Building an inclusive, active and connected community is an integral driver at Abilities Unlimited Australia (AUA).

Everyone deserves support and the chance to enjoy to active recreation, sporting activities, and community connection, especially people with a disability or illness who face daily challenges. But with your help we can make them feel like champions. Share a gift and change a life.

We need your support to grow a strong organisation that will transform the lives of the 1.5 million children who live with illness or disabilities in Australia through active recreation and community sport.

Through donating to AUA you to help children with disabilities, illness or other vulnerabilities learn, connect and shine.

Become a regular giver or make a one-off donation and we will see the money gets to where it is needed most to support more people with a disability to play sport, be active and connect with community.

By donating, you will receive a tax deduction. So, for the cost of a coffee you can make a real difference to people with an additional need. 

Why we need your help

AUA exists to offer people with disabilities, illness or other vulnerabilities a chance to take part in active recreation and/or communities sport within their communities inclusively and meaningfully.

With 1 in 10 children living with a disability in Australia today and more than 1.2 million Australian children living with chronic illness it is our mission to grow our organisation so we can help transform the lives of as many as possible. 

Unfortunately, the life course is not the same as that of children without disability or chronic illness.

These children and their families face many problems every day - poor physical health and school achievement, disrupted social networks, significant distress and financial toxicity.

In addition, our reason to exist also reflects the following:

• Over a third of Australian households have a person with disability.
• Almost 2.7 million Australians are carers (11.6%).
• 72% of people with disability do not do enough physical activity.
• 52% of children with a disability have a profound or severe core-activity limitation
• 53% of children with disabilities do not eat enough fruit or vegetables.
• Only 24% of disabled people feel they are given the opportunity to be as active as they would like to be.
• 81% of disabled people would like to be more active
• 77% of young people with disabilities feel lonely.
• 76% of people with disabilities are more likely to have an increased or substantially increased risk of developing chronic health conditions.
• 42% of people with a disability rate their health as fair or poor (compared to 7% of people without a disability).
• 48% of children with disability experience high/very high psychological distress, compared with 8% without disability
• Almost 80% of school principals report not having enough resources to meet the needs of children with a disability

People with disability in Australia report (October 2020)

ABS National Health Survey (December 2018)

Australian Education Union 2015 State of Our Schools Survey

Australian Bureau of Statistics – Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings

The work of AUA requires critical financial support by individuals, trusts and corporate donations to enable us to continue our work.

With your help, together we can make a difference for people with disabilities or illness and help build a more equal inclusive society.