How we work
Motivation Australia strengthens locally led sustainable health, disability, rehabilitation and assistive technology sectors.
Strengthening health services
Our work is vital in places with fewer resources. Many countries in Asia and the Pacific are already experiencing a rising tide of diabetes and other NCDs. Complications that are easily preventable with the right device or service, risk peoples’ lives every day. As the young populations of these countries age, it will dramatically increase the pressure on health systems.
At some time, most people will require rehabilitation and assistive technology (AT) to stay active and enjoy life, particularly people with disabilities and health conditions. Many people rely every day on devices like glasses, hearing aids, wheelchairs and walking aids, as well as services that require more resources such as prosthetic limbs. Without them, people often remain isolated in their homes, excluded from participating in the activities they’d love to do. If it’s vital to you, and you don’t have it, it can have a huge impact on your life. For some people, AT can literally save their lives.
Health services are often far away, lack necessary supplies, and trained staff to provide the health care that people need. Many people who need AT, do not have access to them. Most affected are vulnerable groups such as women and children, the elderly, and those with disabilities, non-communicable diseases and other health conditions – often the people who could most benefit from access to services. Many children with disabilities cannot go to school because they lack the supports they need. Poverty also compounds the issues, as it is both a cause and a consequence of disability.
Commitment to human rights
Human rights are for everyone, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, indigeneity, disability, age, displacement, caste, gender, gender identity, sexuality, sexual orientation, poverty, class or socio-economic status.
Motivation Australia is committed to respecting, protecting and fulfilling the human rights of all people, especially those who may be vulnerable. Motivation Australia commits to ‘do no harm’, but more than that, we accept our responsibility not to dehumanise any person or group.
We talk to our partners about their understanding of human rights within their own cultures and traditions.
We support and critically reflect on international and domestic legal documents for human rights, while also seeking opportunities to strengthen these frameworks.
We take a rights-based approach to empower people in our programmes, and people of the future, to realise their full human rights.
Empowering women and girls
Women and girls are key to development. Empowering more women and girls to participate and have a voice makes the outcomes of our work more sustainable. Read our statement on gender equity and women’s empowerment or contact our gender focal point by email.
Including persons with disability
To fully realise human rights, we plan for deliberate inclusion of people with disabilities in both mainstream development programmes and specialist services. This is called the twin-track approach to disability inclusive development.
Read more about how the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is particularly important to our work.
Sustainable development approach
Decades of experience has taught us that there’s no point in just giving out things and hoping that it’s going to make a long term difference. That’s why we’ve always worked with a sustainable development approach, to create positive and lasting change through our programmes. Our work is focused on building the capacity of local organisations to deliver frontline services. This means training local personnel and equipping organisations to provide the services and AT that people need.
We do this by working in partnership to strengthen local organisations in five key areas: human resources, technical resources, service systems, organisational culture and management. Our work focuses on three themes that build on each other: health and rehabilitation, assistive technology (AT) and inclusion.
Improving survival, health and rehabilitation outcomes
Addressing the life threatening, secondary complications of disabilities and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is an ongoing challenge. Many countries in Asia and the Pacific are already experiencing a rising tide of diabetes and other NCDs. Preventable complications such as pressure sores, kidney damage and infected diabetic foot wounds are a major health threat, particularly where there are limited health and rehabilitation opportunities.
Equipping our partners with the expertise and resources to help their clients to survive and stay healthy, is the most fundamental way that Motivation Australia can improve their quality of life. Avoiding an amputation by healing a diabetic foot wound, assisting someone to prevent pressure sores or finding a solution for a sustainable supply of urinary management products are life changing, and for some people, life saving interventions.
Increasing access to appropriate assistive technology
Access to appropriate AT is key to removing barriers to participation and realising peoples’ rights. AT helps to reduce the impact of impairment and increase the ability of people with disabilities to do their daily activities, and participate in family and community.
AT enables persons with disabilities to become productive members of society, thereby enhancing their quality of life, enabling them to enjoy their human rights and live in dignity.
Effective provision of AT requires: services that people can reach, appropriate devices, training for local people, policy and guidelines that support and guide practice, as well as maximum involvement of the AT user at every stage of service delivery.
Creating and supporting opportunities for inclusion
Everyone has the right to be included and participate in their family and community life as much as they would like to. However many people still do not have access to appropriate health care, rehabilitation and the AT they need. Without these services, the elderly, people with disabilities, non-communicable diseases and other health conditions often remain isolated in their homes, excluded from participating in the activities they’d love to do.
I love teaching because it is my calling. When I have my artificial limb I can do everything, because I can walk
– Melelega, a school teacher in Samoa
Whatever the reason you need AT, they are tools which enable your inclusion. Whether earning a living, pursuing education, playing sport, travelling or having a social life, not having access to the AT you need, will significantly impact your quality of life. Rehabilitation and assistive technology are stepping stones on the journey towards full and equal inclusion.
