Community Inclusion Day a success

The Club also demonstrated how it delivers our mission, to provide activities and services for a safer, sustainable community, using all the skills, capability and resources it can harness.

Our Club’s President, Craig Bull explained that we believe building a welcoming culture within our Club has a ripple effect within the organisation itself and throughout the community. Similarly, the Club’s focus on inclusion is an attitude that has influenced how people act within and with the Club, which delivers great value to our community.

The Hon Albert Jacob, Mayor of the City of Joondalup, acknowledged and celebrated these Club attributes, also highlighting the Club’s exemplary role as a volunteer run organisation. Mayor Jacob noted the broad cross section of “opportunities for life” that Mullaloo SLSC offers for all ages and abilities and that these opportunities are not just limited to Club members. These included:

• an integrated program within its regular Sunday Club Day – Woodside Nippers, which sees a broad cross section of children participating alongside their peers (which involves pairing individuals with a buddy of their choice and facilitating participation in activities offered within the nipper program); and
• the Club’s Mullaloo Mariners Program – a standalone program designed for young members aged 6 years and above with a disability, including physical, intellectual and learning difficulties.

Guest Speaker, Madison Heady (a running enthusiast with cerebral palsy) provided a fabulous insight into what it meant to be navigating life with a disability. Maddie had the crowd transfixed on her story, which highlighted the need for us all to consider how to create pathways for inclusion and support.

The Community Inclusion Day was a great example of the Club’s values, involving a diverse range of organisations and activities. A huge thanks goes to the following organisations for donating their time, expertise and (in some cases) their produce to make the day such a success:

• Irene McCormack Catholic College – marquee’s, trestles, esky’s and chairs. The college enables students to learn and realise their potential to become fully contributing members of the local and global community.
• Bakers Delight – morning tea
• Second Bite – fresh produce
• Fresh Frontiers – salads
• City of Joondalup – Sensory activities/fairy
• Guest Speakers: Mayor Albert Jacob and Madison Heady
• Exhibitors:
• City of Joondalup – Supporting Disability and Inclusion program
• APM Communities – Communities help NDIS participants and people with disability to identify and access the support they need.
• Carers WA – Dedicated to improving the lives of family carers.
• Kookaburra Kids – Empowering young people to thrive.
• Ability One – Empowering people to realise their abilities.
• Cycling without Age – Trishaw bike rides building intergenerational relationships.
• Second Bite – Ending waste and ending hunger through rescuing food from waste and redistributing it to local charities helping people in need.
• Mullaloo Surf Shop – The Club’s retail merchandise shop.
• Mullaloo Mariners
• Mullaloo Masters
• Mullaloo Lifesaving
• Mullaloo Education
• Mullaloo Surf Boats
• Mullaloo IRB
• Mullaloo Beachies
• MyHome – sponsoring a tent that provides some shade near the end of the beach access mat.

Thank you to all the Mullaloo volunteers who helped with set up and pack down, morning tea, sausage sizzle, water safety and displays.

Finally, huge shout out to Jacqui McGregor who lead the charge with the Club’s Accessibility and Inclusion team to pull the event together – awesome work team!

Details about what is being offered by the Club can be viewed in this news item we have been sharing about the event: https://www.mullaloosurf.com.au/blog/community-inclusion-day-27-november/