Registration is now open for students aged 5-18 with a sensory, physical or intellectual disability to participate in Sport NSW’s Activate Inclusion Sports Day.
Sport NSW, with the support of Variety – The Children’s Charity NSW, aims to promote the program as a way to encourage youths towards a continued involvement in sport and active recreation throughout their lives.
Event days are taking place throughout Sydney in the suburbs of Blacktown, Camden, Alexandria, Penrith and Cumberland. The event will also be running across the state of NSW in towns such as Dubbo, Tweed Heads, Wagga Wagga, Queanbeyan and Newcastle.
Registered participants will be provided with the opportunity to play a variety of modified mainstream sports in an inclusive and positive space as part of the event, with adaptive equipment available for use as well. Specialised coaching staff will help to run proceedings with the support of students from local community organisations and universities.
Sport NSW Disability Inclusion Manager Murray Elbourn paid tribute to the significance of the event in helping to develop the confidence of its participants in an encouraging and inclusive environment.
“Activity Inclusion Sports Day is really important because it’s a starting point. It’s really the starting of the road for kids to be able to identify that they can play sport in the right environment, that its an encouraged thing and [to] give them skills like increased communication, teamwork and confidence in their everyday life,” he said.
Paralympic Goalballer, Tyan Taylor, attested to the positive implications of such an event in challenging and taking youths out of their comfort zone in a fun, inspiring and enthusiastic way.
“Providing opportunities with days like these Activate Inclusion Days really show not only the teachers, and the families of the students what they’re able to do, but the students themselves really challenge and get out of their comfort zone and gives things a go and really enjoy the day,” she said.
The Activate Inclusion Sports Day circuit begins this Friday, March 12 in Blacktown, Sydney. Registration for Camden’s version of the event close today, March 10. Registrations can be made through Sport NSW’s website.
