How Maple Helps a CALD Individual with Disabilities
Meet Peggy May McDuff, a cheerful Australian with Scottish Irish roots. Peggy grew up in Windsor, Australia, with a big and loving family. She joined an Anglican church when she was almost 17 and found her faith. Peggy has an intellectual disability because of four surgeries to remove benign brain tumours. But that doesn’t stop her from sharing her inspiring story with us. She tells us how Maple has helped her overcome her challenges and live a fulfilling life while being a CALD individual.
Peggy is one of the many CALD individuals with disabilities in Australia. CALD stands for culturally and linguistically diverse, and it refers to people who have different cultural backgrounds and speak languages other than English. CALD individuals with disabilities often face multiple barriers and discrimination in accessing services and support. They may also experience isolation and lack of social inclusion due to their disability and cultural differences.
Peggy faces some difficulties as a person with disabilities. She has trouble with stairs and slopes, and sometimes people don’t understand what she says. Peggy loves celebrating Christmas and Easter the Aussie way, but she does it alone these days. She doesn’t know much about her cultural heritage, but she enjoys talking about it and learning from others. Although she enjoys listening to Celtic music, watching movies set in Scotland or Ireland, and also likes to celebrate St Patrick’s Day and Burns Night with her friends and family.  Peggy’s culture gives her a sense of identity and belonging, and it enriches her life.
Maple has been a lifesaver for Peggy. Her best friend and half-sister set up her NDIS support with Maple. Since then, Peggy’s life has changed for the better. Maple listens to Peggy and meets her special needs whenever she contacts them. Peggy’s support workers take her out three days a week to do errands, go to appointments, and keep her house tidy. Moreover, Peggy’s support workers are curious about her culture and ask her questions about her background. Peggy likes this attention to her Irish and Scottish ancestry, and it makes her feel closer to her roots.
Peggy hopes people will be more patient with her, because there is nothing to get about her disability. She is who she is and she can’t change it. She has faced discrimination all her life, but she has learned to cope with it in her own way. Peggy’s goals are to have her son live with her and to finish her year 11 and 12 at TAFE.
Maple has been an instrumental support system for Peggy May McDuff, a CALD individual with disabilities. Peggy’s experience demonstrates the importance of understanding and embracing diversity in our society. Maple has enabled Peggy to access the community, run errands and appointments, and keep her house organised. Peggy’s story also highlights the significance of showing interest and respect for an individual’s culture and heritage. By doing so, we can create an inclusive and welcoming society for all.
