One In Five for Sunday 30 August 2009

Tonight, thinking smarter in the face of recession. And a plea from a thirty four year old learning disabled woman confined to a rest home hospital…

Robyn Rainey wants her plight made public. She's doing time in a rest home and for some reason not understood by her, can't go back to where she used to live, with residential support. An active People First committee member, Robyn's written her story - with help from her peers.

Growing your own veggies is coming back into favour, thanks in no small part to the economic downturn. It's one way of seeing a few green shots peeking through, but when it comes to the community garden at CCS Disability Action in Royal Oak, it's also a chance to turn what was a segregated patch into community participation. Susan McLeod is in charge of communications in the agency's northern region, but she took time out to lead me down the garden path…

The cool winds of recession are affecting all parts of society, And disability support services are no exception. It's led some in the sector to think about how agencies that share a common interest can start working together. One of the first coalitions off the block is in the mental health sector. Four agencies have signed up to a formal collaboration - ARC. Wellink Trust in Wellington mooted the idea of an alliance with three other service providers: PACT and Comcare in the South Island and Walsh Trust in West Auckland. Virginia McEwan is Welllink Chief Executive Officer. Virginia McEwan says it made sense for likeminded agencies to get together.