Presentations such as this typically begin with a statistic designed to highlight a problem. The Disabled are not problems. Rather, each is a Sister, Brother or friend who has a favourite dish or song; a Daughter or Son with dreams and the desire to fulfil them. A Person with a Disability has the same rights as any other and given opportunities to flourish as others do, have the potential to lead fulfilling lives that contribute to the social, cultural and economic vitality of their communities.
Lack of exercise is a serious public health concern for all people, but People with Disabilities are at much greater risk of associated serious health problems. Engaging in a healthy lifestyle for Persons with a Disability can be a daunting task—physical activity generally requires elements of strength, endurance, balance, and coordination; attributes that are taken for granted. For People with Disabilities, one or more physical attributes might be affected by disability. A disability that limits access to sport, fitness, and work or household-related physical activity. Sadly, People with Disability typically contend with discrimination, low confidence and expectations, limited resources and opportunities, inadequate support and exclusion and there is much work to do to challenge deeply entrenched community attitudes.
It's simple. Our target market is diverse and comes from a variety of ethnicities and cultures. That’s why we’ve chosen sport and Rugby League as our vehicle to promote our cause. Rugby League offers an opportunity for diverse community groups and individuals to come together, interact and grow on a social level. It helps break down social and cultural stigmas and allows us to champion diversity, inclusiveness and acceptance of the Physically Disabled. That’s our target market. Our local audience is our target audience; those who have a physical disability and are ambulant in New Zealand, but the challenge and opportunity is global. We are here to do our bit.