Macedon Ranges Shire Council joins Sport4All pilot

Published on 16 July 2021

Macedon Ranges Shire Council is proud to be one of six councils across Victoria joining the Sport4All pilot, an exciting new program to help build capacity for people with a disability to be welcomed into local schools and sports clubs.

Sport4All is a collaboration between the Australian Government, Sports Australia and Get Skilled Access. Get Skilled Access was founded by Paralympic Gold Medallist and Grand Slam champion Dylan Alcott OAM, with Sport4All aiming to ensure people with disability, or lived experience, have the opportunity to participate in grassroots and school sports when, where and how they choose.

The Sport4All pilot program will help bridge the significant gap in the understanding and capability of sporting clubs and schools to include people with disability effectively in sport.

As part of the pilot program, Sport4All will fund Council to employ a Sport4All Disability Inclusion Program Coordinator three days per week. The program coordinator will be a person with disability and/or lived experience who has been involved in sport as a player, volunteer or administrator. They will work with Council to engage local sporting clubs and schools in the Sport4All website, resources and program.

The program coordinator will work with teams across Council, including the Open Space and Recreation, Aquatics and Leisure, and teams focused on diversity and inclusion to coordinate the approach to imbedding the Sport4All program across the Macedon Ranges.

Council’s Acting Director Assets and Operations, Colin Marshall said Council is pleased to join this important pilot which aims to make it easier for people with a disability to play sport at school or with local clubs.

“If you have a passion for sport and a disability or lived experience as a player, volunteer or administrator then we welcome your application.

“Council is committed to supporting projects and initiatives like Sport4All which grow participation in community sport and active recreation; and working with our community to create spaces where people of all ages and abilities feel welcome to play sport and be active,” he said.

Ben Pettingill, Sport4All Spokesperson said sport was engrained in Australian culture, and that participating in sport should not be a privilege only for some depending on ability, it should be every Australian’s right.

“This is why Sport4All is so exciting, it will change the way disability and inclusion is viewed in mainstream sport and will result in people with disability, like myself, as someone who is blind being able to participate in sport when, where and how we choose,” he said.

For more information or to apply, visit the jobs webpage or call 5422 0333.