By Disability Sports Australia Media Team
Disability Sports Australia, with support from Bupa, has launched the Accessibility Champion Workshop Series, a new initiative designed to help community sport become more welcoming and inclusive for people with disability.
The series was officially launched in Sydney last night at the NSWRL Brad Fittler Lounge, hosted by Dual Paralympian Rae Anderson PLY.
The event brought together coaches, volunteers, administrators, and grassroots leaders to gain practical skills and strategies to make their clubs more accessible and welcoming for people with disability.
Each workshop features a diverse panel ranging from grassroots champions to athletes, physiotherapists, and inclusion specialists. Together they share lived experience and real-world advice that clubs can put into action straight away.
Disability Sports Australia (DSA) is a national non-profit, registered charity, and the recognised National Sporting Organisation for people with disability. Our mission is to increase grassroots participation in sport by breaking down barriers and creating inclusive pathways.
The workshops focus on building confidence to:
- Create welcoming and accessible club environments
- Make simple, low-cost modifications to programs, venues, and equipment
- Use communication approaches that help everyone feel included
- Access free ongoing resources through the Accessibility Champion course
These sessions are designed for coaches, volunteers, administrators and anyone involved in community or grassroots sport who want to build their confidence to include people with disability.
Workshops are free to attend, but places are limited and registration is required.
Breaking down barriers
Research shows that while 75% of people with disability want to play sport, only 25% get the chance to participate. This new initiative, delivered in partnership with Bupa, directly addresses that gap by equipping clubs with the capability and knowledge to remove barriers at the grassroots level.
Kristy Rohrer, National Education and Participation Manager, Disability Sports Australia, said
“This partnership allows us to better equip our community with the tools, knowledge and confidence to be more inclusive,” “It also aligns with our broader efforts to expand participation and ensure everyone feels welcome in the sport.”
Rae Anderson PLY, host of the workshops added
“The Sydney launch showed how much appetite there is for inclusion. It isn’t complicated when you know where to start — and these workshops give people that starting point.”
Naomi Driver, General Manager Brand & Marketing at Bupa said
“Being active is one of the best ways to stay healthy in body and mind. We are excited that through this initiative we are taking meaningful steps forward in making community sport a more inclusive experience for people with disability.
Upcoming workshops
Melbourne (VIC) — Monday 13 October 2025 Venue: Champions Room, Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre (MSAC)
Brisbane (QLD) — Tuesday 21 October 2025
Venue: Karstens Brisbane
Register
The Accessibility Champion Workshop Series is free to attend, with registration now open via: sports.org.au/accessibility-champion-workshops
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Media contact and for more information:
Ayden Shaw
CEO
M: 0411 788 315
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About Disability Sports Australia
Disability Sports Australia (DSA) is a national non-profit, registered charity, and National Sporting Organisation for people with disability, dedicated to increasing participation in grassroots sport.
For over 60 years, DSA has been at the forefront of disability sport in Australia, starting with wheelchair sports and continually expanding opportunities for people with disability across the country. Today, DSA is disability-agnostic, focusing on building the capability of sports organisations to ensure inclusive and accessible opportunities for people with disability.
Our goal is to raise awareness of the positive impact sport can have, remove barriers to participation, and build a future where sport is inclusive for all Australians.
About Bupa Asia Pacific
Bupa is an international healthcare group which has been committed to a purpose of helping people live longer, healthier, happier lives and making a better world for more than 70 years.
Bupa Asia Pacific operates in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong, supporting about 8.2 million customers through a broad range of health and care services including health insurance, aged care, dental, medical, optical and hearing services.
Employing more than 22,000 people in the region, we believe that we can make a real difference to the lives of customers through our values, purpose and the way that we deliver personalised care.
Over the past 17+ years we have invested more than AUD$36 million in partnerships and programs focused on improving health of communities across Australia. Bupa is the Official Healthcare partner of Disability Sports Australia and Paralympics Australia.
