Aaron is #BecomingVisible
Aaron found out about get2ether surfing the web. He filled out the membership form as soon as he turned 18.
He wanted to meet new people, go clubbing, and date. Unfortunately, lockdown crossed those plans, but the opportunities Aaron took during the lockdown opened new horizons. This is Aaron’s story of #BecomingVisible!
What does Becoming Visible mean to you?
I think becoming visible means getting out there with a big voice. People with disabilities are being inside their shells and not doing what they want to do with their life. We are also underrepresented, not being heard, but it’s 2021, and today we are changing the way people look at us and I hope they can see we all have something to bring to the table.
Can you tell me about your involvement with get2gether? What are you working on at the moment?
I’m currently working on another murder mystery with Emma, this time it is based on WW2. If you want to play a character please do come along to our workshop on the 25th.
I also have an event coming up with Sandy called guess that song. We are going on a trip down memory lane so be there or be square it is the 24th of March.
You have also been doing some work with Napier University. Do you want to tell us about those projects and how did you get involved with Napier?
I went along to the steering group last year and I heard about the opportunity to speak to Second year learning disability nursing students and I never look back.
The lectures and the students are so lovely especially Natasha the lecturer who is great even though she can’t say my name right due to being Canadian, lol. But basically, I just tell students about my lived experience and also experiences I had with learning disability nurses throughout my life – the good and the bad, and hopefully, new generations of students can learn from me and my experience. For me, taking this opportunity has been the best experience of my life.
I am looking forward to working with them in the future. I just got asked if I want to sit on their interview panel for this year’s recruitment intakes of students.
There is also another project in the pipeline, where I am also a co-author of the academic paper, which looks at the effects of Covid-19 on people with disabilities that will be published in a medical journal.
How does this work make you feel?
Every time, it is an amazing feeling when I zoom with Napier. I feel listened to and they take my opinions seriously, this makes me feel like I am a good member of society.
What does the future hold for you?
I don’t know exactly yet what that thing is, but I know one thing – it will be big. Watch this space!