ECHO Australia and Basketball Victoria welcomed Victorian Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers Luke Donnellan MP on Monday morning at the State Basketball Centre to launch SPORTSWORK, a basketball and employment program for people with disability.

 Mr. Donnellan MP joined the SPORTSWORK participants on the court for a friendly shoot out competition after announcing a $100,000 Jobs Victoria Innovation Fund Grant for the SPORTSWORK program, a program he believes will play a significant role in creating opportunities for Victorians with disability to gain employment.

 “We want to ensure absolutely everybody benefits from a strong and growing economy, including people with disability,” Mr. Donnellan MP said. “We are tearing down employment barriers to help more people with disability to gain meaningful and sustainable career opportunities.”

 ECHO Australia CEO, Michael Locke said he is proud to partner with Basketball Victoria to deliver a program that provides a unique approach to employment for people with disability.

 “Basketball is a household sport that a lot of Australian’s grow up playing. We’re proud to partner with Basketball Victoria to implement a program where people with disability can transfer their love of the game and harness skills that will help boost their employment prospects,“ Mr. Locke said. “It is important that we continue to look for new ways to approach employment for people with disability to ensure that as a community we are moving in a direction that cultivates inclusivity, particularly in the workforce”.

 SPORTSWORK is held every fortnight at the State Basketball Centre and encompasses on and off the court activities that focus on developing the transferable skills sports brings to employment.

 The program is open to people with disability, injury or medical conditions, aged 16+ and looking to find sustainable employment.

 For more information or if you would like to get involved in SPORTSWORK please contact us on 1300 194 240.