How do you encourage people with a disability to have fun and exercise at the same time?
Locations:
Moe, Sale, Lakes Entrance, Wonthaggi
Why We Started:
Boccia Victoria was keen to demonstrate boccia in rural communities in Victoria. They wanted people of all abilities to enjoy participating in physical activity. Also as boccia is a paralympic sport they were keen to encourage people to have a go with the possibility that someone one day might represent their country at the Paralympics. |
The Way Forward:
Ray Brearley from Boccia Victoria contacted GippSport and Quantum Support Services to arrange some Come and Try days in Gippsland in late 2005. Boccia Victoria had been fortunate in receiving a grant from the ANZ Bank Foundation to purchase some equipment and to conduct demonstrations in rural Victoria.
GippSport and Quantum Support Services discussed possible locations and how to get people involved. The two organisations were keen to ensure as many people as possible could have a go.
Making It Happen:
Boccia can be played in any area that is accessible to players. It can be a large or small hall, a gymnasium or a playground area. There are 12 leather covered balls, six of one colour and six of another colour and a white target ball. Players must throw, kick or roll their coloured balls to land as close as possible to the white target ball. All players are seated during the game and the ball is thrown, rolled or kicked from a seated position. This makes it an ideal game for people of all abilities.
With the date set and the Moe/Newborough Sports Stadium booked, Andrew Redston from Quantum Support Services contacted local disability and aged care agencies and invited people to participate in a Come and Try boccia session. Boccia Victoria attended and demonstrated the game and forty people, including carers had great fun. The activity continues each month at the Latrobe Sports Stadium in Moe.
Boccia Victoria donated two sets of equipment to GippSport for the game to get off the ground in Latrobe City.
With requests from local disability agencies in the Wellington and East Gippsland local government areas, GippSport worked with Eastern Gippsland Arts and Recreation Access Group (EGARAG), to start boccia in Bairnsdale and Sale.
Boccia started in Sale in 2006 at the local sports stadium. GippSport purchased some equipment to get the activity started. ECARAG contacted local community groups to encourage people to come and try boccia. At the first session approximately 25 people and carers attended. Arrangements were made with Wellington Shire to keep the equipment at the facility and for people to pay an amount each week to play. The activity occurs weekly at low cost to participants.
The activity commenced in Bairnsdale in 2006 with GippSport providing another set of equipment. With some location difficulties in Bairnsdale the activity moved to Lakes Entrance with participants paying when they played.
In May 2007 Boccia Victoria attended Wonthaggi and conducted a Come and Try day. This was supported by GippSport, Quantum Support Services and the YMCA. This was a very successful day with over 30 people attending. GippSport purchased more equipment and each week people from a local disability day program participate in boccia.
Forming Partners:
The Access for All Abilities programs run through Quantum Support Services and EGARAG were natural partners for boccia as they had access to disability organisations and people with a disability. They were able to use their contacts to encourage organisations and people to attend boccia. Latrobe City, Wellington Shire Council and the YMCA have supported boccia through stadium hire and staff to help set up the area of play.
Challenges We Faced:
GippSport and Quantum Support Services were keen for Latrobe City and their leisure activity staff to support the program. This negotiation took some time that meant that staff from GippSport and Quantum Support Services attended sessions to ensure that boccia continued. Once Latrobe City came on board, GippSport and Quantum Support Services could step back. Now participants attend and pay a small amount to play boccia.
GippSport purchased three sets of equipment and Boccia Victoria provided two sets. GippSport did not want to store the equipment as it would mean having to attend the weekly or monthly activities. Fortunately, the Wellington Shire and Latrobe City were prepared to store the equipment at the facilities. This ensures the equipment is available when required. It also means other groups like schools can have a go through the local government facilities.
Letting people know about boccia is a challenge. Communication with disability organisations, aged care organisations and the general community requires different techniques. Often the main contact person leaves an organisation and another needs to be found. The media are not always interested once the initial come and try has been and at this stage there are no clubs. But with persistence to the organisations and some local flyers people continue to come along to the sessions.
Our Success:
The Come and Try Days have been very successful. Each of them had at least 30 people attend with their carers. People from day programs, planned activity groups and supported accommodation centres have participated.
Partnerships with a number of organisations have strengthened and enabled other projects to get off the ground.
Most importantly, boccia has been established in four centres across Gippsland with people having a go at the game weekly or monthly.
To the Future:
GippSport will continue to support boccia through its website and as a resource for new areas wanting to establish the game. Boccia Victoria make themselves available when they can to provide instruction in the region. As the game grows in Gippsland both Boccia Victoria and GippSport are encouraging participants to take opportunities to try out for teams that could ultimately lead to a spot in the Australian Paralympic Team!
GippSport
PO Box 63
Newborough 3825
(03) 5135 8335