Inclusive Active Melbourne programs
Australia’s first B1 blind soccer facility opened in North Melbourne on 29 March 2018.
The new multipurpose sports court accommodates players with the highest level of vision impairment and provides for a variety of other sports including basketball, futsal and netball.
A new community picnic area, public exercise equipment and landscaping were also installed as part of the works, the final components of improvements identified in the North Melbourne Recreation Reserve Landscape Concept Plan.
For more information, please contact North Melbourne Recreation Centre on 9658 9444 or visit North Melbourne Recreation CentreOpens in new tab.
What is blind soccer?
B1 blind soccer, or blind football as it is also known, is played with an audible ball that makes a rattling noise to allow players to locate it by sound.
The outfield players wear eye shades to equal their sight, but the goalkeeper can be fully or partially sighted. It is played outdoors by vision impaired athletes on a 40 metre by 20 metre pitch with side kickboards. There are two teams of five, including four outfield players and a goalkeeper.
Melbourne City Baths has been creating connections and positive exercise experiences for people with Down syndrome as part of the FitSkills Program.
A collaboration between Melbourne City Baths and Down Syndrome Victoria, the program connects people with Down Syndrome with a volunteer partner and together they will exercise in the gym every Wednesday. They will meet at 11am in the lounge area then all walk together to the gym to start a one hour work out. The workout session is followed by a swim (lower-level swimming, water safety and recreation). After the workout and swim session, the FitSkills pairs will go for lunch.
Participants involved have reported:
- improved health and wellbeing
- feeling welcome by staff and the wider gym community
- increased opportunity to join the Melbourne City Baths gym community
- feeling more comfortable to chat to new people
- greater sense of belonging and developing positive social connections.
We’re exploring ways to improve opportunities for women, girls and others to participate in community sport and recreation, so everyone has an equal chance to play.
We want to boost opportunities for women and girls in sport so we can all be at our best, with equal access to great facilities.
Women’s only swimming at Melbourne City Baths
City Swimm(h)er is a weekly women’s only swimming program designed for women and girls from culturally and linguistically diverse communities to enjoy the pool in a safe and inclusive environment.
Choose between unstructured swimming or register for an eight-week swimming lesson program designed to build skills and confidence in the water and connect with other community members.
City Swimm(h)er aims to increase the participation of young Muslim women in pool-based exercise, recreation and water safety, by creating a welcoming, inclusive and culturally safe environment for the whole family.
- Date: Saturdays
- Time: from 2pm to 5pm
- Venue: Melbourne City Baths
- Enquiries: email the Swim School team leader
