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‘Intellectual disability is neglected’: Ilianna Ginnis on designing for neurodiverse communities

John Voutos
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‘Intellectual disability is neglected’: Ilianna Ginnis on designing for neurodiverse communities

The lighting and signage used in a bustling shopping center are two aspects of interior architecture that concern Monash University student and designer Ilianna Ginnis. 

This is because these facets can determine how accessible this space is for people who live with intellectual disabilities and who communicate nonverbally. 

“When you see someone [with an intellectual disability] reacting negatively to an environment, it’s their version of communicating, ‘this environment isn’t for me’,” Ginnis says. 

“It’s hard for someone neurotypical to understand why that individual is acting the way they are and that’s because disability awareness is still a way to go.” 

(Photos: Supplied)

Ginnis has dedicated her time studying interior architecture at Monash University raising awareness and working for neuro-diverse communities. 

“I’m trying to change the world and my younger sister is my ‘why’,” Ginnis tells the Greek Herald.  

“Growing up, when I was eight years old, I had to grow up to look after her.” 

Ginnis’ younger sister Michelle lives with neurofibromatosis (NF) type 1 and communicates non-verbally. 

NF is a set of three complex genetic conditions that cause tumors to develop on nerve cells throughout the body, including the brain, spine, and skin. 

Ginnis’ developed a particular soft spot for people living with these conditions in her childhood. 

“Growing up, my parents went through financial difficulty so I took a massive role in becoming her carer.” 

Ilianna and her family (@ginnis_design on Instagram)

Ginnis was born in Kalymnos in Greece’s southeastern Dodecanese islands. Her father was raised in the capital of the Northern Territory while her mother was raised in Greece. 

She says they moved from Darwin to Melbourne for a “better quality of life” and the “multiculturalism”, but accessibility lacks even in the developed and highly condensed big smoke, Ginnis says. 

“Whereas physical disability and accessibility is kind of already complied… When it comes to intellectual, non-verbal and cognitive [disabilities], [accessibility] is still very much neglected.” 

Ginnis witnessed this lack of accessibility as Michelle’s carer first-hand. 

“So I said to myself, ‘When I study interior architecture, I want to make a difference for people who are nonverbal’ because space doesn’t cater for them and their needs.” 

“I’ve become so empathetic to this nonverbal communication that, to me, it’s almost a second language.” 

Ilianna’s projects ‘Neural Sensorium’ (left) and ‘Stigmi’ (right)

Ginnis says she derives most of this empathy from her Greek heritage. 

“Greeks are very empathetic and human-centered naturally,” she says. 

“Because I can speak Greek as well, that’s also a benefit when I step in Greek homes with children with disabilities and adults who are non-verbal. When I apply that the families really appreciate it.” 

She’s currently studying for her doctorate degree in philosophy at Monash. You can find more of Ginnis’ works here. 

Anatoli and Eleftheria Amanatidis offer free family dinner to Melburnians in need

Andriana Simos
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Anatoli and Eleftheria Amanatidis offer free family dinner to Melburnians in need

People lined up outside Eleni’s Kitchen and Bar in Yarraville on Thursday afternoon as Anatoli and Eleftheria Amanatidis handed out free family dinner packs of roasted chicken with lemon potatoes.

Despite losing 80 percent of their revenue due to the current lockdown in Melbourne, the Greek sisters have been distributing a variety of free food over the last four weeks to those in need. This includes their famous pastitio and chicken souvlakia.

Eleftheria tells The Greek Herald this initiative was launched as a way to give back to the Yarraville community, which has supported the sisters during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Right now, we don’t really see the light at the end of the tunnel and it’s very daunting and very hard times for everyone, not just for small businesses but a lot of people who may have lost their jobs or they’re getting less income now,” Eleftheria says.

“So it’s not just to try and brighten their mood or even their day for that moment when they come and collect something, but it’s also to show our support to our customers and any new customers during the lockdown that have been supporting us.”

Eleni’s Kitchen and Bar. Photo supplied.

Eleni’s Kitchen and Bar opened in Yarraville about four years ago after the sisters decided they wanted to open a Greek restaurant to “share our Greek experience and our culture and our food to everyone else.”

They also had a strong historical connection to the Melbourne suburb as their grandparents, Eleni, who the restaurant is named after, and Dimitri, owned the first Greek restaurant in Yarraville, their great grandfather was the founding priest of the local Greek Orthodox church, and other relatives also had businesses in the area.

“I guess opening here is just like coming back to our roots and connecting to that history,” Eleftheria says.

This strong connection to the area and community is another reason why the Greek sisters decided to stay open during the lockdown and continue helping out whoever they can.

“We get alot of people that say, ‘thank you for staying open because your food is helping me get through the lockdown’,” Eleftheria says.

“And that’s something I myself have noticed. You don’t really pay much attention to it but food plays such a big part in how we feel as well and you know, everyone’s got their own comfort food and things like that but it’s a good feeling… I’m actually helping these people.”

Leading Greek Australians join the ranks of Chief Executive Women

The Greek Herald
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Leading Greek Australians join the ranks of Chief Executive Women

Chief Executive Women (CEW) has welcomed a record 194 new members, expanding CEW’s  representation across key sectors and recognising the range of senior leadership roles women hold at the forefront of Australia’s pandemic response.

Among those 194 new members are three Greek Australian women, including Violet Roumeliotis AM, Vicky Drakousis and Sharmila Tsourdalakis.

Violet Roumeliotis AM:

Violet Roumeliotis AM is a social entrepreneur who champions for the strengths of diverse communities. Through her C-suite and board roles, Violet uses innovation and collective impact to promote social justice and inclusion.

She is the CEO of Settlement Services International (SSI), a community organisation and social business that supports newcomers and other vulnerable individuals to achieve their full potential. During her eight years as CEO, Violet has taken SSI from a Sydney-based organisation with 68 staff to an 900-plus workforce that supports more than 37,500 people nationally each year.

Violet is committed to achieving equity, and advancing diversity and inclusion in all forms. In 2020, she was made a member of the Order of Australia for outstanding service to the community.

Violet is also a former Telstra Australia Business Woman of the Year, has been named one of AFR’s Top 100 Women of Influence for 2018 in the category of Diversity & Inclusion and was awarded the title of Community Fellow from Western Sydney University for outstanding service to the community.

READ MORE: TGH Exclusive: Greek honorary Australian, Violet Roumeliotis, will not hesitate to recognise the painful history of January 26.

Vicky Drakousis:

Vicky Drakousis is the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) at Allianz Australia. In this role, Vicky leads all aspects of Allianz’s human resource function, including recruitment and talent management, learning and organisational development, compensation and benefits, and business partnering.

Vicky has over twenty five years in the financial services sector, gained both locally and internationally. She spent ten years at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), in several Executive General Manager Human Resources (HR) roles in the Wealth, Institutional, Business & Private Banking, and Global Asset Management divisions.

Prior to CBA, Vicky held senior HR roles at State Street where she gained extensive international experience and a wealth of expertise working across cultures.

Vicky holds a Bachelor of Economics and a Masters in Organisational Development, and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Sharmila Tsourdalakis:

Sharmila Tsourdalakis is currently the Chief Innovation, Marketing & Technology Officer at Stockland.

Sharmila has over 20 years’ experience working in senior roles in technology, innovation, customer and digital transformation for ASX-listed companies, including Suncorp, GPT and Leighton Contractors.

She was previously the Executive General Manager for Suncorp’s Banking and Wealth Technology and Portfolio Management responsible for the strategic direction and operational leadership of technology.

Prior to Suncorp, Ms Tsourdalakis was Chief Information Officer at The GPT Group.

Arthur Sinodinos: China’s coercion in Indo-Pacific is bigger threat than another 9/11

The Greek Herald
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Arthur Sinodinos: China’s coercion in Indo-Pacific is bigger threat than another 9/11

Australia’s Ambassador to the United States, Arthur Sinodinos, has said China’s coercion in the Indo-Pacific is now a bigger threat than September 11-style terrorism.

“The geostrategic challenge in the Indo-Pacific, with the rise of China, is pre-eminent in US minds. It’s pre-eminent in all of our minds – it’s our neighbourhood,” Ambassador Sinadinos told The Australia Financial Review (AFR).

“But to the extent that there’s a terror threat, we’re in a much stronger, more sophisticated position to deal with that threat than we were 20 years ago. We’ve learnt a lot, we’ve deployed assets in new ways to deal with that.”

Mr Sinadinos added that the strategic ANZUS alliance will be stronger in coming months as both Australia and the US hasten military and economic tie-ups to counter intimidation from Beijing.

“The US is very determined that the major geostrategic challenge is the Indo-Pacific and they want to play their role in that region,” he told the newspaper.

“The trips to the region by senior officials Antony Blinken, Lloyd Austin and more recently, the Vice-President [Kamala Harris], all put clothes on the rhetoric about further pivoting to the Indo-Pacific.

“The feedback we get from officials within the administration is that leaving Afghanistan is part of their strategy of further concentrating their efforts in the Indo-Pacific, and you can expect that there’ll be more US engagement, on both defence and security, trade and economy in the region.

“It will be ANZUS-plus.”

Mr Sinodinos added he wanted to make sure Australia took part in shaping policy on the involvement in wars and their exit strategies in the future and that an investigation into the Afghan war was essential.

“As a country that was there for 20 years alongside the Americans, I think Australia will be doing its part to help shape those policies, views, visions and outlines,” he said.

“I think we’ll be active in that process because you know we expended quite a bit of blood and treasure. And we more than earned our seat at the table.”

Source: The Australian Financial Review.

‘Moving forward with confidence,’ says Fronditha Care President after strong turnaround

The Greek Herald
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‘Moving forward with confidence,’ says Fronditha Care President after strong turnaround

Jill Taylor (Nikitakis), Fronditha Care President and Board Chair, was pleased to inform Fronditha Care members that the organisational performance, since February 2021, had far exceeded expectations and Fronditha Care had reset its course for significant longer-term future growth.

Addressing close to 50 members, who joined the virtual Member Information Session II for the year, Ms Taylor (Nikitakis) said: “The important and necessary measures the Board and CEO, Faye Spiteri Tsolakis and her team implemented, to recalibrate the financial viability of the organisation, have proved to be very effective. We made the difficult decisions swiftly and so far managed to strike the right balance, keeping the care of our residents at the highest quality.”

“We have seen better than anticipated financial performance following a very disappointing year in 2020. Positive sentiment towards our organisation from the community has seen increased demand for Fronditha Care services. We continue to grow with uncompromised service as evidenced by the accreditation of all our facilities,” Jill Taylor (Nikitakis) told members.

Members were advised that the pandemic and compliance requirements have presented significant challenges in the aged care sector. Yet Fronditha Care has continued to lift occupancy rates in all its facilities, sitting at an average of 99%, compared with the industry average of around 88%.

Fronditha Care- Member Information Session II.

Since April 2021, with the release of additional Government packages, there has also been an 80% volume growth of Fronditha Care’s Community Services with more elderly community members requiring assistance at home and choosing Fronditha Care due to its credibility, culturally specific care model and the quality care of its service delivery.

Jill Taylor (Nikitakis) added: “Our strategy is definitely working, and we have made great gains in just four months. While we still have a way to go, we are moving forward with confidence towards a surplus result sooner than expected.”

Members also heard that Fronditha Care’s procedures and protocols have been exceptionally effective in keeping its residents and staff safe, healthy and COVID-19 free.

Fronditha Care has facilitated COVID-19 vaccination rollout for all those in its care, staff, volunteers, contractors and the extended Fronditha Care community through numerous vaccination rounds across all its facilities and the Mulgrave Support Hub. The vaccination rate is among the highest of an organisation of its size, with an average of 83% of residents and 82% of staff vaccinated.

Jill Taylor (Nikitakis) informed members that alongside efficiency measures put in place to lift operational performance there was a focus on completion of capital works with the new St Albans facility opening imminent.

“We have made a significant investment of $21.9M, to build a state-of-the-art facility in St Albans to fully cater to all our elderly residents’ needs. Ninety members of our community, many of them with advanced care needs, will be the first to occupy the new and much anticipated St Albans residence from September 2021. We expect the facility to be fully occupied within three months of opening, COVID restrictions permitting. We have also commenced small capital works at our Templestowe and Thornbury facilities, with a total investment of over $2.1 million, as part of our continuous improvement projects.”

Jill Taylor on the day of Member Information Session II.

“We are looking at the future with extreme optimism. We are working on a 10-year strategy and developing a strategic framework to future proof the organisation and provide more choice in our service delivery across the continuum of care for our community. I look forward to sharing more about this in November at our Annual General Meeting. In the meantime, I want to acknowledge and sincerely thank my fellow Directors and our CEO Faye Spiteri (Tsolakis) and her team for their commitment to the work and especially for achieving so much in such a short space of time,” Jill Taylor (Nikitakis) said.

The President was delighted to introduce two newly co-opted Directors, Mr Nicholas Giassoumi and Mr Alex Krassas. She also took the opportunity to thank the previous Treasurer, Mr Kostas Kyrifidis, who recently resigned from the Board, noting he played an instrumental role in the organisation’s financial turnaround.

Jill Taylor (Nikitakis) thanked the members for their continued support.

In response, the attendees congratulated the Board, CEO and Executive team for their hard work and the significantly improved results.

The information session is part of the ongoing commitment of the Fronditha Care Board to continue deeper communication with its members and the broader community.

Stefanos Tsitsipas defeats French opponent in US Open second round

Andriana Simos
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Stefanos Tsitsipas defeats French opponent in US Open second round

Stefanos Tsitsipas has defeated French opponent, Adrian Mannarino, in the second round of the US Open, 6-3, 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-0.

The third seed’s victory took him two hours and 41 minutes, just more than half of the four hours and 49 minutes he needed against Murray.

Tsitsipas broke in his first return game against Mannarino, and seized control from there. The Greek struck a forehand return winner on the full stretch to go up 2-0 in the opener, and that set the tone.

Although Mannarino’s flat groundstrokes and ability to take the ball early trouble many players, Tsitsipas never gave him a chance to control the action.

The Greek used his booming serve to stay on top of points during his service games, hitting a career-best 27 aces and winning 85 per cent of his first-serve points and keeping Mannarino from finding a rhythm.

The Frenchman’s level improved as the match wore on, though. Mannarino cut down his unforced errors and took the third-set tie-break when Tsitsipas missed a wide forehand into the net.

But Tsitsipas returned resurgent after a change of clothes to take the fourth set without conceding a game.

Andreas Embirikos: Greece’s first psychoanalyst

The Greek Herald
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Andreas Embirikos: Greece’s first psychoanalyst

Andreas Embirikos was a Greek surrealist poet and the first Greek psychoanalyst.

Early Life:

Embirikos was born on the 2nd of September 1901 and came from a wealthy family as his father was an important ship-owner.

He was born in Brăila, Romania, but his family soon moved to Ermoupolis in Syros. When Embirikos was only seven years old they moved to Athens.

While he was still a teenager, his parents divorced.

Andreas Embirikos.

Embirikos started studying philosophy at the University of Athens, but he eventually decided to move to Lausanne to stay with his mother.

The following years, Embirikos studied a variety of subjects both in France and in the United Kingdom. It was in Paris where he decided to study psychanalysis together with René Laforgue.

Body of Work:

Embirikos’ poetry can be defined by two major tendencies.

On the one hand, he was one of the major representatives of surrealism in Greece. His first poetic collection, Ipsikaminos, was a heretic book, characterised by the lack of the punctuation and the peculiarity of the language.

Embirikos was the first Greek psychoanalyst.

On the other hand, much of his work also dealt with the “Greek trauma.” With a frenzied sense of humour and well-meant boldness, he always tried to combine what is genuinely imaginary with the simple fact.

Death and Legacy:

Embirikos died in Kifissia, Athens in 1975. His mother preceded him by only two years.

Together with George Seferis, Embirikos was the most important representative of the “Generation of the ’30s.” He contributed greatly to the introduction of modernism in Greek letters and he helped change once and for all the poetic atmosphere of Greece.

Source: poemhunter.com.

Seven people arrested over suspected murder of bikie associate, Kerry Giakoumis

The Greek Herald
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Seven people arrested over suspected murder of bikie associate, Kerry Giakoumis

Seven people have been arrested as part of the investigation into the suspected murder of missing Hells Angels bikie gang associate, Kerry Giakoumis.

The Adelaide man was last seen alive at the Hells Angels clubhouse in Lipton Drive, Thomastown in Melbourne’s north on June 10 last year.

Detectives believe it is likely a dispute took place in the clubhouse on the night the 29-year-old was last seen that may be connected to other members or associates of the Hells Angels outlaw motorcycle gang.

READ MORE: Hells Angels club house raided in search for missing Adelaide man, Kerry Giakoumis.

Police believe Mr Giakoumis was murdered at the Hells Angels headquarters in Thomastown. Photo: AAP / Julian Smith.

Detective Superintendent Paul O’Halloran previously said police believed he was murdered in the clubhouse before his body was disposed of in the Jackson Creek area in Diggers Rest.

READ MORE: Victorian Police search creek for body of missing Hells Angel associate, Kerry Giakoumis.

But despite an extensive search of the creek over the past month, Mr Giakoumis’ body is yet to be found.

Police confirmed a dedicated taskforce set up to investigate his disappearance had arrested six men and a woman in Melbourne on Wednesday morning.

READ MORE: Police hold ‘grave fears’ for missing Adelaide bikie associate Kerry Giakoumis.

Detective Superintendent Paul O’Halloran confirmed the seven arrests. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said officers raided residential properties in Keilor Downs, Mernda, West Melbourne, St Albans, Laverton and Diggers Rest.

She said searches at those properties were ongoing and the seven people would be interviewed by police.

No charges have been laid yet.

READ MORE: Investigation into Hells Angel associate Kerry Giakoumis’ disappearance continues.

Source: news.com.au.

Greek Prime Minister: We do not want a repeat of the “massive migration flows” from 2015

The Greek Herald
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Greek Prime Minister: We do not want a repeat of the “massive migration flows” from 2015

Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said on Wednesday that Greece does not want a repeat of the “massive migration flows” seen in 2015, and that he disagreed with the head of the European Parliament who said that member-states need to do their part in accepting Afghan asylum seekers.

“I would politely disagree with his assessment regarding the decision taken yesterday [Tuesday] by the European Council at the level of ministers regarding Afghanistan,” Mitsotakis said at a panel of the Bled Strategic Forum 2021, in Bled, Slovenia.

READ MORE: EU will vow to stop ‘uncontrolled’ migration from Afghanistan, draft statement says.

“What we said was very clear: that we do not want a repeat the uncontrolled and unregulated massive migration flows we experienced in 2015,” he added.

“I stand by this decision by representing a country that was a victim to a policy which ended up in highlighting significant failures of the European institutions, as we have yet to agree on a common Pact on Migration and Asylum.”

Speaking earlier at the same panel, David Sassoli, who is the European Parliament President, said he was “very disappointed” with Tuesday’s Home Affairs Council conclusions. 

“We have seen countries outside the European Union come forward to welcome Afghan asylum seekers, but we have not seen a single member state do the same,” he told attendees.

“Everyone rightly thought of those who worked with us and their families, but none had the courage to offer refuge to those whose lives are still in danger today.”

Source: Ekathimerini.

Pope Francis confirms plans to visit Greece and Cyprus

The Greek Herald
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Pope Francis confirms plans to visit Greece and Cyprus

Pope Francis is planning to visit Greece and Cyprus as part of a tour in Malta and Slovenia that will possibly take place later in the autumn, according to reports on Wednesday.

“Slovakia is on the program, then Cyprus, Greece and Malta,” the pontiff told Spain’s Cope radio, confirming reports of his visit earlier this summer.

The exact dates of the Pope’s Apostolic Journey “will be announced once it has been confirmed,” a spokesperson for the Vatican told the Times of Malta.

Pope Francis visited Greece in 2016.

“This decision will also consider the Covid situation to ensure the health and safety of the Holy Father, the faithful and all those involved, as the Church has always done in consultation with the health authorities,” the spokesperson added.

Pope Francis travelled to Greece in 2016, visiting the Moria migrant and refugee camp on the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos.

His visit to Cyprus will make him only the second Roman Catholic pontiff to ever travel to the eastern Mediterranean island nation. Francis’ predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI was the first pontiff to travel to Cyprus in 2010.

Source: Ekathimerini.

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