The Australian Sports Commission is continuing to work on the Classification Project which aims to increase the number of disability sport classifiers within Australia.

Interested individuals can progress through the steps to becoming a disability sport classifier by firstly attending a ‘What is Disability Sport’ workshop delivered by DEP network.  For more information contact Connie Raso on 9425 0057.

Sports Ability
 

Sports Ability is an exciting new initiative from the Australian Sports Commission targeting people with disabilities across Australia.

Sports Ability is an inclusive activities program with two main aims:

To provide teachers and support staff with more ways of including young people with disabilities in physical activity and sport, particularly those who have higher support needs

To create a medium for the integration of young people with and without disabilities in inclusive activities

The Sports Ability program is based around five activities ie

Boccia ( a bowls type target game played at the Paralympics), goalball (another paralympic sport developed for players who have a visual impairment), sitting volleyball,polybat (is an accessible version of table tennis), and table cricket.

To support Sports Ability a training program has been developed to complement the activity cards and instructional video.  Training is provided through the ASC’s DEP program.  The training consists of a 3 hour module that explores all the activities included in the Sports Ability program and some of the introductory game and variations.  Training is available in every State and Territory.

Sports Ability equipment bags may be purchased  for approx $1,600, which includes

the cost of training.  The kit includes sports equipment for five inclusive activities, activity cards and video.

What is the Disability Education Program?

Sport Education Victoria has taken over the management of the Disability Education Program (DEP) within Victoria, funded by the Australian Sports Commission.

The DEP assists sports and physical activity providers to better include people with disabilities in sport and physical activity. 

The program provides training, resources material and an ongoing support network for teachers, coaches, sports administrators, facility managers and community leaders to help them include people with disabilities in their activities.

The program consists of six three-hour training modules, each with specific learning outcomes.  Each module is aimed at specific target groups and covers a range of topics related to the inclusion of people with disabilities in physical activity and sport.

These interactive workshops are delivered by trained and experienced presenters and can be tailored to suit the needs of different groups.  The training modules include:

Module 1: Count Me In	A general community sports and awareness workshop for everyone interested or involved in the provision of sporting opportunities that include people with disabilities.
Module 2: Getting Ready for School	A sport physical education and disability-awareness workshop focused on the inclusion of young people with disabilities into school-based sport and physical activity programs.
Module 3: Opening Doors	A practical workshop that assists sporting organisations develop strategies to attract and retain people with disabilities as members.
Module 4: Play By the Rules	A workshop that helps sporting organisations to understand and deal with issues of disability discrimination and meet their obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992.
Module 5: What is Disability Sport?	A workshop that shows participants how to assist people with disabilities to get involved in sport.  This is a feeder workshop for Disability Sport Contact Officers and/or classifiers. This module is the first step to becoming a sport specific classifier.  If anyone has an interest in becoming a classifier for their sport, I would recommend that you contact your sport and SEV on 9425 0057 to discuss how you might go about it.
Module 6: Inclusive Coaching	A coach-orientated workshop that enhances current knowledge and promotes the inclusion of athletes with disabilities.

Sport Education Victoria has a network of trained and experienced presenters who can design a training package to suit your needs.  We can also tailor a comprehensive program of ongoing training as part of your organisations professional development of staff and volunteers.