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Rugby Australia and What Ability, an NDIS provider, join forces with a shared mission of prioritising happiness for people living with disabilities.

Friday, 27th October 2023

Rugby Australia and What Ability, a leading National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provider, will unite to put happiness first for people living with disabilities across the country.

What Ability is an NDIS provider that utilises professional and semi-professional athletes as support workers to provide community based experiences for people living with a disability, including swimming, bush walks, beach days, indoor activities and overnight camps. 

Together they’re harnessing the power of sport to support all abilities and place inclusion at the forefront of Rugby, whilst simultaneously increasing visibility of disability on a national scale.

What Ability CEO Jared Chapman said: “This commitment from Rugby Australia is paving the way forward towards a more inclusive Australia. There are great synergies between our organisations and we believe this partnership will strengthen their already inclusive framework. We’re creating real change and are able to continue putting happiness first for people living with a disability.”

Rugby Australia General Manager of Community Rugby Michael Procajlo said: “We are committed to providing opportunities for everyone in the community to be involved and respected within rugby. Partnering with What Ability is a significant step forward as they will play a key role in promoting GingerCloud Foundation’s Modified Rugby Program (MRP), which is a world class program established for neurodiverse young people. Together we look forward to making a meaningful difference in the lives of those living with a disability.”

What Ability Support Worker and Wallabies prop Angus Bell is very excited about the partnership, commenting on the utmost importance of the collaboration, “Rugby is such a key and celebrated part of Australian culture. For inclusion and diversity to be at the centre of the game with the support of What Ability is truly amazing. I can’t wait to see how this partnership evolves.” 

What Ability provide extensive training to ensure support workers are capable, fit and confident in their role. Their training includes the following qualifications; Epilepsy Essentials, First Aid/CPR certificate, NDIS Orientation Module, NDIS Worker Check, Police Check, Water Rescue, Working with Children Check, two professional references, and where applicable, Safety Interventions, Medication administration training and Emergency Medication administration training.

What Ability provide extensive training to ensure support workers are capable, fit and confident in their role. Their training includes the following qualifications; Epilepsy Essentials, First Aid/CPR certificate, NDIS Orientation Module, NDIS Worker Check, Police Check, Water Rescue, Working with Children Check, two professional references, and where applicable, Safety Interventions, Medication administration training and Emergency Medication administration training.

Harvey Norman and What Ability renew partnership for three years as they pave the way for inclusive initiatives in the disability sector 

Friday, 22nd September 2023

Harvey Norman and What Ability, a leading National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provider, have announced the three year renewal of their partnership focused on putting happiness first for Aussies living with a disability. 

What Ability specialises in one-to-one community access for people living with disability by pairing them with support workers, which include a number of Australia’s elite and emerging sportspeople including Olivia Kernick, NRLW Sydney Rooster player and support worker and Shaun Bruce, Sydney Kings player and support worker. Activities are tailored to participants’ goals and needs which can see them meeting their sporting heroes while accessing community activities and overnight camps. 

As part of the partnership, Harvey Norman will continue to support What Ability in building an inclusive world. To benefit What Ability, Harvey Norman has implemented inclusive initiatives such as activations at camp, in-store cooking experiences, and collaborations with other key brands and partners. Their in-store teams are also supporting extended families through personalised in store shopping experiences and VIP cards. 

“Harvey Norman CEO Katie Page said the decision to renew the partnership between What Ability and Harvey Norman was easy. We have seen first-hand the joy the What Ability activities bring for all the participants. The joy of cooking, attending camp, art or bowling these are the dimensions of life that bring fulfilment. Sharing these moments with elite and emerging sportspeople – role models for us all – creates an added inspiration that endures long after the activity has concluded. 

“We know that it also benefits the families of the participants living with a disability as it provides them with an opportunity to take some time out knowing that their family member is having the time of their life.”

What Ability Founder, Steve Dresler said the renewal of the collaboration would ultimately strengthen the existing partnership and enrich the lives of all participants around the country:

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to renew our partnership with Harvey Norman for another three years. Their team shares our vision of building an inclusive world and have embraced our mission to put happiness first for people living with a disability. They have helped us gain visibility and provided unforgettable memories for our participants” he said.

“Through our shared resources, knowledge, and passion, we’ve been able to empower individuals with disabilities to lead fulfilling lives and participate fully in society. The success of this partnership is a testament to what can be achieved when organisations with shared values come together to make a difference.”

What Ability is currently active in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, and Western Australia, with plans to expand in South Australia soon. To follow this collaboration, check out Harvey Norman (@harveynormanau) and What Ability (@whatability) on social media or if you’re looking for disability support, head to https://whatability.com.au/services/need-support/ to find out more.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Katie Philipson, Marketing Coordinator, [email protected]

HR imagery available upon request. 

About Harvey Norman:

Harvey Norman is a large Australian-based, multinational retailer of furniture, bedding, computers, communications and consumer electrical products. Choose from appliances, computers, TVs, furniture and more at their website, https://www.harveynorman.com.au/ 

About What Ability:

What Ability is an NDIS registered disability support service that specialises in 1:1 community access and camps. They connect you with capable, fit and friendly support workers across the country, some of which are professional athletes. If you’re looking for disability support, head to https://whatability.com.au/services/need-support/ to find out more.

What Ability is excited to announce the appointment of Jared Chapman as the Chief Executive Officer and Nick Carroll as the Chief Operations Officer. 

Jared comes to us from within our own ranks, bringing over 10 years’ experience in the digital space, including his role as our COO, and as The Fork’s Director of Sales and Operations and Managing Director. 

During his time as our COO, he was instrumental in advancing processes and implementing policies to promote organisational culture, and he is known throughout the organisation for having a deep understanding of What Ability’s culture, values and goals. 

Jared has described his time as COO over the last 18 months as incredible, he said “the passion and dedication of the team have led to some amazing achievements. Expanding our Sydney service to 3 new states and the incredible support and feedback we have received from families is definitely a highlight.”

As What Ability continues to grow and become increasingly recognisable within the disability sector, Jared’s new role as CEO will have a great focus on working together with our corporate and community partners to create an inclusive world. 

Jared has stated he is “genuinely honoured to be offered the role as CEO of an organisation that takes supporting people with disability so seriously.”

“The passion of the team and the potential within the space are both opportunities as What Ability continues to mature.” 

Prior to joining What Ability, Jared and Nick co-founded Fit Finder Australia, a website and app that helps people get motivated and feel great by connecting them to personal trainers in their area. 

The two have a strong working dynamic and a shared vision, and have expressed their excitement about taking What Ability to the next level. 

Nick has stated “I think [Jared and I] have a complimentary skill set and a similar way of thinking. I’ve worked best as a safety net, allowing Jared to think as big as he likes, safe in the knowledge I won’t allow things to go off track or get distracted from our core mission.”  

Nick, who also has over 10 years’ experience, has worked as a Director of Analytics for Viator, a TripAdvisor company, and head of Ecommerce and Analytics for SumoSalad. Throughout his impressive background, he has led strategic teams of 15 across 7 countries with a market cap of $2bn. 

The new What Ability COO has stated he is impressed with the organisational culture and is looking forward to bringing his knowledge and skills to elevate What Ability. 

“What Ability is a great company that is truly mission driven which is incredibly rare to find. The team is really enthusiastic and their passion for the work and mission flows through in everything they do. This culture is really uplifting and drives everyone to bring their best,” Nick said. 

Both Nick and Jared foresee that What Ability will grow majorly within the next three to five years. 

Jared has said he is hopeful that over the next three years What Ability will transform from a service provider to an authority in the space, helping reshape the way we approach disability as a society. 

“The NDIS is still only young, and our acceptance and understanding of disability as a society is still in its infancy, so being an influence on how this develops is an exciting opportunity and moreso, a responsibility,” Jared said. 

What Ability is very proud to introduce this dynamic duo to the public. Together we will work to create an inclusive world and make happiness come first for people living with a disability across the country!