FOR Amber-Krystle Stier, Covid-19 provided the perfect opportunity to stay home and re-evaluate what she wanted from life.
What followed was a complete change of pace with tertiary studies, participation in a Disabled Persons Assembly NZ (DPA) programme and eventually a kaitiaki role with the organisation which once guided her.
The Ōwhango local was born with multiple conditions and disabilities, which caused her to spend much of her childhood and adolescence in hospital.
Amber-Krystle said she came out of hospital at 18 years old with just nine days of high school behind her, no education and what seemed to be few prospects for work or study.
She held a job for a couple of months but found it was too physically demanding and her body couldn’t cope.
Tertiary study wasn’t feasible with university costs averaging $1000 a course at the time.
Despite swearing she would never take after her mum by learning how to quilt, Amber-Krystle took up an adapted form of the hobby.
“I grew up in a hospital bed and every time I woke up my mum would be hand quilting,” she said.
“I thought it was an old lady thing.”
By adapting her sewing machine so the foot pedal was operated by hand, Amber-Krystle was able to put a youthful twist on the art form by using bright colours.
She won some viewer’s choice awards at shows and decided to join art committees, often as the only disabled person there.
“It gave them a perspective and it gave me a perspective that we can work together. Art is non-disabling.”
Though she was once involved in several committees, Amber-Krystle now sits on an all-encompassing arts committee and the Ruapehu District Council creative grants committee.
By the time Covid rolled around, the Government had put fees-free study in place, meaning Amber-Krystle wouldn’t have to pay a cent in her first year.
She said she completed a foundation course with the Open Polytechnic, which bridged the gap between what she missed at school and any future studies she might choose to pursue, but she realised she didn’t need to get a degree to prove her intelligence.
She gained intangible value in the form of self-confidence.
“I’ve always been passionate, but it made me feel like my voice is worthy,” she said. “You never know in a small town if your voice matters.”
Amber-Krystle had never heard of the DPA until she saw a Facebook post advertising an event in Taumarunui.
“I had never ever heard of them before, so I went.”
There she discovered the potential of connection with other disabled people.
It was suggested Amber-Krystle apply to the DPA’s Mahi Tika – Equity in Employment programme, a disabled-led employment initiative designed to enhance the employment journey of disabled people living in the Waikato region.
But she was hesitant.
“I had been burnt so many times earlier that I realised ‘I’m going to be on the benefit, I’m not going to be working and that’s just my life and I’m going to be happy with it, contributing to the community the way that I can.’
“I had completely ruled out working.”
In the interest of figuring out how else she could help her community, aside from the several art committee roles she already held, Amber-Krystle decided to give Mahi Tika a go.
“And it was amazing.
“Everyone from all different backgrounds and disabilities were there.”
At the end of the programme Amber-Krystle had the opportunity to apply for a kaitiaki (mentor/caretaker) role with Mahi Tika, but again found herself hesitating.
“Job descriptions say you’ve got to have these 10 skills. Well, I had nine of them and I didn’t have the 10th one.
“And so, I didn’t apply.”
With a bit of encouragement from former mentor Rodney Bell, Amber-Krystle applied and got the job.
She said it was common for women, especially disabled women, to underestimate themselves in the workforce.
“We always think that we’re not worthy.
“Disabled people, we are so used to being judged and it’s really hard to keep on putting yourself out there. It’s easier not to.”
Amber-Krystle said her strength as a mentor was that she had similar experiences to many of the people she met through Mahi Tika.
“As a disabled person mentoring disabled people, we have that common thread and there is no judgment because we have all been on our unique journey.
“It’s just encouraging them and giving them the tools that they need.”
Disabled people living rurally didn’t seem to get as much of a fair deal as everyone else, Amber-Krystle said, and her job as a kaitiaki was to reassure people that their dreams were options.
Some of those dreams were huge, but some were as simple as wanting to be part of a community.
“If we can give them an opportunity to be part of a disabled community, that gives them enough confidence to go out into their own communities.”
