Indigenous PWD & Sport

First Nations People with disability are one of the most marginalised, disadvantaged and disengaged groups in Australia. They do not participate in sport at the same levels as other groups in the community and are under-represented in all areas of disability sport.

This web-section provides information and resources to help reduce chronic disease prevention and promote health and physical activity awareness and opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) people with disability.

The resource is one of the outcomes from the Indigenous Health Education project supported by the Department of Health Indigenous Australian Health Programme that was conducted from 2018-2020 by Paralympics Australia in partnership with Outback Academy Australia (OAA).

The resource includes:

• Indigenous Health Education Program overview

• Profiles on Indigenous Paralympians
  • Kevin Coombs OAM
  • Ray Barrett
  • Tracy Barrell OAM
  • Torita Blake
  • Amanda Reid
  • Other Indigenous Australian Paralympian profiles (Wikipedia)

• Select a Sport (find out what sport is best suited to you)

• Classification (how to get involved or get classified to compete)

• Equipment Fund (grants to assist you to buy sports equipment)

• Education resources
  • Paralympic Education Program (free online teacher and student resources)
  • Yulunga Traditional Indigenous Games (Yulunga can be used as an educational resource and as a guide to inclusive, structured sport within communities).
  • Australian Paralympic History Project 
  • SEE IT. BELIEVE IT. BE IT. A4 Poster (PDF)
  • Share a Yarn Program (AIS) – connecting Australian athletes with Indigenous communities
  • Disability in the Bush app – helping ATSI people engage with the National Disability Insurance Scheme

• Videos/audio
  • Oral history of Kevin Coombs, (Indigenous Paralympian from the first Paralympic Games in 1960)

• News/articles
  • Paralympics Australia reveals Indigenous prints for 2020 uniform and video
  • Indigenous Paralympians recognised for NAIDOC Week
  • Sport’s important role in helping to Close the Gap
  • Are sports programs closing the gap in Indigenous communities?
  • Sport’s role in closing the gap for Australia’s First Nations People

• Research
  • Research Paper (Benefits and barriers to participation in physical activity for ATSI People with disability)
  • The experience of First Nations People with Disability in Australia Issues Paper
  • Overview of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status 2016: Key facts, figures and tables, (Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet, Edith Cowan University)
  • Sport – More Than Just a Game (House of Representatives Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs report from the inquiry into the contribution of sport to Indigenous well-being and mentoring).
  • Do physical activity interventions in Indigenous people in Australia and New Zealand improve activity levels and health outcomes? A systematic review.
  • Review of physical activity among Indigenous people (Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet).

• Links/resources:
  • Outback Academy Australia
  • Department of Health Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health information
  • NDIA’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Strategy
  • National Aboriginal Sporting Chance Academy(NASCA)
  • National Centre of Indigenous Excellence(NCIE)
  • First Peoples Disability Network Australia (FPDN)
  • Cathy Freeman Foundation
  • David Wirrpanda Foundation
  • Go Foundation
  • Indigenous Marathon Project

Follow Paralympics Australia and join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn for regular posts about events, athletes, programs and Para-sports.

Note: Community organisations consulted as part of the Indigenous Health Education Project and Red Dust Heelers Aboriginal team members have informed and provided advice to enhance the development of this online resource.