Published on Thursday, 22 June 2023 at 2:56:53 PM
Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley has put its support behind the national Sport4All program, as the very first local government to sign up to the program in Western Australia. Sport4All aims to help sporting clubs and schools become more accessible and inclusive to enable people with disability to have choice and control over where and how they would like to participate in sport. The program has been commissioned and funded by the Australian Government and is delivered by Get Skilled Access, a Disability Owned Business Enterprise founded by Paralympic Gold Medallist, Grand Slam champion and 2022 Australian of The Year Dylan Alcott.
To support the program, Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley is recruiting for an ‘Inclusion Coach’ Disability Inclusion Program Coordinator to assist in the delivery of Sport4All by engaging with local sporting clubs and schools. The Inclusion Coach will be a part-time role with Get Skilled Access working alongside the Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley for twelve months. The position will be filled by a person with lived experience with disability who has been involved in sport in any role, such as a player, volunteer or administrator. The person that fills the role will bring their real-life disability experiences to the clubs and schools which will create a strong link with the purpose of Sport4All and the benefits and opportunities the program can bring.
Schools and clubs will be able to complete a self-assessment tool to help understand what inclusion areas need focus. The Sport4All online learning resources will build capabilities specific to clubs or schools and provide practical tools to guide them to be more accessible and inclusive for people with disability to participate in sport.
Shire President David Menzel emphasised the significance of this step towards advancing the efforts in creating a community that is inclusive, diverse, healthy, and socially connected.
"We are extremely pleased to be a part of the Sport4All pilot program, which holds the potential to bring about positive transformations by removing barriers for individuals with disabilities who aspire to engage in sports," expressed Cr David Menzel.
"Our dedication to promoting accessibility and inclusivity is evident in our annual grants program, where the council extends support to clubs and community spaces in modifying their facilities and equipment for the benefit of the community."
Menzel urged community members with disabilities and relevant skills to apply for the newly introduced role in the program. Furthermore, he encouraged local sporting clubs and schools to actively participate in this essential pilot program.
The Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley remains steadfast in their commitment to promoting inclusivity and accessibility across all activities for the entire community. This commitment is clearly outlined in the council's Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP), with Access and Inclusion identified as two crucial priority areas.
“Sport shouldn’t just be a privilege for most people to participate in, it should be a right for every single Australian no matter their ability. Losing 98% of my eyesight overnight at age 16 didn’t change my love of sport and if anything only increased it and the importance it played in my life. All I wanted to be able to do was be apart of my local club and stay involved with my mates” - Ben Pettingill, Sport4All Co-ordinator.
For more information on the Sport4All program visit https://sport4all.com.au/.
To read the full role description and apply visit https://www.seek.com.au/job/67724275
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