Creating an inclusive Australia

Children and young people living with a disability know what they want and need. This strategy process enabled their voice to be centre stage, and in collaboration with the advocacy organisation, Rapid Impact supported the co-design of an ambitious strategy that lays out what is necessary for children and young people across Australia to live empowered lives, with equality of opportunity.    

The under-representation of women in all facets of sport mirrors a broader systemic societal issue. Driven by one of Australia’s pre-eminent women philanthropists, some of the nation’s most influential academic, sport and business leaders, came together as the Women in Sport Advisory Group to create a bold new future for women and girls in sport and physical activity. With support from Rapid Impact, a crisp vision, definition of success, and set of priorities, were created which sit at the heart of a new strategy backed by SportAUS, the Australian Institute of Sport, Victoria University, Male Champions of Change and Price Waterhouse Coopers.

After seeking permission and creating a safe space, we found young adults were only too willing to tell the unedited version of life as a child and young person in the residential care system. We listened intently to their stories as they discussed their experiences, challenges, and identified the many ‘sliding doors moments’ where life might have been different. Through this qualitative research, clear advice emerged on how to transform the experience in these homes for future generations of young people who are unable to live with their families. Rapid Impact is in the process of supporting the client and young people to co-design new ways of working that honour the research findings, and address issues identified in the quality and outcome data.