By Molly Magennis
Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay are among five councils in the west coming together for All Abilities Regional Inclusion Week.
Sporting associations and providers in the west will join for a week of inclusive activities for all abilities and ages, which will start on November 28 and run to December 5.
The week of activities will be held in partnership with Disability Sport & Recreation, and will lead into the Victorian Disability Sport & Recreation Festival, set to take place on December 3.
Disability Sport and Recreation chief executive Richard Amon said that they’re starting to do a lot more work with councils.
“We realised so much work has happened in the local communities that doesn’t often get recognised,” he said.
“So for the first time we’ve partnered with five local councils across the western area of Melbourne to come up with a whole week of activities.”
People of all abilities and all ages are encouraged to come and try a range of sports including tenpin bowling, tennis, cricket, badminton and soccer.
Mr Amon said the inclusion week is all about making the pathway to sports easier for people with disabilities.
“Whether you’re a parent or a carer or a particular person with a disability and you’re not quite sure what to do, we want to make that journey easier so we’re really excited,” he said.
“What we often find is that a lot of people with disabilities, they’re not quite sure whether this is for them and then once they actually sign up and they go to a day, they see other people who they can relate to and it gives them so much confidence to then get involved into the future.”
The festival will take place just outside Crown at Southbank, and will feature 20 exhibitors and information booths.
“We have free activities zones where they can actually have a try at a few different activities, so it’s not just picking up a pamphlet and talking to someone, you can actually have a go at different sports throughout the day,” Mr Amon said.
“We’re very much about changing the attitudes of broader society as well, that’s really important, it just normalises sport for people with disabilities.”
Bookings for the All Abilities Regional Inclusion Week and Victorian Disability Sport & Recreation Festival are essential. Details: www.dsr.org.au/events
