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Season's greetings from the DSR team
It's been another huge year for us at Disability Sport & Recreation and we want to send big warm wishes to our members, donors, volunteers, supporters, partners, staff and schools – we wouldn't be here if it weren't for you!
No matter where, how or if you celebrate this time of year, please be safe and look after yourself and each other.
Our office will be closed from Saturday 23 Dec – Monday 1 Jan.
We look forward to working with you in 2018 to change more lives through access to sport and recreation.
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Accessible Annual Report 2016-17 now available
On Thursday 23 November we held our Annual General Meeting.
We are very excited to share our first ever, fully accessible annual report with you. This means that our members with visual impairments can read the report using assistive technology.
You can read or download the Annual Report 2016-17 on our website.
We are also very excited to announce the appointment of Alexandra Ash (Program and Product Manager of YMCA Victoria) to become the first ever female Chairperson of Disability Sport & Recreation.
We also welcome Gemma Hardie (Director Strategic Marketing and Fundraising at Anglicare Victoria), Shaun Whittaker (Director Legal and Tax at PwC) and Natasha Sekulic (Law Interpretation Officer at Justice Connect, with previous experience at Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission).
Thanks to outgoing Directors Greg Warnecke, Tina McKenzie and Kristy Spillman and also to Rob Anderson, who has stepped down as Chairperson, for their extensive and valued contribution.
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Celebrating International Day of People with Disability
As you are already aware, we made the difficult decision to postpone the Victorian Disability Sport and Recreation Festival last week due to the severe weather warnings.
We are looking at options to reschedule the festival for early 2018 and will let you know as soon as we have any news.
The weather didn't stop us from celebrating International Day of People with Disability on Sunday 3 December though.
We joined with the Boroondara Sports Complex to let people come and try wheelchair AFL, basketball and handball.
We were also involved with International Day of People with Disability activities at Glen Eira Sports & Aquatic Centre on Wednesday 6 December.
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We reached our goal!
On Tuesday 21 November, we held our very first 24-hour appeal.
We set ourselves the challenge of raising $30,000 to help kids with disability achieve their dreams of living active, healthy lives through access to sport and recreation.
It was an exciting 24 hours as we nervously watched the figures go up while the operations room buzzed with volunteers making phone calls.
We reached our goal with time to spare and we couldn't have done it without the generous support of our members, partners, volunteers and community.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for helping us make a difference in the lives of people with disability.
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Goodbye Juliet, hello Ayden
Last week we farewelled Juliet, who has been an incredible part of our team for the past two years, as she moves back to her career in peadiatric occupational therapy.
Ayden Shaw, our new Manager of Sport and Recreation, will start with us next week on Monday 11 December.
Ayden has a sports industry background including development and community leadership that has seen him work with Cricket Australia and Victoria and the Western Bulldogs.
Most recently he has been with the Cancer Council, as Community Engagement Coordinator.
Ayden is passionate about uniting and connecting people through sport and is looking forward to continuing the amazing work Juliet has done in creating opportunities for people with disability to get active.
Ayden will be your contact for DSR Kids camps and programs, equipment rental and any general sport and recreation inquiries.
You can reach him at: ayden.shaw@dsr.org.au.
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Tina celebrates 20 years!
This year, Tina celebrates 20 years' working with us in the fundraising department.
When we asked her what the best thing about working at Disability Sport & Recreation is, she said there were too many to name.
"You get your bad days, but 99 per cent of the time, it’s a good day. Ultimately, to have the opportunity to raise money for DSR has been unbelievably rewarding."
You can read our full article about Tina on our website.
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Giant puppet making workshops
Do you want to be a Street Skeeter?
A bold new physical theatre performance is looking for people with disability to take part.
Street Skeeters is a community-based theatre work involving athletes with disability to build and bring to life wheelchair mounted giant-puppet characters.
Join us for a free workshop and be part of the team!
The project invites up to 16 participants to work together to design, build and perform giant puppet creatures on sport wheelchairs called 'Skeeters'.
Held over two weeks in early 2018, you will learn from puppet master, Daniele Poidomani, of Memetica. Workshop participants will become puppeteers at a free public roving performance at the 2018 Disability Sport and Recreation Festival as well as the Melbourne Museum Plaza.
What: Street Skeeters: Giant Puppet Making Workshops
When: February – April 2018
Where: Melbourne
Cost: FREE
All abilities welcome. This is a collaboration between Memetica, City of Melbourne and Disability Sport & Recreation.
For more information and to register your interest email Steph on stephriddel@gmail.com or call 0423 621 611.
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CyclePower wheels are in motion
Some of our riders have already begun their fundraising campaigns for CyclePower Sri Lanka 2018. You can check out some of their profiles online.
And here is a personal message from one of our fearless riders, Alex:
Hello my name is Alex, and I’m a part of a non for profit charity ride called CyclePower, which is a Disability Sport and Recreation initiative that helps raise awareness and money for people with disabilities in third world countries. It also helps raise awareness for people with disabilities here in Australia and helps show off the awesome things we can do, like hand-cycle over 400km in eight days.
Over the past seven years, the CyclePower initiative has visited Vietnam, Cambodia, Fiji, Laos, Thailand and Bali, supporting projects across the South East Asia region and at home. I myself have done six of the CyclePower trips in Fiji, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Bali and Thailand, in a hand-cycle where the most I did was 550km.
Next year, CyclePower is heading to Sri Lanka and I need someone to sponsor me.
The goal is to do 475km in eight days. Your donation will not only help me get there, but will also go towards Disability Sport and Recreation and the wheelchair rehab centre in Vavuniya, Sri Lanka.
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Swing into tennis
Do you want to play tennis? Have you ever wanted to play tennis in your local area? Then why not come along and join this modified tennis program.
Following on from Scope’s Get Active health
and wellbeing program, Tennis Victoria have
partnered with Scope to deliver a fully inclusive
version of tennis with the help of coaches from
On Point Tennis, Green Gully.
The program caters to all abilities with qualified
coaches to help you to learn and develop your
skills.
It’s a great way to meet new friends, keep active,
and more importantly have fun!
When: 14th February - 28th March 2018
Time: Wednesdays 10.00am - 11.30am
Where: Green Gully Reserve
Green Gully Road, Keilor Downs, VIC 3173
RSVP: Friday 15th December 2017
For more information, or to register your interest, please contact Amy Marie on 0481 006 205 or amarie@scopeaust.org.au.
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Get Active Together program back in 2018
Would you like to be more active in your community, meet new people and link in with local sporting clubs?
The ‘Get Active Together’ program is back by popular demand! The program has been piloted in Melbourne’s Western Suburbs throughout 2017.
The program not only encourages adults living with disability to try new things and be active in the community but has also had success stories of people going on to join local clubs and organisations.
The program is made up of different sports each term. Qualified coaches teach skill development activities and you will learn the concepts of each game.
When: Every Tuesday from 30th January 2018 - 27th March 2018
Time: 10am-12pm
Cost: $5 per week or $50 per term
Where: St Albans and Werribee
For more information please contact Amy Marie on 0481 006 205 or amarie@scopeaust.org.au.
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Autism friendly circus classes
Westside Circus has created circus classes specifically for young people on the autism spectrum.
It features low sensory activities, a low trainer to participant ratio and the help of an occupational therapist.
This is a great way to have circus fun while learning and enhancing social interaction/queues, developing confidence as well as team building skills - all in a safe and understanding environment.
There is a taster class coming up so you can try it out before committing to a full term.
When: Friday 15 December, 4:00-5:30PM
Where: Westside Circus, 41 Cramer Street, Preston (Building Q)
Who: Anyone 7 years or older living on the Autism Spectrum
Cost: $70 per class (eligible for NDIS). You may attend one or both of the sessions.
If you have any questions, want to sign up or find out more, please call on (03) 9471 2928 or email info@westsidecircus.org.au.
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DSR Kids summer camp - registrations open
Registrations for our fun-filled, action-packed summer camp for kids with physical disability are now open!
Challenge your sense of adventure using the Cloud Rider on the tree tops adventure course, or test your inner daredevil on the giant swing at YMCA's wonderfully inclusive Camp Manyung.
Bring lots of energy to try activities such as archery, bike riding and tennis and don't forget the memory making accessible trip to Mount Martha beach.
All of this fun and adventure while meeting new friends and gaining independence.
Who: The camp is open to children with physical disability aged between 7 and 17 years.
When: Friday 16 – Sunday 18 February, 2018
Where: Camp Manyung, Mt Eliza
Cost: $250 + GST which includes:
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All sport and recreational activities
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Accommodation
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Transport
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All meals
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Personal care and engagement support
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Access to photos of your camp experience
General registration closes Wednesday December 20.
Fill in the expression of interest form online
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Disability Advisory Committee
Do you want to have a say in making sure that people with disability can get out and about in the City of Melbourne?
City of Melbourne is looking for people with personal experience and/or professional expertise in disability access to sit on its Disability Advisory Committee.
Expressions of interest close on Wednesday 13 December at 5pm.
You can find more information on the City of Melbourne website.
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Give the gift of inclusiveness this Christmas
This Christmas, give the gift of inclusiveness by making a donation to Disability Sport & Recreation.
Can you imagine summer without a hit of tennis, going to the beach or simply being able to play with your friends?
You can make recreation a reality for kids with disability by gifting a donation towards our DSR Kids summer camp.
Put a smile on a child's face this Christmas by giving them a life changing experience.
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