The Insurance Commission of Western Australia (ICWA) has celebrated this year’s International Day of People with Disability by experiencing first-hand some of the challenges faced everyday by its clients injured at work and on the road.

ICWA’s Stacey Newlands, claims officer, spent a day in a wheelchair as part of an initiative run by ReboundWA, to gain “better, but small insight into the access and inclusion issues” some of the state insurer’s clients face every day.

ICWA employees listened to a presentation by road safety advocate Cory Payne about his experience of living with disability after a car accident, which left him critically injured, forcing him to relearn how to walk and talk. They also took part in a game of wheelchair basketball at Brookfield Place main square.

“Every day I help facilitate peoples’ rehabilitation from crash injuries,” said Chad McLaren, motor injury insurance claims officer. “Being injured in a crash is often a distressing and uncertain time but we aspire to make the claims process simpler for claimants, so they can focus on recovery, and return to work and the community. I play wheelchair basketball as a mechanism to draw attention to the importance of ensuring people with disability have access to the same level and quality of service as others.”