Bern Goosen
Owner | BernGoosen Consulting
Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA
“Everyone has mountains to climb .... sometimes those mountains are in our mind ... true triumph is about trying whatever the result.”
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Biography
Bernie was born with cerebral palsy, which affects the motor part of the brain. He is classified as a quadriplegic as all four of his limbs are affected. “Bern”, as he is affectionately known to his many friends, chose not to live the life his doctors said he would, to be stuck with, but broke out of his severely restrictive disability and continues to reach staggering heights.
Quite literally; Bern is the 1st wheelchair- bound quadriplegic to have climbed to the highest point in Africa: Uhuru point, Mount Kilimanjaro! Not once but three times.
Bern was the first physically disabled Rotary Exchange Student in the world and spent a year in America. As an Ambassador he travelled through 35 States in America, doing presentations and talks on South Africa, in particular to schools, colleges, various business organisations and Rotary Clubs.
Bern drove hard at qualifying in the Financial field and worked his way up to hold the position of Group Financial Controller for a listed IT company.
In 2005 he was asked to become the Patron of South African Association for Special Needs Education as it was felt that he could be a role model to the learners in the special needs schools, as he had come through the same system. Other responsibilities of his as Patron is to increase the exposure of children with disabilities to the opportunities available to them if they have the right attitude, as well as expose the corporate sector to the needs as well as the opportunities within the disability sector
As the Patron of South African Association for Special Needs Education he have been asked by the DBE (Department of Basic Education) to assist in their curriculum action plan towards 2014. He has had various meeting with the top management of DBE regarding special needs education. His main interest is in providing technologies through assistive devices to help the disabled person to take is place in an economically active society.
Industry Expertise (4)
Education/Learning
Accounting
Management Consulting
Corporate Training
Areas of Expertise (7)
Overcoming Barriers
Adventure
Mt Kilimanjaro
Positive Attitude
Overcoming Challenges in Business
Motivation
Inspiration
Accomplishments (2)
Patron of South African Association for Special Needs Education (professional)
2005-07-31
To increase the exposure of children with disabilities to the opportunities available to them if they have the right attitude, as well as expose the corporate sector to the needs as well as the opportunities within the disability sector. As the Patron he have been asked by the DBE (Department of Basic Education) to assist in their curriculum action plan towards special needs. His main interest is in providing technologies through assistive devices to help the disabled person.
Mt Kilimanjaro World Record (personal)
2003-09-28
Quite literally; Bern is the 1st wheelchair- bound quadriplegic to have climbed to the highest point in Africa: Uhuru point, Mount Kilimanjaro! Not once but three times.
Education (1)
University of South Africa: BCompt, Accounting, Auditing, Taxation 1999
Affiliations (1)
- Book "Final Goodbye to Kilimanjaro"
Links (1)
Event Appearances (2)
Overcoming barriers to reach new Heights
Hewlett Packard South Africa
2010-08-09
Power of a Positive Mind
TetraPak
2011-02-15
Sample Talks (1)
Life is 10% percent what happens to you, and 90% percent what you do about it
Style
Availability
- Keynote
- Panelist
- Workshop Leader
- Host/MC
- Author Appearance
- Corporate Training
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