International Swim Disability Conference attracts key sponsorship

The upcoming International Swim Disability Conference, being held in association with SPLASH! 2016 on the Gold Coast next month, has announced Australian Innovative Systems as its key sponsor.

Inclusive Swimming Program and Swim Disability Conference, organised by the recently established Australian Swim Schools Association (ASSA), aims to recognise the great potential for people with disability to participate in all aspects of swimming, and to highlight how swimming is committed to making inclusion simply part of what they do.

The involvement of leading water disinfection company and chlorinator manufacturer, Australian Innovative Systems (AISystems), results from the company’s Chief Executive, Elena Gosse, having a first-hand insight into the challenges that people living with a disability face.

Gosse’s youngest daughter, Julia was born with Cerebral Palsy and diagnosed at the age of 13 months.

Gosse was determined that Julia’s disability would not limit her choices in life and now, at 29 years old, Julia is a capable, competent adult who works at AISystems helping to manufacture the company’s range of salt, water and mineral water chlorinators.

Julia also runs her own part-time business and enjoys spending time with her husband Blake, and one-year-old daughter, Isabella.

During Julia’s teenage years Gosse enrolled her in a local swimming school to help with her physical therapy and mobility. Julia excelled at swimming and went on to become a competitive disabled swimmer.

As Gosse recalls, “I saw first-hand the incredible improvements that swimming contributed to Julia’s physical and mental wellbeing.

“It’s one of the reasons I was so passionate about becoming the official sponsor of the Australian Swim School Association’s Inclusive Swimming Program which advocates for people of all abilities to enjoy swimming as a recreational or sporting activity.

“ASSA’s approach is to put the swimmer first, adapting to the person’s individual needs whether physical or attitudinal. From there a program is tailored to ensure the individual can participate in swimming lessons and activities.

“Another part of the program is to engage with Swim Schools and Aquatic Facilities to promote easier and safer access to public swimming pools for people living with disabilities.”

ASSA will be staging its inaugural International Swim Disability Conference as part of the Splash! Pool & Spa Trade Show on Thursday 18th August at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.

A range of speakers will address swim school business owners and swimming teachers about the unique needs of disabled swimmers and the range of equipment available to support them to learn and improve their skills. 

Image: AISystems' Julia Pearl (left) and Elena Gosse (right) with ASSA Chief Executive Ross Gage (centre).

Click here to contact AISystems via their entry in the Australasian Leisure Management Supplier Directory.

Click here for more information on the inaugural International Swim Disability Conference in the Australasian Leisure Management industry Calendar.

Editor's note: To avoid confusion with the Australian Institute of Sport - also known by the AIS acronym, Australasian Leisure Management refers to Australian Innovative Systems as AISystems.

24th June 2016 - ASSA MAKES KEY APPOINTMENT TO ADVANCE MORE ACCESSIBLE AND MODERN METHODS OF EDUCATION

3rd June 2016 - NEW AUSTRALIAN SWIM SCHOOL ASSOCIATION AIMS TO LINK LEARN-TO-SWIM OPERATORS

10th February 2016 - AUSTRALIAN INNOVATIVE SYSTEMS EXPANDS INTO NEW PRODUCTION FACILITY

26th August 2015 - AIS WINS ‘BEST INNOVATION CULTURE’ TITLE AND PLACE IN BRW’S 50 MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES LIST