LEARN ONE ON ONE WITH OUR PASSIONATE AND QUALIFIED COACHES!
At Waverley Gymnastics Centre, our Inclusion Program is dedicated to providing children with disabilities a supportive and enriching environment where they can thrive through one-on-one coaching within our Educational Gymnastics Program. We believe that every child, should have the opportunity to experience the joy, physical development, and confidence that gymnastics can offer.
Our experienced coaches work closely with each child, tailoring sessions to meet their unique needs and goals. The one-on-one format allows for personalized instruction, ensuring that each child receives the attention and guidance necessary to progress at their own pace, while still enjoying being a part of the group. Through this approach, we focus on building foundational skills, strength, flexibility, coordination, and balance, all while encouraging self-expression and fun. Our inclusion coaches provide one-on-one attention within one of our regular group classes.
Our Inclusion Program not only promotes physical development but also fosters social interaction, self-esteem, and a sense of accomplishment. We aim to create an environment where children feel supported, celebrated, and capable of achieving their personal best. At Waverley Gymnastics Centre, we are committed to ensuring that gymnastics is accessible and welcoming to all, empowering children of all abilities to reach their full potential.
A number of our participants are able to utilise NDIS funding towards the costs of a one-on-one coach. Placements for this support book out very quickly. Please contact us on 9887 9611 for more information.
PROUD WINNER OF THE GYMNASTICS VICTORIA "2023 VICHEALTH INCLUSIVE INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR" AWARD
PROUD FINALIST OF THE SIR JOHN MONASH HIGH COMMENDATION AWARD FOR "AN OUTSTANDING ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES 2024"
About the Program:
Together with partner organisations, Waverley Gymnastics Centre planned and implemented a Disability Inclusion Program in 2023, that enabled 160 children with a disability to participate in a 5-week community sport program. The first thing Waverley Gymnastics Centre enacted was bringing a Disability Mentor into the organisation to help plan and implement a new Disability Inclusion Program. The Disability Mentor, who has lived experience of caring for a family member with a disability, led a successful grant application (Vic Health JumpStart Grant; $50,000) to fund the inaugural 2023 Disability Inclusion Program, and employ an Inclusion Manager.
The Disability Inclusion Program was designed in partnership with Vermont South Special School (VSSS). To give context, the children who attend VSSS have mild intellectual disabilities and a mix of other conditions such as autism, physical disability, sensory sensitivities and low vision. The program delivered a 5-week gymnastics program to all 160 children in the school and was provided free of charge to the children and their families. To ensure Waverley Gymnastics Centre provided a safe and inclusive environment for children with a disability, a high adult to child ratio was established for the program, to ensure the children has individualised support throughout. For example, each group of 10 children who attended the program had at least 6 adults in attendance, and this included a qualified gymnastics coach, two staff from VSSS (one teacher and one education assistant), as well as three tertiary students on placement from our tertiary education partners (Monash University: physiotherapy students; Holmesglen TAFE: disability support and community service students).
While the 2023 program was co-designed by Waverley Gymnastics Centre and VSSS staff, the 2024 iteration of the program was co-designed with the children from VSSS. The Disability Mentor, who is also an academic at Monash University, completed a formal evaluation of the program (with Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee approval) to understand what the children with a disability did and did not like about the program, as well as the experience of the coaches, VSSS staff, and tertiary students. 26 of the children (aged 11-12 years) from VSSS participated in the evaluation and provided valuable feedback. The children told us that they felt happy and excited at gymnastics, and that they liked having choice and control during the sessions, that they got hot and needed a drink break, that they liked using the gymnastics equipment and how it made them feel when they moved, and that they wanted to do more gymnastics. This feedback from the children has directly informed the 2024 program.
If your school is interested in participating in George's Gymnastics Program, please contact Natasha at natasha.brusco@monash.edu
What Our Participants Said:
Disability Mentor: Associate Professor Natasha Brusco
As the Disability Mentor at Waverley Gymnastics Centre, I worked closely with the Centre Director and the Inclusion Manager to obtain grant funding and subsequently design and implement the Disability Inclusion Program.
In addition to being the Disability Mentor at Waverley Gymnastics Centre, I am a mother to three children and the Director of the Rehabilitation, Ageing and Independent Living (RAIL) Research Centre at Monash University.
Inclusion Manager: Anita Woon
As the Inclusion Manager at Waverley Gymnastics Centre, I aim to foster an inclusive environment for all gymnasts. Alongside my role, I am a mother to three children, with two participating in educational gymnastics and one competing at the Junior International level. With over 20 years of experience in physical education with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Physical Education) from RMIT, I bring knowledge and experience to collaborate closely with the Disability Mentor in the design & implementation of an effective inclusion gymnastics program, ensuring that all children have the opportunity to thrive and develop lifelong benefits and lessons from the sport.