Cérge

We are on a family holiday at the moment, myself, my husband and our two teenagers. We are driving from the north of New Zealand to the south.
I am a person who is Deaf and so travelling comes with its challenges. Some tourist attractions are just completely inaccessible to me. We can travel to a place and be very excited and then when we arrive we realise I can’t hear the tour guide or hear the show.
I can’t tell you the continuum of disappointment at times.
I’m a very positive human and with my disability I make the most of every encounter and communication. Sadly the frustration can build up at times.
I communicate via writing, lip reading, New Zealand Sign Language, which is an official language in NZ since 2006, however it doesn’t mean everyone knows or utilises it.
When I saw on the Cérge app that Trust House Recreation Centre has Cérge and was almost in our direction I was so incredibly excited! It’s 30 degrees here today and for us Kiwis that’s an oven. So a swim was the perfect idea!
I notified Trust House in the Cérge app that I would be arriving in 40mins, that I am a person who is Deaf and I would like the staff to communicate via writing, text, signs and gestures!
As soon as I arrived I had two staff members give me the biggest waves and smiles! They had great eye contact with me as I asked questions about the gym and sauna (way too hot for a sauna today hehe). Their enthusiasm to try and to do their best was so appreciated!
They wrote me a note, gave me a timetable and I went off into the pools to enjoy and look around! Trust House Recreation Centre is a great centre, the facilities are amazing and the staff were very friendly.
I read the note, it was about the prices and then a bit that said there was no visual effect for a fire emergency but that the lifeguards were aware of me and the staff member would sign to me if there was a fire.
This made me feel so incredibly safe, I can’t hear fire alarms or sirens and yet never has this been incorporated into a visit to any venue ever for me. I knew, they knew who I was and they would keep me safe.
Above
And
Beyond!
Being able to have inclusive customer service like this means I can visit places without needing a support person to assist with communication and that is a massive plus for me.
I just love that even on a family holiday I can use Cérge to help find inclusive venues and therefore visit them! We enjoyed going to a whole new town because of Cérge! 
Thank you Cérge and thank you Trust House Recreation Centre

Truthfully, as a parent of a child with ASD it takes planning. The mental load can often be the thing that breaks me. Thinking, planning, preventing, pre-empting and the plot twists. 
For me, it’s all about calculating his level and where he is at, watching as things add to his load and watching him relax as things become less. It’s a huge mental game at the best of times. I just want the best for my son. 

I guess usually the thought of a loud pool with the echoing of excited children and splashing would be something I wouldn’t often consider, however I know that water is great for him and he enjoys it. For us to have a success it’s all about the layering and expectations. 

Layer 1, talk to him about what we are doing today and give him a slower morning and breakfast. 

Layer 2, use Cérge as I was able to show Seth the Keilor East Aquatic Centre on the Visual Story, I showed him the car park, the entrance, the reception and the pools. 

Layer 3, prepare him to leave and explain to him I am letting the pool know we are coming. I put in the “Must Know” that it is VERY important not to bombard Seth with long conversations and questions but he does love a “hello” and smiles. 
This part is SO important for me because it’s this part that will get us to Layer 4 and a home run for the outing or it will take us all the way back to zero. 

Being able to share this information meant that I was much more confident in getting through reception with a happy child. Often staff try to do the right thing by talking to him because they don’t have the insider knowledge to say “please don’t”.

When we arrived at Keilor East, we were greeted and efficiently moved through the payment process. Everyone was pleasant. it not over the top which was perfect. Yes they were at tad busy at the counter upon arrival and yet they were lovely to deal with. 

The staff explained swimming lessons were occurring but there was an outdoor pool that was quite and not too many people so we could enjoy a swim without too much noise. Layer 5 done for me! Explained, efficient and quiet place! 
My anxiety was so much less on this outing just because I felt like I had back up, like a silent mum army behind me. 

I’m so glad we decided to attend again and used Cérge, we had a great experience and look forward to many more visits like this one! 

We ended up home, fulfilled and smiling! Home run! 

Thank you

I’ve always loved going swimming but it’s not something I would want to do by myself. I usually need someone there with me to keep me busy enough not to worry about the bubbling anxiety waiting. Making a mistake that might have me singled out or worrying about people watching me.The ability to write exactly what I wanted during the visit was so helpful. Initially I was a little nervous about writing a short note about my anxiety and my son’s struggles with being overwhelmed by loud noises, new places and lots of people, but in hindsight it was amazing not to have to worry about trying to mask how I was feeling. It was also a relief having them know my son may need some extra attention during the tour.Thanks to being able to answer those two simple questions in the Cérge app, and letting the centre know when to expect us, checking in and being welcomed was a very comfortable experience. I was greeted, by name, by a calm and friendly staff member and shown around the spacious new aquatic centre. I believe he also targeted some information towards me such as letting me know their usual quieter times.At the end of the tour my son and I had a great little swim around and Aaron even wanted to explore one of the other pools he had seen during our tour which I definitely consider a win as he doesn’t love stepping outside of his comfort zone.After this experience I feel much more comfortable with the idea of going swimming at the centre on my own as I feel I could do so knowing the ins and outs of the pool area and the process of entering the facility. I would definitely recommend the Cérge app for people that have any requirement for more targeted assistance. Even if it is just needing someone to help you feel at ease in a new and overwhelming environment.

I have osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bones) which can make it hard for me with exercising. My bones can break easily and I can be in a lot of pain. Swimming and low impact are really the best choices for me. I use a wheelchair and would need assistance getting in and out of the pool. My carer and I visited Eltham Leisure Centre We used the Cérge app to let the staff know we were arriving in an hour and that we were looking at the pool and would like a tour of the facilities. I wanted to see if I felt comfortable before promising to swim. It’s been a while since I got in a pool, so I had a little anxiety. With the new Cèrge app where I was able to notify staff at Eltham Leisure Centre that we were coming before we got there. This will be helpful in the future as I can request a quieter place, a separate lane if possible and assistance. Sometimes the thought of getting to a place and not having supportive staff is a barrier in itself. I have my support worker which is fantastic, and she is great but having staff that don’t really know how to help can be very awkward. I’m glad I can use the app to tell the staff exactly what I need. It takes the weirdness out of watching them work out how to help, whether to help or sometimes people just don’t help. Can you imagine dropping a leaflet and no one helps you pick it up? It’s embarrassing and annoying! When we arrived, the staff were happy and helpful, we were greeted at the front and the staff member organised another lady to give us a tour of the centre. They have 4 pools, Baby, Small heated pool for swimming lessons, Hydrotherapy pool (has a ramp), and a 25m lap pool (has a ramp). All at different temperatures. Toilet and changerooms on pool deck which is very handy. They had an Aqua class going at the time we went, and it was full even being so early. It is great to see the place getting used and lots happening. The staff member gave us a leaflet which had all the timetables for all the classes, and she also put all the prices on the leaflet for me. Of course, after all exercise there is a coffee shopping. Perfect end to the day! The Cérge app is a fantastic tool to be able to ask for specific things, we know now we can ask for a quieter space or lane if we need that on the day or to let them know we are coming but that we are ok. I will be looking out for more Cèrge facilities. Please tell them your needs before you get there which is very useful and makes you feel a lot more comfortable getting out and trying new things.

I was a competitive swimmer when I was younger, it was my happy place. Life happened, kids happened and it felt like a lifetime ago.For the past two years I’ve battled with a disease called Small Fibre Neuropathy (SFN) which makes it extremely hard to do everyday tasks. SFN is extremely painful.I have two boys, I’m tough, I’m a positive person and I’m the last person who would think of myself as having a disability or barrier. It’s just who I am. It took about 12 months for doctors to work out why I had such excruciating pain so often. I could barely walk. Still, there are days I struggle. I hate talking about the struggle because it’s not who I am. I just want to be able to feel good for my boys.I have followed Cérge for a while after seeing a really uplifting story and although I didn’t think its was for me, because again, I don’t feel like I have a barrier. I realised that actually I could try this app to give staff a heads up on what’s going on for me. Cérge seems like it’s for everyone who just needs something a bit extra or different and I didn’t feel like it was going to make me feel like a burden.I saw on the website that Cérge was at the Nerang pool which is reasonably local to me. I was nervous even thinking about exercising when standing to cook dinner causes me pain. How would I ever exercise? But, I don’t know, something made me feel like it was worth the attempt. Maybe Cérge was my little motivator friend.I took a look at the website and got a good idea of the pool and the amount of stairs etc. u was pretty nervous about being sore after swimming, and to be honest, I am .
But, my heart is full! My energy is back and my vibe about having something for me is fuelled!I love swimming, I always have! It’s been 8 years since I even dipped a toe in. I was terrified to go back, always too busy, always too much in. Nothing like a bit of pain to motivate you hey.
I do have to say, if Cérge wasn’t there and I didn’t feel like the pool was a safe space I wouldn’t have tried and another 8 years would easily pass.“Swimming” is now booked in to my calendar every week! This is going to help me on so many levels!
 

Life with a toddler is hard, life with a toddler with a disability with limited communication and mobility requires lots of planning and organisation.   

Today I introduced my little mate Jackson to Cérge at Aquapulse (Werribee, Melbourne). Jackson has a genetic disorder called IQSEC2, this means Jackson has intellectual and gross motor delays and associated Epilepsy.    

He is currently in a wheelchair, non-verbal and has frequent seizures, including where he will drop all of a sudden and sometimes he will stop breathing for a short period of time. This can be something we are use to and also something that can be terrifying depending on the situation.    

The anxiety associated is really hard, we need things to move fast and seamlessly to make things as best as possible for us as a family. We wanted to take Jackson to the Aquatic Centre but as you can imagine going swimming and the risk of a seizure is pretty scary.    

We used Cérge to let the staff at Aquapulse know we would like to get through as quickly as possible as his seizures can mean our trips are cut short. When the staff saw us in the entry they waved us through as quickly as possible, streamlining the front access, payment and wristbands.    

Having never been to Aquapulse before we were unaware of the need to organise lockers at the front desk, when we approached a staff member near the lockers for help she immediately retrieved the wristband we needed with no need to pay (despite them usually incurring a $2 fee!) to ensure quick access for us to get Jackson in the pool.    

This made a HUGE difference. Sometimes by the time we get in and organised it can be 20mins already gone. Making this process fast for us meant he was able to enjoy some time in the toddler pool, warm pool and had an absolute ball!    

All you ever needed any as a parent or caregiver is to see that smile, you know the one where their eyes glisten as their mouth moves as wide as it can. Where you know they are in utter excitement and ecstasy in that very moment.    

Seeing him made me soooo very happy. Everything in the world stops when your know your kid is happy.   

Jackson, being a tall 3 year old, is too big for standard baby change tables located in the All Gender Disabled and baby change stalls. The All Gender showers had a long bench down one side that had more than enough room for Jackson to lay down to get changed and plenty of room left in the stall for Jackson and even enough room to turn his wheelchair around.    

This trip was an absolute success for us, and we will be back! I can’t believe things can be soooo much easier just by having a staff member a step ahead.