My Perfect Family: Ebony Sinclair
Ebony Sinclair is a go-getter born with Achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism. Ebony and her husband Ge...
My Perfect Family:Fragile X
To discover you’re the carrier of the genetic condition Fragile X only after your children are born ...
My Perfect Family: Nash Jones
The Jones family’s life changed forever when their youngest boy Nash was diagnosed with a rare condi...
My Perfect Family
Exploring the day today lives of tight-knit families, who are managing complex or unusual conditions...
My Perfect Family: Lydia Golding
6-year-old Lydia Golding was born with her right femur bone significantly shorter than her left. In...
My Perfect Family: Hatty
Hatty Walton is a 13-year-old star on the show Mystic, who lives with a hearing impairment. Hatty ho...
My Perfect Family: Twins
For young mum Nikki Stokes being a mother of five means there's never a dull moment. With non-verbal...
My Perfect Family: Georgia Heard
Georgia Heard thought she had parenting all mapped out. But when the younger of her two boys was di...
My Perfect Family: Mahia & Tipene
Mahia and Tipene Stephens were born with a congenital eye disorder, causing their eyesight to deteri...
My Perfect Family: Harper Ahern
Since being diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy at age four, 10-year-old surfer Harper and his family ...
My Perfect Family: Meet the Asners
They call themselves the "The Brady Bunch of Autism". Descendants of Hollywood royalty, Matt and Nav...
My Perfect Family: Kat and Ella
Kat Yearbury is a mother to two-year-old Frankie and six-year-old Ella, who has Cerebral Palsy and E...
My Perfect Family: The Priestleys
Four of the six Priestley family members live with Autism. Because they’re able to function at a hig...
My Perfect Family: No Respite
Life during a pandemic is a challenge for all parents with kids at home. But for parents whose child...
My Perfect Family: Kim Preston
Raising three boys is always a big task, especially when two of them have severe autism. But Kim Pre...
My Perfect Family: Zoe
Zoe Tate lives with Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome, a genetic disorder affecting her appearance, growth an...
My Perfect Family: Hunter
Hunter McGregor is a passionate gamer, a design school graduate, and he runs a B&B with his mum, Roi...
My Perfect Family: Jaxon Woolley
15 year old Jaxon Woolley is already blitzing through para-sprinting records. An athlete to watch, J...
My Perfect Family: Max and Grace
Siblings Max and Grace are off on a road trip to Queenstown, putting Max's independence to the test ...
My Perfect Family: Friedreich's Ataxia
Preparing for a 30th birthday is a big deal in the Boon family. Three out of five siblings live with...
My Perfect Family: Courtenay
Demar Gear was just five months old when she contracted meningitis, leaving her unable to walk or ta...
My Perfect Family: Tara Aumalesulu
Nine year old Tara is launching her very first album, Pele O Lo’u Fatu. Living with visual impairmen...
My Perfect Family: The Fergusons Part 2
Last week we met the Fergusons, a family of five who communicate using NZSL. Here, we join the Fergu...
My Perfect Family: OCD
For two teenage sisters living with OCD, the world can often be an uncertain and scary place. In the...
My Perfect Family: Grace Payne
Grace Payne is a powerlifter who has competed in the Special Olympics as an autistic athlete. Now, 2...
Brothers and Sisters
The unique perspective of those closest to us, our brothers and sisters.
My Perfect Family: Creative Clan
Ranger Ashurst is eleven and needs regular injections to control his Chrone's disease, his eight yea...
My Perfect Family: Tri Rugby
For members of Christchurch's Tri Rugby team - who live with intellectual disabilities - rugby is mo...
My Perfect Family: Bold As Brass
As New Zealanders living in Australia, Abbi and Morgan Brass received no government support when the...
My Perfect Family: The Fergusons Part 1
The Fergusons are an average family of five; they have fun, they fight, but mostly they get along. ...
My Perfect Family: Jo & Leon
Young doctor Jo Scott’s career was on the rise when a brain haemorrhage changed her life. Seven year...
My Perfect Family: Perrones
Young anime artist Bee Perrone lives with the rare condition, Ivemark Syndrome. Understanding this i...
My Perfect Family: Little People
The 50th annual conference for Little People of New Zealand (LPNZ) is fast approaching, and 27-year-...
My Perfect Family: Southland Lockdown
Awards Night is the highlight of the social calendar for a vulnerable workforce at Southland Disabil...
My Perfect Family: CDKL5
Learning your new baby has a complex rare condition is life altering. Three Mums connect over their ...
My Perfect Family: Malaena Cariño
12-year-old Malaena Cariño has a rare genetic form of epilepsy. Her whānau have exhausted most treat...
My Perfect Family: Martine
Blind since birth, Martine Able-Williamson is now a global leader in the blind community. In this i...
My Perfect Family: Cystic Sisters
Kristy and Nikki are sisters and young mums who bring smiles to the faces of strangers by doing surp...
My Perfect Family: Sam and Jason
Sam lost her sight as a baby due to meningitis, and her husband Jason has limited vision due to a ge...
My Perfect Family: Alex
Performance is in the Walsh family’s DNA. When their youngest son Alex was born with Down syndrome, ...
My Perfect Family: Tiffiney Perry
Always an active person, Tiffiney Perry continued participating in sports and achieving success afte...
My Perfect Family: Family Man Graeme
When Graeme Porter was diagnosed with an intellectual disability as a child no one expected him to r...
My Perfect Family: Scruff's Bunch
Kim Preston (Scruff) reckon's she'll be caring for her three adult sons with Autism until she 'carks...
My Perfect Family: Candle Dad
Raising four children alone is a challenge - more so, when two have Down Syndrome. Tony Sykes rose t...
My Perfect Family: Southland
Southland Disability Enterprises employs over 80 people who live with a disability. For Mary-Ellen J...
My Perfect Family: Melody
Within just one year Melody entirely lost her vision, gave birth to her first child, and left her ho...
My Perfect Family: Welcome Home Stevie
Murray and Janine's son Steven was a gentle boy with autism. 18 months ago he left their house with ...
Southland Disability Enterprises (SDE) employs a majority of people with disabilities, forming a family and giving them a place to belong.
They employ 82 disabled people and just over 20 mainstream employees. Their main work is sorting Waste Net’s recycling.
General manager Hamish McMurdo who started out as a butcher, found his way into the disability sector through teaching.
“It really opened my eyes to the support people need. We provide quality and meaningful work that enriches our guys lives. ”
Providing social opportunities for his staff is also important. McMurdo recognises people with disabilities are often spread around the town and find it hard to interact socially.
So every Wednesday the company bus drops them at ten pin bowling. Neville Clode is one of these SDE employees who looks forward to it.
55 year-old Neville loves his work and rarely misses a day. His mother Dorothy says they are treated like family.
Father Donald knows his son who lives with downs-syndrome gets a lot out of it, “they all feel as though they are contributing and are of some value.”
Neville lives at home with his mother and father and as Dorothy explains, he has had his share of health problems.
“He had cerebral edema and battled through it, the same as you or I having a stroke. [Now] he has spinal stenosis, so his vertebrae is breaking down and pressing on the nerve which goes up to the back of his brain.”
This affects his balance and means he can not stand for long periods of time. Luckily McMurdo and SDE accommodates their employees abilities and has adjusted work to suit him.
“He was first a strapping young lad who broke down pallets, now he’s in the packing room as his balance has changed.”
When he is not at work Neville enjoys looking through old photographs or spending time with his family.
Although his elderly parents Donald and Dorothy are uncertain about the future.
“I don’t think we’ve been very successful in making plans, we keep putting it off but we are going to have to get ourselves together. We aren’t always going to be here, so we should probably do some serious thinking.”
“Neville didn’t want to move away from here. He loves family. If the family is about, he’s really into it.”
Mary-Ellen is another SDE employee who has enjoyed going to work every day for the 20 years she has been there. She lives with her older sister Margaret who knows how much she loves work.
“On her birthday she wants to go to work because she gets on the bus and they sing her happy birthday.”
McMurdo knows his employees personally.
“Mary-ellen is a wonderful part of the team and is very switched on.”
She and her sister were always treated the same growing up.
“She was expected to do everything just like the rest of us. The fact that she has downs syndrome we didn’t think of her as different.”
Margaret and her husband does not mind having Mary-ellen live with them, but they know they need to think of an alternative.
“We want her to get into a space where she can go flatting in a supported environment with someone coming in to check on her. It’s better for her to do the transition while we are still around.”
“I want to be a sister to her and not a carer. I want to be able to be a sister and have that special relationship with her.”
McMurdo aims to provide the most supportive work environment he can.
“We work pretty hard to give our guys a meal almost every day. We often talk about belonging and giving them a feeling they have somewhere that is theirs.”
He believes people have good in their hearts but sometimes do not understand others with disabilities.
“It’s not that people don’t want to understand, it’s just when you aren’t around disability all the time people just don’t need to understand. Anyone who leaves here no matter how long they’ve been working here for, would leave a more understanding person about disability and vulnerable people.”
My Perfect Family: Candle Dad
Raising four children alone is a challenge - more so, when two have Down Syndrome. Tony Sykes rose t...
My Perfect Family: Candle Dad
Raising four children alone is a challenge - more so, when two have Down Syndrome. Tony Sykes rose t...
My Perfect Family:Fragile X
To discover you’re the carrier of the genetic condition Fragile X only after your children are born ...
My Perfect Family:Fragile X
To discover you’re the carrier of the genetic condition Fragile X only after your children are born ...
Crips In Cars: Willie & Darya
Willie Waiirua is a social media influencer and musician. Darya Small is a social change maker livin...
My Perfect Family: Welcome Home Stevie
Murray and Janine's son Steven was a gentle boy with autism. 18 months ago he left their house with ...
Salem's Ballet
Salem Foxx is only 13 and has already danced with the Royal New Zealand Ballet. Dance has opened up ...
Unlocking Autism
As a neurologist and mother, Ros Hill is determined to unlock the mysteries of autism.
My Perfect Family: Family Man Graeme
When Graeme Porter was diagnosed with an intellectual disability as a child no one expected him to r...
My Perfect Family: Creative Clan
Ranger Ashurst is eleven and needs regular injections to control his Chrone's disease, his eight yea...
The Mutes
In this rock-u-mentary we go on tour with The Mutes from Mars. They've been madly practicing for one...
The Lily Harper Show
Hosting her own chat show Lily Harper interviews herself, getting the low down on life as an indepen...
Robert Martin Makes History
Kiwi Robert Martin is in New York at the UN and making history as the first person with a learning d...
The Road to Miss Amazing: Part 2
As the national Miss Amazing pageant in Chicago draws near so does the chance for one little 17-year...
Being Me Alix
Alix Generous has spoken at the United Nations, made a significant contribution to science, given tw...
Dylan Goes to Kindy: Dylan's First Day
We've been filming with the Bezencon family since before Dylan was born. Tests confirmed he'd be bor...
My Perfect Family: Zoe
Zoe Tate lives with Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome, a genetic disorder affecting her appearance, growth an...
Time to Shine: Special Olympics World Games
It's the biggest sporting event of the year - the Special Olympics World Games. For 36 kiwi athletes...
Being Us: Nathan and Michael
A friendship born out of a love for sport, Nathan and Michael's fates aligned thanks to their passio...
A Father's Love
Cliff, 79, has dedicated his life to caring for his now adult children with intellectual disabilitie...
Seclusion
Ashley lives with autism, behavioural challenges and mental un-wellness. He's in a secure mental hea...
The Road to Miss Amazing: Part 1
Each year over a hundred girls with learning disabilities gather with the hope of being crowned Miss...
My Perfect Family: Meet the Asners
They call themselves the "The Brady Bunch of Autism". Descendants of Hollywood royalty, Matt and Nav...
Damiana Rides Again
For years Damian Day has cycled up and down New Zealand searching for a place to fit in. Has he fina...
Justice for FASD
Daniel and Jakob are 2 teens living with a surprisingly common, yet largely misunderstood disability...
Keeping Up With Chris
When Chris Bunton was born with Down Syndrome his parents wondered if he'd ever achieve the independ...
Philip's Puppets
Meet Philip - a quirky puppeteer living with Autism. With the help of 2 puppets he's spreading a mes...
My Perfect Family: Twins
For young mum Nikki Stokes being a mother of five means there's never a dull moment. With non-verbal...
My Perfect Family: Twins
For young mum Nikki Stokes being a mother of five means there's never a dull moment. With non-verbal...
The Big Climb
Tom doesn't say much and Mitch doesn't stop. They're best friends helping each other through life's ...
Where Are They Now? Dylan: Growing Up With Down Syndrome
The first five years are the most wondrous and crucial years of development, from the womb we've car...
Jimmy Wants a Job
Twenty-two-year-old Jimmy Rae Brown wants a job, he loves film and he may just have found the perfec...
Robert Martin: The People's Advocate
From life in an institution to sitting at the tables of power; Robert Martin has become a leader and...
Portia Wants a Job
When Portia finished high school she had high hopes of getting a job. She has volunteer and work pla...
Josh Flannagan: Horse Whisperer
Humans and the way they behave have always confused Josh Flannagan but his special affinity with hor...
Sailsbury School
Salisbury School in Nelson is a boarding school for girls with intellectual disabilities and behavio...
A Curious Mind: St. Lucy's
To mainstream or not - a dilemma faced by parents of children with intellectual disabilities. Visit ...
A Curious Mind: St. Lucy's
To mainstream or not - a dilemma faced by parents of children with intellectual disabilities. Visit ...
My Perfect Family: Scruff's Bunch
Kim Preston (Scruff) reckon's she'll be caring for her three adult sons with Autism until she 'carks...
Sam's Big Adventure
Sam Muir-James can swim to Rangitoto Island, perform magic tricks and make children laugh. He doesn'...
Being Me: Sarah
Though born with CHARGE syndrome, 22-year-old Sarah Dalton doesn’t let it define her. She’s an avid ...
My Perfect Family: Southland
Southland Disability Enterprises employs over 80 people who live with a disability. For Mary-Ellen J...
The Truth About Disability: Part 3
The final chapter in a series revealing the �truth about disability,� there are plenty of laughs in ...
Clayton's Quest for Gold
Competitive Weight Lifter Clayton Marr squeezes a lot into his day but most importantly, training fo...
The Truth About Disability: Part 1
A three part series revealing the �Truth About Disability.� A wide range of perspectives on all the ...
Skating for Glory
Ben Southern's one objective is to deliver the greatest performance of his life at the Special Olymp...
Dean Rapper
Dean Young is a talented rapper and peot with Down Syndrome.
Four Go Flatting
Four young people reckon it's time they moved out of home and went flatting. But with intellectual d...
The Value of Art
In the art world they're referred to as outsider artists. They live with disability and they've neve...
The Truth About Disability: Part 2
Part two of a series revealing the truth about disability: a frank conversation on the more delicate...
Meet Alex Sneddon
Alex Sneddon's parents have always wanted the best for their son. Now the 24-year-old who lives with...
Kelly Downs Achiever: Kelly's Story
Kelly Fitzgerald is one of only two people in New Zealand with Down Syndrome that have their full dr...
Special Olympics Figure Skater: Meg
Meg was mesmerised by the sparkly dresses when she first watched figure skating on TV. After her 9th...
Beauty Queen with Down Syndrome: Aubrey the Amazing
Aubrey Armstrong is a 13-year-old from Mississippi and she is full of sass! When she's not bossing h...
The Road to Miss Amazing 2018: Part 3
There’s only four days until the Miss Amazing 2018 final, and Jordan’s on a tight schedule with no r...
The Road to Miss Amazing 2018: Part 1
This year, 17-year-old Abby returns to Miss Amazing as the reigning winner, after having a life-chan...
The Road to Miss Amazing 2018: Part 5
Gigi fights her nerves, and makes it on stage for her first appearance. Mum’s Lisa and Christine sh...
The Road to Miss Amazing 2018: Part 2
Miss Amazing created positive change for Abby, but see how the pageant has changed the life of her m...
The Road to Miss Amazing 2018: Part 4
Contestants arrive at the Miss Amazing 2018 pageant in Chicago, the ballroom is still getting decora...
The Road to Miss Amazing 2018: Part 6
Gigi’s friends come to the rescue when the pressure of performing and being on stage almost becomes ...
My Perfect Family: Southland Lockdown
Awards Night is the highlight of the social calendar for a vulnerable workforce at Southland Disabil...
Sir Robert Martin: A Human Rights Conversation
Sir Robert Martin's earliest memories are of appalling treatment in an institution. Now, he works wi...
Being Me: Rufus
Rufus lives in Kaikoura with his parents, but wants to live independently like his siblings. On a ro...
My Perfect Family: Taonga
The Peita Boys keep their mum, Miranda’s, hands full. Taonga, the youngest, was born with the extra ...
Inside Outside: Jesse Coles-Hart
Jesse Coles-Hart has started his first paid job as an assistant baker, but he still makes time for t...
My Perfect Family: CDKL5
Learning your new baby has a complex rare condition is life altering. Three Mums connect over their ...
Being Me: Carlos
Carlos Biggeman is an award-winning photographer, he’s about to publish a book of his work. He was b...
My Perfect Family: Tri Rugby
For members of Christchurch's Tri Rugby team - who live with intellectual disabilities - rugby is mo...
My Perfect Family: Max and Grace
Siblings Max and Grace are off on a road trip to Queenstown, putting Max's independence to the test ...
My Perfect Family: Alex
Performance is in the Walsh family’s DNA. When their youngest son Alex was born with Down syndrome, ...
Being Me: Bailey Conlon
16-year-old para-swimmer Bailey is smashing records and helping to raise the profile of swimmers wit...
