Equipping and Empowering Inclusive Communities
For Otago-based Halberg Advisor Zoe Tully, creating inclusive opportunities for young people with physical disabilities starts with one simple belief: movement is for everyone.
As part of her role, Zoe works alongside schools, sports clubs, community organisations and families to build confidence, knowledge and practical skills that help create welcoming environments where all young people can participate and thrive.
The theme of Equip and Empower perfectly reflects the work Zoe does every day. Through Inclusion Trainings, practical support and tailored guidance, she helps educators, coaches and community leaders feel confident in their ability to include young people with disabilities in sport, active recreation and play. At the same time, she supports young people themselves to develop confidence, independence and a sense of belonging through movement.
One recent project that highlights this approach has been a collaboration with Healthy Active Learning (HAL) team at Sport Otago and Sarah Cohen School. Together, they have delivered Inclusion Trainings for teachers and teacher’s aides, co-facilitated movement sessions and supported the planning of both weekly activities and larger movement events. The project has focused on helping staff make the most of equipment and resources already available within the school while building confidence in delivering inclusive experiences.
A key part of Zoe’s work involves delivering Inclusion Trainings to a wide range of groups. In recent months alone, she has worked with primary and secondary school students, university trainee teachers, regional sporting organisations, outdoor recreation providers and adventure-based organisations.
This variety reinforces an important lesson: inclusion is everyone’s responsibility.
“Creating truly environments rerequires everyone to be on board,” Zoe explains. “A teacher or coach can do everything possible to make an activity inclusive, but if the wider group isn’t supportive and inclusive as well, young people may still not feel valued or empowered.”
One of the most common barriers Zoe encounters is mindset. Assumptions about what a young person can or cannot do often prevent opportunities before they even begin. Through her work, she encourages organisations to adopt a strengths-based approach that focuses on ability, potential and possibilities rather than limitations.
Another area where she regularly sees growth is confidence around disability language and communication. Many people are initially unsure about the terminology they should use, but with guidance and open conversations, they become more comfortable and confident engaging respectfully and appropriately. For Zoe, one of the most rewarding outcomes is seeing organisations reach a point where they no longer need her support because they have developed the knowledge and confidence themselves.
Technology and practical resources also play an important role. Through Inclusion Trainings, Zoe shares disability-specific activity resources, modification ideas and tools such as the CoachMate app, which provides inclusive games, learning content, and adaptable activity ideas that can be tailored to different groups and needs.
While much of Zoe’s work focuses on supporting adults, the impact is often most visible in the young people themselves.
One story that stands out is a teenage student who initially struggled to engage in physical activity. Working alongside his teacher, Zoe helped build confidence, provided practical ideas and created opportunities for the young person to share more about his own abilities and needs. Over time, his participation grew significantly. He began attending adaptive sport and recreation events, participated in school athletics and even explored athlete classification pathways.
For Zoe, stories like this demonstrates the transformative power of inclusion.
“There is much more to sport than competing and winning,” she says. “Sport and movement can help young people develop confidence, social connections and a stronger sense of self.”
Looking ahead, Zoe’s vision for an equipped and empowered community is one where young people with physical disabilities can participate in any sport, active recreation or play opportunity they choose. Accessible facilities, appropriate programmes and welcoming attitudes all play an important role in making that vision a reality.
Her advice for anyone wanting to better support young people with physical disabilities is simple: start by asking them what they need.
“They are the experts in their own experiences.”
Whether it’s making small adjustments to activities, speaking directly to young people, or ensuring modifications benefit everyone rather than singling someone out, Zoe believes that small actions can have a significant impact on a young person’s sense of belonging.
As she reflects on the importance of inclusion, one message remains at the heart of everything she does: Movement is for everyone – and there is always a way.
