Cody’s call to parliament

Cody was invited to the Gold Coast IMPACT Youth Summit where he advocated for himself and others with a disability.

June 28, 2023

Cody from Burleigh Waters Supported Independent Living (SIL) home was invited to join the Gold Coast IMPACT Youth Summit for their recent presentation to parliament.

As a confident advocate for himself and others with a disability, Cody was very excited for the event. It was a great opportunity to meet likeminded young people who are passionate about providing feedback to the government and other officials.

“My favourite part of the event was spending time with friends and getting a tour of SeaWorld,” said Cody.

Almost 200 young people attended the Summit. Cody enjoyed sharing experiences, challenges, and aspirations for youth living on the Gold Coast.

“One thing I admire about Cody is his passion for advocacy and ability to speak his mind. He was the perfect candidate to attend the Summit and he told me he had a ball,” said Manager of Shared Living, Gold Coast South, Nathan Lawrie.

Angie Bell MP, Federal Member for Moncrieff, and Shadow Minister for Youth attended the event and shared in a reflective blog:

“I’m so very proud of you all for attending and getting the most out of the summit. I’m proud of your achievements and the changes you’re making for yourselves and in our community. State and federal governments need to better support our youth to learn how to be the best they can be, through offering more platforms for them to connect in a way that is relevant and dynamic in today’s world.”

Cody is no stranger to the spotlight. Last year he was announced as the ‘Leagueability Male Player of the Year’ at the Gold Coast Titans’ annual awards night. He gave a speech alongside his sporting heroes, so when it comes to speaking to parliament, that is a walk in the park.

When he’s not playing for the Titans, you might find Cody playing for AFL Queensland disability state team, working at his local Hungry Jacks, or learning a new life skill at home.

“Cody would love to live independently in five years with drop-in support, so we are supporting that goal. He has been learning how to take care of his home, and last year he did a hospitality course to learn new skills for the kitchen. Cody is an amazing young man who can achieve anything he puts his mind to,” said Nathan.