By Oliver Lees
People with disabilities living in the Macedon Ranges will have a better chance of getting involved in sport, following the council’s commitment to a program designed to promote inclusion.
Last week Macedon Ranges council announced it would be one of six councils in the state to sign on to the Sport4All pilot program, which provides pathways for grassroots engagement in community sport through programs at schools and clubs.
Funding from Sport4All will help council to employ someone with lived experience of disability to act as the engagement officer between the council and local organisations.
Macedon Ranges council acting assets and operations director, Colin Marshall, said he’s looking forward to seeing the community engage with the initiative.
“If you have a passion for sport and a disability or lived experience as a player, volunteer or administrator then we welcome your application,” Mr Marshall said.
“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.”
The program has been designed in collaboration with Get Skilled Access, a disability inclusion organisation founded by sportsman Dylan Alcott.
Sport4All spokesperson Ben Pettingill said the program can help more Australians pursue their interests in sport.
“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.
