they wear.  

In this podcast Ben talks about where he draws his inspiration, how his business is run, all the ideas he has, and his dreams for the future.  

To see or buy any of the Hazzah clothing or merchandise, visit https://www.hazzah.com.au/ 

She has published two books about Harmony the Hen. 

She is also a dancer and performer with the Light Opera Company.  

Naomi is a strong advocate for people with intellectual disability as well. She is an ambassador for several Down Syndrome associations and has spoken at numerous events worldwide. 

To find out more about Naomi Lake visit the Harmony Hen website.

Gerard uses his profile to challenge social stereotypes and his work includes
dramatic performances in film, television and theatre.  

He was awarded Best Male Actor at Tropfest, the world’s largest short film festival in 2009, Best Short Film Award and Best Male Actor runner up in the Short & Sweet short play festival in 2011 amongst others. 

In 2010, 2011 and 2015 Gerard was selected as an Ambassador for the NSW state government Don’t DISMyABILITY campaign and he has featured in an advertisement for the NSW government CareCareers campaign. 

Gerard has been featured as an Archibald Prize entry by artist Rita Karagelinian in her portrait entitled 'Conversations with a leading man'. 

In this episode Gerard shares with us his experience being an actor, speaker and
performer with Down syndrome.  

Lauren gets her inspiration from nature; looking at different plants, animals and landscapes. 

Her paintings were exposed in the Art Gallery NSW.  

In this episode Lauren share with us what it means to be an artist with intellectual disability.  

We talk with Kane about his experiences and his recipe for making the most out of unexpected change.  
 
He shares his tips for staying calm and positive in trying times: meditation, getting into nature, dancing, family, friends, and avoiding too much social media.    

 In this episode Sarah and Justen talk about their experiences with making and maintaining friendships. 

They share the reasons why friendships can be so rewarding, what makes a good friend, but also some of the challenges that can come up.  

Challenges can arise for people with and without intellectual disability. Also, making and keeping friends isn’t always easy. What we find from this episode is that everyone wants friends. They want connection and someone they can trust.  

You can use it if you feel scared, stressed or worried.

This exercise has been made with and for people with intellectual disability.  

You can listen to the audio now and you can also 

• Download the audio file and  listen to the exercise on your phone.
• Download the PDF guide to read the exercise.  

For more resources for people with intellectual disability go to
www.cid.org.au/resources.

For COVID resources in Easy Read go to www.cid.org.au/covid-19.

In this episode Cameron talks about his experiences as a gay man with an intellectual disability. He tells the story of coming out to his mum, of gaining acceptance with his partner’s family, and of accessing LGBTIQ+ social spaces. He also discusses some of the challenges for people with intellectual disability to be seen as sexual beings and says how important this is. 

Jack discusses his experiences with support workers, who he relies on daily. He talks about the challenges of being dependent on another person to meet your needs, but also the joys of building friendships with these workers as well. 

A person with an intellectual disability, like any other person, is a sexual being. However, this is often not acknowledged or supported by families, support workers and even the broader community.  

The result is that for many people with disabilities, their opportunities to form or maintain sexual relationships are limited. 

Jonathan Bredin or Jono, is a young man who is non-verbal, has cerebral palsy but does not have an intellectual disability. That said, much of what he says in this episode will feel relevant to others who do have an intellectual disability.  

In this episode he talks to us about the challenges people with disability can face in developing sexual relationships and of the importance of NDIS funding for sexual pleasure. He talks candidly about the particular limitations in group home environments and when you are reliant on support workers to facilitate your sexual relationships.  

 Find out more about Jonathan Bredin here:  www.grabcontrol.com.au

Some of us also want to have families of our own and need to be free to make our own decisions around this, and if needed, supported to do so. 

Judith is no different.  

In this episode, Judith, who has an intellectual disability, shares her experiences of being a child, a mother and now a grandmother.  

In this episode, Ella, who has an intellectual disability, shares her insights into the challenges of dating for people with intellectual disability and gives some of her personal tips on using apps, making conversation and staying safe when on a date.