Disability Sports Australia

September 2023

Disability Sports Australia (DSA) and What Ability, a leading National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provider, are teaming up to support Australians with disabilities be active through a new community partnership.

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 athletes. DSA is a National Sporting Organisation for people with disabilities (NSOD) that strives to enable more Australians with disabilities be more active more often. Both organisations are coming together to amplify their impact, share stories, and advocate for an inclusive active environment for individuals with disabilities.

As part of the partnership, What Ability and DSA will harness the power of sport to help put happiness first for people living with a disability around the country. Both organisations share the belief that sport has the ability to bring people together, facilitate social connections and improve the wellbeing of people living with disabilities. 

“Our partnership with What Ability is a thrilling step forward in our collective journey,” exclaimed Ayden Shaw, General Manager of Disability Sports Australia. “By combining our strengths, we can expand the reach of our programs and initiatives, ultimately providing more opportunities for people with disabilities to be active and socially connected.”

Jared Chapman, CEO of What Ability, echoed the sentiment, saying, “We are proud to partner with Disability Sports Australia. Their shared vision of an inclusive world and like-minded activities provide an exciting glimpse into what’s to come. We look forward to this helping happiness come first for Australians with disabilities.”

An announcement of this exciting partnership took place at the Activate Inclusion Sports Day event in Newcastle on Thursday, September 7. This event served as the perfect backdrop for the collaboration, as it created buzz around DSA’s new program, “Abilities Unleashed – Adults.” This program encourages and empowers adults with disabilities to explore local adaptive sports and active recreation opportunities.

The partnership is a testament to both organisations’ dedication to improving the lives of people with disabilities and promoting a more inclusive world. By leveraging each other’s strengths, DSA and What Ability aim to positively impact communities nationwide.

To follow this partnership, check out What Ability (@whatability) and Disability Sports Australia (@disabilitysportsaustralia) on socials or if you’re looking for disability support, head to https://whatability.com.au/services/need-support/ to find out more.