Bring a friend

Many young adults with disability enjoy exercising with a friend or peer, who can provide social support and physical assistance.

This can help reduce feelings of awkwardness or anxiety and create a more relaxed experience.

Encourage young adults with disability to consider exercising with a friend or peer.

Peer support

Exercising alongside a peer

    • 1 : 1 with a peer mentor (for example, university student)

    • 1 : 1 with a friend

    • It may be with someone that the young adult knows, or it might be a new person

    • With others with disability in a supervised session (1 : 1, small or larger group)

    • In a mixed abilities group

    • 1 : 1 in a group setting +/- specialist support for young adults with complex disability

    • Dependent on the young adult, their wants and needs

    • Social

    • Motivation

    • Building confidence

    • Having someone to exercise with

    • Exercise partner

    • Provide motivation and feedback

    • Count reps and document exercise in log or exercise app

    • Assist with getting on and off equipment

    • Ensure safe technique and exercise form

    • With the assistance of specialist support, problem solve and adapt exercise and/or equipment to suit the needs of the individual with disability

Young adults with disability want

  • To have fun, be motivated and stay accountable

  • To exercise with a person close in age and/or with similar interests

  • To exercise with someone matched to their individual needs

  • To find the right fit

  • Flexibility to attend the gym when it suits them with their support person(s)

How should the cost of entry for peer mentors be met?

  • Companion card (Free entry but may not be able to exercise alongside. Note, young adults with disability may want to exercise alongside a peer.)

  • Discounted entry (same as the young adult with disability)

“It’s more fun (exercising with support worker)”

“We’re all trying to push ourselves, but within reason.”

“He’s familiar with a few of the people there at the same time… they bounce off each other”

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.