Ask the Experts

Access to specialists like physiotherapists and exercise physiologists is a huge draw card for young adults with disability.

Knowing there are professionals on hand who can tailor exercises to their specific needs offers peace of mind to young adults with disability.

Reach out and connect with specialists who can often provide further information and education on the young adult’s disability and needs.

Specialist support

Support provided by a specialist in exercise or health

    • Ideally, a specialist of exercise AND disability who knows the young adult

    • An exercise specialist, e.g., exercise physiologist or EP

    • A healthcare or disability specialist, e.g., physiotherapist

    • A personal trainer or gym trainer who knows the gym environment

    • Disability and/or exercise specialist role

    • Knowledge sharing with other support people

    • Communication with other support people and trainers

    • Understanding the young adult and their needs

    • The person with disability

    • The person(s) providing support

    • Gym staff

What can a specialist offer?

In person gym visits for

  • Familiarise the young adult to the gym space and gym staff

  • Introducing and educating gym staff about the young adult and their disability

  • To provide motivational and behavioural management strategies

  • To adapt equipment and exercises as required

Provide oversight and training to gym staff and support person(s)

  • About the young adult

  • About their disability

  • About safe exercise and correct technique form

  • About the benefits of exercise

May also provide

  • Written reports and programs tailored to the individual

  • Remote support via phone/online meeting/email/exercise app

How often?

  • A one-off session

  • Regularly, weekly, fortnightly or monthly

  • As required

Lived Experience

Our research could not happen without the individual and collective contributions of those with lived experience of neurodivergence, and those who love and care for them.

We acknowledge and value their unique expertise. Their perspectives are crucial to our mission to enrich the lives of Autistic people, their families and their carers through high-quality scientific research, innovation and translation and our vision for a world where Autistic people, their families and their carers thrive.

Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge that we work on the unceded lands of many traditional Indigenous custodians in Victoria and across Australia.

We recognise their ongoing connection to the land and value their unique contribution to our research, and to wider Australian society.

We pay our respects to Elders past and present and thank them for their ongoing care of this beautiful country’s land, skies, and waterways.

Diversity

We are committed to embracing diversity and eliminating all forms of discrimination. We welcome all people irrespective of neurotype, ethnicity, lifestyle choice, faith, sexual orientation or gender identity.