Hannah Hammoud
Whittlesea council has teamed up with the AFL and Whittlesea Junior Football Club’s Auskick Centre to host a special ‘come and try’ night for children with a disability aged between 7-12.
The program is designed to be inclusive of people with disabilities, offering games and activities that accommodate all participants.
Whittlesea Junior Football Club (JFC) Auskick co-ordinator Tania Pyle has been the driving force behind bringing this program to Whittlesea.
“We approached the AFL as a junior club and asked to run the program as there are kids in our community with disabilities who we want to be able to share the sport with,” she said.
“Through surveys and our work with schools we noticed that there was a lack of accessible programs for kids with disabilities in the northern corridor.
“It’s important for us to see children with disabilities involved in the sport and have the same access to experiencing sport that everyone else does.
“It is also important for our mainstream kids to be more inclusive and diverse and spend time with kids who have disabilities.”
Tania said a goal of Whittlesea JFC is to eventually be able to field an all abilities football team that includes players with disabilities.
The free ‘Footy 4 Fun’ event will be held from 5.30-6.30pm on Friday, at A. F. Walker Recreation Reserve, 74 Laurel Street, Whittlesea.
With a coffee van and free sausage sizzle, parents and players are invited to come down and connect with the community to celebrate inclusion and diversity this Harmony Week.
Register www.playhq.com/afl/register/853d03
