Centre court within the community

Our partnership with the Sandringham District Netball Association (SDNA) is very much valued as it allows our clients to be active and connected members of our local community through sport.

While we have had a relationship with the SDNA for a number years, a grant from Bayside City Council’s Inclusive Bayside Partnerships has allowed this collaboration with SDNA to continue at no cost to Bayley House. Winning!

Connections with organisations such as the SDNA provide opportunities for our clients to enjoy and experience netball. These training and development sessions are held at their netball courts in Hampton. A group of clients attend each week on Friday mornings and have worked on building their fitness and agility, ball skills and have begun to develop their understanding of netball game rules and scoring. Each session finishes with a round of ‘mini-games’. David, Cassice, Harry, Mary, Lachlan, Alisha and Wendy have all been involved recently and love their Friday morning sessions. From warm up stretches to a friendly game at the end, the group have developed great skills over the course of the program.

Opportunities to re-develop fitness, to feel community connection and to socialise with others were identified by Bayley House clients and their families as particularly important post Covid lockdowns. This program has supported these needs. Not only has the program allowed this much needed social interaction, it has provided our clients with so much fun!

The SDNA team have been able to provide Bayley House a unique skill set in being able to coach netball techniques and game skills with an inclusive approach, allowing our clients to experience and be a part of a fantastic local community sporting venue and organisation.

Thanks to Bayside City Council for their support, not only of this program but also for the work they are doing for disability inclusion within the Bayside community.