Parafed Northland reaches into Far North thanks to Disability Inclusion Fund

From left: Whangārei MP Emily Henderson, Parafed Northland's Sharon Carroll and Steve Guthrie (front), Northland MP Willow-Jean Prime, Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson, and Anna Hewitt.

Sport and recreation will become more accessible for people living with a disability in the Far North as Parafed Northland expands further afield.

The sports and recreation organisation for physically disabled people was one of 16 groups nationwide - and the only from Northland - to receive funding from the Government's Disability Inclusion Fund.

Sharon Carroll, Active Recreation and Community Sports Coordinator for Parafed Northland, said the money has enabled them to employ a full-time staff member to work within the Mid and Far North communities.

"It's a game changer for our organisation's ability to connect and support those living with a disability within the local community," she said.

They were still pinching themselves to get selected for funding alongside the likes of Athletics NZ, Canoe Racing NZ, Golf NZ, Netball NZ, and others.

Carroll said the majority of what Parafed Northland currently offers is based in Whangārei - the exception being two part-time staff in Dargaville and Kaikohe.

Over the years they had heard from disabled people living elsewhere in the region, who had hoped sports and the necessary facilities would become more accessible long-term.

"It's gutting when you can't actually do that," Carroll said.

However, the funding was a major step to realising those hopes and more, as the new Parafed Northland role would have a Māori lens to better align with communities and culture.

Anna Hewitt, also a Parafed Northland Active Recreation and Community Sports Coordinator, said the Kaitāia-based role meant they could provide sustainable opportunities within sport and recreation for disabled people throughout Northland.

That's a factor not lost on fellow Parafed Northland coordinator and New Zealand Wheelchair rugby great Steve Guthrie, who works in his hometown of Dargaville.

Guthrie knows how fulfilling and meaningful inclusive sport is, given he represented the Wheel Blacks at three consecutive Paralympic Games - the first in Atlanta in 1996.

He went on to win a bronze medal in Sydney, Australia, in 2000, before claiming gold against the USA in the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games.

"Having people based in the community who can look out for people with disabilities and try to encourage them in sport can have such a profound effect," Guthrie said.

"Having that added support of someone who can help find out whether opportunities already exist or what opportunities can be created can be life-changing for someone."

Not only does Parafed Northland drive engagement, they also advocate for disabled communities around issues of accessing facilities.

Hewitt explained how the newly created Far North role would be able to help the community mould inclusive spaces that would mean one less barrier.

"They're there to help answer that question about how can we make it great for everyone."

The trio met with Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson, in his capacity as Sport and Recreation Minister, when he visited the region on Monday.

Robertson said the $3.6 million investment will support the expansion of proven programmes, as well as the development of innovative new ones.

He said conversations at the grassroots level were incredibly important as the Government needed to hear about the challenges that still remained, despite the differences being made.

"There's no better way to learn the importance of what we're doing than to hear it from the people on the ground, and Parafed Northland is doing a great job."