Welcome
About THE COURSE
get ready to maximise your independence
Wheelchair skills team
Revolutionizing Independence and Inclusion for People with Disabilities.
The Wheelchair Skills Team offers people with disabilities tools and training on their way to a more active and independent life. In addition, we provide insight into the possibilities of people with disabilities to participate in the community.
The Wheelchair Skills Team wants to put an end to negative stereotypes of wheelchair users in the community, amongst wheelers and non-wheelers. We think things can and should be done differently. We believe that together we can create a future in which everyone is equal. We'll take you through a 4-day course, showing you how to pop wheelies, navigate kerbs and other obstacles, and become a master of your wheelchair.
The Wheelchair Skills Team wants to put an end to negative stereotypes of wheelchair users in the community, amongst wheelers and non-wheelers. We think things can and should be done differently. We believe that together we can create a future in which everyone is equal. We'll take you through a 4-day course, showing you how to pop wheelies, navigate kerbs and other obstacles, and become a master of your wheelchair.
Goals
Empowering wheelers to participate equally
VISION
Inclusion is a big deal. We all deserve to be right in the mix, living our best lives while keeping our self-worth intact. But let's face it, for people living with a disability, inclusion isn't exactly a walk in the park. We believe that this observation is based on a dynamic that is maintained by society and wheelchair users.
First, we see that ignorance and unfamiliarity among non-wheelers create barriers to wheeler participation in the community. We see that people in wheelchairs are systematically approached with too low expectations, which has an enormous impact on a person's development. By giving society insight into the impact of this approach on people with disabilities, and by clearly outlining the possibilities and impossibilities of integration, expectations can be clearly adjusted upwards. This teaches the non-wheeler to approach a wheelchair user as a human being.
At the same time, the most important role in adjusting expectations lies with the person with a disability themselves. They have the greatest interest to participate in society. In very black and white terms, you would say that as a person with a disability you can choose to remain passive and accept your fate, or to actively participate in society.
Passive Attitude
When you let yourself be led and give in to excessive care, it's easy to slip into a pattern where you partially hand over control of your life. This basically means choosing passivity. Typically, that choice doesn't lead to the desired appreciation or the self-esteem that comes with it, and it ends up hindering personal development.
ACTIVE ATTITUDE
Choosing an active role counters this passive attitude, implying taking charge of your situation. If you seek to steer your life under your own guidance, it necessitates your proactive engagement, rooted in a realistic self-view and your capabilities. Should it require behavioral adjustments, these must stem from within. Acceptance is pivotal; acknowledging and embracing your circumstances marks the initial crucial step. Then comes assessing the realistic options within your reach. The level of physical care or aid should not dictate the level of self-direction and responsibility one can assume. Ultimately, the recognition gained from this approach does justice to who you are and your entitlement to be that person.
In this philosophy, we don't claim that self-management guarantees happiness. However, it's founded on the belief that everyone (especially children) deserves the chance to grow based on realistic expectations.
In this philosophy, we don't claim that self-management guarantees happiness. However, it's founded on the belief that everyone (especially children) deserves the chance to grow based on realistic expectations.
Important
Key information
Training for children
The freedom to discover the world independently is the basis of a child's personal development. Many children in wheelchairs lack wheelchair skills, which makes driving and negotiating obstacles more annoying than fun.
We let children experience that the wheelchair can also be a playmate and that - when you are in charge of the chair - many things on the street are not so scary.
SKILLS FOR ADUlts
No one asks for a life in a wheelchair, but if you do end up in one, it's important to use it with confidence. That's why WheelchairSkills.AU offers training for adults who are dependent on a manual wheelchair. Our trainers coach everyone at their level, challenge you and put you at ease. Gaining confidence with the wheelchair and safe daily use are paramount.
The role of therapists
We want to put the importance of good wheelchair skills higher on the agenda in the rehabilitation world, and see it as our task to share the knowledge that we have gained in recent years with professionals. Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists are therefore also closely involved in the lessons.