Creating More Inclusive Opportunities: Castlemaine Circus

Creating inclusive opportunities starts with a willingness to do things differently.

Sports Focus is proud to share the story of Castlemaine Circus Inc. and the impact of the All Abilities Participation Grant, funded by Sport and Recreation Victoria through the 2025–26 funding round.

The project focused on creating more accessible opportunities for people with disability to participate in recreation close to home. Through funding, education, accessible equipment and strong community partnerships, Castlemaine Circus has been able to build its capacity to provide a more inclusive experience.

Building local opportunities

For many people with disability, participating in sport and recreation can mean travelling outside their local community to find suitable opportunities. The challenge is often not a lack of interest, but whether local organisations have the skills, resources and support to provide safe, inclusive and accessible programs.

The project aimed to address this by strengthening local capacity and creating an environment where people with disability could participate, connect and belong.

An initial Come and Try session attracted 13 participants, with strong interest leading to requests for additional sessions and ongoing referrals from disability support services.