The Luxury Paints Ipswich Jets have announced that this Sunday the club will be hosting a Disability Awareness Day when they take on the PNG Hunters at North Ipswich Reserve.
Wayne Wendt, the clubs’ CEO, said the day has come about following the wonderful relationship that has developed between the Jets and ALARA.
Wendt has seen firsthand how the interaction between his players and the kids from ALARA has been a source of joy for all.
Michael Howcroft of ALARA said the relationship with the Jets was about a lot more than the training and playing opportunities with the “big boys” that the kids love, but the chance for them to be truly part of the club and involved in its operations.
Mr Wendt said the club wanted to encourage others to create opportunities for disabled persons and make a stronger commitment to equal opportunities with rugby league for all.
The Jets had adopted this approach, Wendt added, when appointing a young disabled man, Tyson Turner-Thomas (pictured with Keiron Lander) to work for the club on game days who now has the big job of controlling the scoreboard.
As part of the day Wendt said the Jets would be signing a game first Equality Commitment where the Jets will commit to take positive action to develop and embrace equal opportunities for the game to be enjoyed by all people in Ipswich in an inclusive environment.
Club Chairman Steven Johnson echoed Mr Wendt’s statements in thanking Peter Betros, Chairman of the QRL, for his support of the ALARA relationship and added that the Jets believe that:
• Rugby League is a sport that can enrich lives;
• Every person in Ipswich should have the right to choose Rugby League as their sport as a player, coach, match official ,administrator or fan; and
• Every person in Ipswich should have equal access to the game in so far as they are able and wish to do.
Johnson confirmed that the Equality Commitment is based on the Jets believe that everyone has the right to be:
• treated fairly;
• respected;
• valued; and
• feel good about being part of a sport that “does the right thing”.
Wendt said that this commitment is addition to and supportive of the Luxury Paints Ipswich Jets charter not to discriminate against others on the basis of race, colour, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, or physical handicap.
The Luxury Paints Ipswich Jets encourage others to embrace and make a commitment to Equality.
• About the Luxury Paints Ipswich Jets
The Luxury Paints Ipswich Jets are a Rugby League Club that plays in the Intrust Super Cup, the premier domestic Queensland competition and are the peak Rugby League body for the City of Ipswich.
The Jets have a long history of being more than a Rugby League club and an important part of the work they in Ipswich is based in the community to better life outcomes by delivering social programs and creating awareness of social issues.
Contact: Wayne Wendt 0411517495
• About ALARA
ALARA is a world- wide network that was started in Qld in 1989 to create opportunities for disabled persons by using action research and action learning to generate collaborative learning, research and action to transform workplaces, schools, colleges, universities, communities, voluntary organisations, governments and businesses.
