Good News - August, 2023
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Hello and welcome back to Disability Sports Australia’s Good News roundup for August!
For those that are new to the Good News series, this is a shortlist of DSA’s favourite stories that we have seen this past month.
At DSA, we love learning about the wonderful things people are doing for the active disability space. We hope this series generates a snowball effect of good stories to share leading to further growth in the sector.
Do you have a story you want us to tell?
Please send the story and your contact details to Disability Sports Australia’s email: info@sports.org.au
Pakenham Eels run first All Abilities program
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Image credit: Pakenham Eels Rugby League Club
Early this month, Pakenham Eels Rugby League Club delivered a pilot all abilities program to eight children with disabilities. The participants enjoyed the half hour of developing their motor skills through fun activities. Due to the success of this first program, Pakenham Eels are looking at delivering all abilities programs regularly on a fortnightly basis and are in the process of creating a subcommittee and finding partners to continue to develop and grow this aspect of the club.
Feedback from a participant’s parent was overwhelmingly positive:
"Was an absolute success! Can't wait for many more clinics. I know one little boy who is rapt with being able to participate and feel like he belonged to a team and hasn't put his rugby ball down since. The coaches/players and families welcomed us with open arms which is honestly amazing. As a parent for a child with additional needs there is often a sense of isolation and there isn't many options for such events in the community so thank you. You guys are amazing."
Pakenham Eels have consistently endeavored to listen to the needs of their community and identify and bridge gaps in their offerings, as demonstrated by this initiative and their plans to introduce more female programs. Awesome work!
Contact details for the club can be found here.
Follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
3 disabled athletes featured in new web documentary series
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Image credit: Simply Stories
Short form web documentary creators Simply Stories have released a 13-part series called “Game Changers” which focuses on young athletes. The series includes conversations with:
Isabella, the youngest swimmer at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics .
Ollie, whose experiences playing goalball for Australia have led him become a multisport athlete.
Ben, a wheelchair tennis player with a passion for inspiring the next generation of athletes the way his idols inspired him.
Director Steph Bower commented on the experience:
“The young athletes featured on Game Changers are incredibly impressive. As a Director, I absolutely loved collaborating with them, working to craft and share their unique but universal stories. They are so passionate about their individual sports and collectively are great champions of para sports, highlighting the many benefits it can have for young people living with disability."
To view more from Simply Stories, find them on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
Emotion21 to perform at Melbourne Fringe Festival
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Image credit: Tristan Sinclair, Emotion21
Emotion21 presents “3-2-1", performing at the Melbourne Fringe Festival in October!
Emotion21 is a dance fitness program offered by the Inclusion Foundation for people with Down syndrome. Their newest work, 3-2-1, is an 80 minute “reimagining of dance through the lens of Down syndrome” and will be performed by 20 dancers from the program at the Melbourne Fringe Festival. The performers use dance to express themselves and share their stories, as well as challenging mainstream perceptions about dance.
Last year’s performance, Sonder, was nominated for Best Physical Theatre at the Melbourne Fringe festival. Off the back of this achievement, 3-2-1 is sure to be equally captivating.
For more about Emotion21, visit their website here.
For more information about 3-2-1 at the Melbourne Fringe Festival, including session times and tickets, visit: https://melbournefringe.com.au/event/3-2-1/.
Sport Access Foundation to announce grant recipients next month
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Image credit: Disability Sports Australia
A number of grants for disabled athletes of all levels will be granted in September by Sport Access Foundation, an organisation founded by Paralympian Katie Kelly OAM which helps disabled children access and participate in sports. This is the 7th year that SAF grants have been offered and are available for a variety of different purposes. The No Barriers and Kick Start grants are available to aid with joining costs for late primary and high school aged participants respectively. Compeat Performance Pathway to Paralympics grants are offered to aspiring Paralympians aged 13-17 and may aid with travel, coaching, support and equipment costs. SAF is also offering a Sporting Club grant to assist 4 registered sporting clubs in creating and improving accessible offerings.
Applications for this year are now closed, but keep an eye out for the announcement of this year’s recipients (congratulations!) and applications opening for next year!
Find out more about Sport Access Foundation, including their grants, here.
Do you have a story you want us to tell?
Please send the story and your contact details to Disability Sports Australia’s email: info@sports.org.au
