Former Newcastle Knights star Alex McKinnon will be front and centre of the city’s inclusion campaign, Count Us In Sport, next month.
The Upper Hunter-born forward, whose career was cut short by a spinal injury during a 2014 NRL match against the Melbourne Storm, is joining forces with Paralympian Rae Anderson to champion the importance of making sport accessible for all.
And, the high-profile pair are scheduled to headline an inaugural roundtable on 13 August.
Increasing opportunities for people with disabilities to become involved in grassroots sport will be the focus of the Inclusive Sports Forum at McDonald Jones Stadium.
McKinnon and Anderson are slated to share stories and experiences alongside local clubs already working in this space.
The latter will also speak about her work with Disability Sports Australia, including the Accessibility Champions Course available to organisations and associations to support sports inclusion.
It’s just one of five free activities being delivered as part of City of Newcastle’s (CN) Count Us In Sport program from 8 to 15 August.
The events were designed in consultation with council’s Access Inclusion Advisory Committee and community members with lived experience of disability.
“City of Newcastle prides itself on being a liveable and welcoming community for all people, increasing social inclusion and community connections with events like Count Us In Sport festival in line with our Disability Inclusion Action Plan,” Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Disability Inclusion and Paralympian Liesl Tesch, who attended last year’s event, admitted with the world’s attention focussed on the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games, now was the perfect time to increase awareness of this important issue.
“Participation in sport provides a wonderful experience of community, enabling a sense of belonging and building friendships while also delivering positive benefits for overall health and wellbeing,” she said.
“It’s fantastic to see City of Newcastle championing the role sport can play to encourage inclusion in our community.”
Access Inclusion Advisory Committee co-chair councillor Margaret Wood said Count Us In Sport was a call to action for all sports clubs in Newcastle to take their first, or next, steps to becoming a place where all people have a role, belong and everyone can play.
“While almost 20% of people in Australia live with a disability, only one-in-four of them participate in sport,” she explained.
“Three quarters of those who want to take part believe there are limited opportunities to do so.
“With more than 30,000 people living with a disability in Newcastle, this means that many people in our community are missing out on what sport has to offer.
“We want to turn the tide of these statistics in Newcastle.
“Count Us In Sport provides opportunities for people with disabilities to seek, find and follow their sports journey, whether that is as a competitor, supporter or taking up a role within a sports club or association.”
CN will fly the flag for inclusion from 8 August with the installation of a series of banners championing inclusive sports and Paralympic activities.
The Count Us In Sport program kicks off the following day with a Come and Try Inclusive Sports event at No. 2 Sportsground and the National Park netball courts, where school students and community members will be invited to participate in a series of sporting activities.
Sports clubs, associations and recreational providers with ideas to enhance disability inclusion in Newcastle will also have the chance to promote their plans at an Inclusive Sports Pitch night on 15 August, with four grants of up to $2,500 each on offer from City of Newcastle.
The initiative will wrap up with a fun Paralympics Watch Party hosted by Community Disability Alliance Hunter on a date still to be confirmed.
Check out the City of Newcastle website for more information and to book your place at the free events during Count Us In Sport 2024.
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