A winning formula
We chat with What Ability about how professional athletes are helping redefine disability support.
Thanks so much for your time! Can you tell us a little about What Ability and the inspiration behind it?
What Ability is a NDIS registered disability support service that specialises in 1:1 community access and camps. We’re a little bit different because we employ capable, fit and friendly support workers across the country, some of whom are professional and semi-professional athletes. We’re the experts in putting fun in disability support, so our days out could be bushwalking, swimming, cooking a BBQ in the park or visiting local cafes.
Our founder, Steve Dresler, is a former Parramatta and NSW Cup player and he saw the benefits first-hand of athletes as support workers, having faced early retirement through injury. What Ability is the evolution of Steve’s desire to create a positive impact amongst his peers and through this he’s built a community connecting with children and adults.
We’d love to know more about the athlete program. What organisations and athletes do you work with?
Since starting What Ability, we have supported and recruited semi-professional and professional athletes from a range of different sporting codes. Our athletes are qualified support workers, but because of their sporting profile and influence, they help us improve the public’s understanding of a support worker role as a career and break down existing social barriers around disability.
Our athletes form genuine connections with our participants. Whether it’s taking a participant on a day out or attending our What Ability Days, our athletes are very passionate about what they do.
We currently have athlete support workers in NSW, VIC, QLD and WA, some of which include Tom Trbojevic (Manly Sea Eagles), Maddy Proud (Australian Diamonds), Kyle Langford (Essendon FC), and Lauren Cheatle (Australian Cricketer).
In 2023, we joined forces with Manly Sea Eagles, GWS GIANTS, Hoops Capital, New South Wales Rugby League, NRL, Rugby Australia and Disability Sports Australia. These community partnerships have helped us facilitate unforgettable moments for our participants and put all abilities on the big screen on a national scale.
What about the range of participants you support; what are their goals, etc?
We support participants aged 5 to 65 who have a wide range of disabilities including Autism, cerebral palsy, intellectual delay, Down syndrome and Angelman syndrome. The ultimate goal for both our families and our support workers is the happiness of our participants. If they’re having fun, we’re doing our job right. When a participant comes home from a day out and they’re happy, that is the ultimate outcome for parents.
Our participants have such a wide range of individual goals that they’re working towards. We tailor our support around a specific goal or goals and help them to achieve it. This in turn, is helping to develop that individual’s life skills.
Access to the community is always an important one – it’s an integral part of life. Being able to access the community allows relationships to form, social connections to thrive and the discovery of new hobbies and places. We build a support plan that aims to help our participants gain confidence in everyday living and in turn, develop life skills, whether that is catching the ferry, paying for their morning coffee or doing a grocery shop.
Can you share any feedback you’ve received that makes everything you do worthwhile?
The most rewarding aspect of what we do is seeing the happiness that our support provides. The genuine bond that our support workers and participants develop is incredible and provides our participants with unforgettable moments and lifelong friendships. As we continue to build an inclusive world, we will continue to put happiness first for all abilities every day.
In terms of long-term goals, what does the organisation hope to achieve in the coming years?
The ultimate vision of What Ability is to build an inclusive world. We want to continue to change the disability sector and keep recruiting athletes to help us achieve this. We see more athletes joining What Ability to break down the stigma of disabilities and help more families.
Our vision is backed and shared by the support of our major partners; AAMI, Harvey Norman, Optus, Shaw and Partners and Tyrepower who have helped provide visibility of our company and mission. The ongoing support of these household names will allow disability to be seen and heard as we reach new families and build an inclusive world.
Are there any upcoming events or initiatives that the community can look forward to?
Yes! We are very excited to announce that we have an upcoming What Ability Day at AAMI Park in Melbourne on Sunday 17 March. We are inviting people with a disability and their families to join us for an unforgettable day. Attendees will participate in a range of fun activities, pass the ball around, and play alongside some of our local What Ability athletes. Head to our What Ability website to join the waitlist!
And finally, where does What Ability run and how can families get involved?
What Ability is currently operating in four states including New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and Victoria with full time and casual support workers available to support. Families, participants and support workers can get involved by contacting our team at [email protected],
1300 358 714 or completing the quick sign up form on our website, whatability.com.au/services/need-support/
