Swans Be You Day beacons all abilities sports and wellbeing

The Swans Roebourne Be You Day was a hit for Karratha locals — with droves of families soaking up the wellbeing activities and inclusive sporting games on offer. Bulgarra Oval was transformed with wellbeing stalls and sports activities such as wheelchair football and basketball. “The aim for the day was to promote inclusion in the community,” Swans Districts Football Club disability and inclusion coordinator Jorja Perdija said. “Disability and inclusion are very important, especially in regional areas, there is a bit of a gap in the space. “Kids could have a go at variety of inclusive sports such as inclusive netball and soccer and our wheelchair AFL and basketball programs.” Also present on the day was Short Back & Sidewalks, a organisation providing free haircuts, free of judgement. “We give free haircuts to people experiencing homelessness, poverty and disadvantage,” Short Back & Sidewalks CEO Natalie Jenkins said. “It’s about creating connections for people that are often marginalised from community because of their circumstances. “It’s also about giving people self-confidence, which can be changing in the moment, but it can also be life changing for some people too, because it can lead to connecting with other services that they need.” Short Back and Sidewalks has expanded to major cities across the country and more recently regional WA following funding from the Government. “We’ve already launched in Bunbury, Kalgoorlie, Geraldton, Broome and now Karratha and Roebourne,” Ms Jenkins said. “On Tuesday we worked alongside Yaandina Community Services in Roebourne and offered a school holiday pamper day where kids could get braids, haircuts, their nails done, it was really lovely. “So days like today are all about connecting and meeting the community and contributing to their wellbeing.” Ms Perdija said she hoped more inclusive activities would be on offer to the Karratha community in the future. “There hasn’t been an event like this in Karratha before so it has been a really successful day in showcasing these sports and services which is why Jimmy Westbrook from Swans Roebourne and I had this idea of promoting the disability community,” she said.