BEYOND SPORT MENTORING PROGRAMME

Transition periods can be isolating for Para athletes. Many lack access to structured mentorship, role models, or tailored career support. In Australia, persons with disabilities are employed at a lower rate than those without disabilities and face inaccessible systems, non-inclusive employer practices, and limited career support.

The Paralympics Australia (PA) Mentoring Programme was designed, run and delivered by Paralympians for Para athletes to fill these gaps through peer-to-peer mentorship that builds confidence, capability, and connection for both the Mentee and Mentor.

The Building Employer Confidence (BEC) Programme directly addresses these inequities by empowering employers & enabling Para athletes to access meaningful employment.

The Beyond Sport Mentoring and Employment programme brings together the learnings of Mentoring and Building Employer Confidence.

Who was involved?

The programme was designed and led by Paralympian Sarah Stewart and supported by PA and co-designed with Para athletes and over 25 corporate and system partners. Australian Sports Commission (ASC) and the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) provided strategic alignment and policy backing.

What was done?

Each 12-month iteration of the Mentoring Programme is offered eight structured modules, covering goal setting, network building, mental and physical health, financial literacy, career, education and leadership, brand building, and entrepreneurship. Participants were matched based on needs and personality. Partner insight sessions added industry and leadership perspectives and further supported Mentees and Mentors through their journey.

The three-year Building Employer Confidence initiative focused on improving employer confidence to hire and support people with disabilities, particularly Para athletes. Five pilot programmes were conducted using co-design frameworks. Tools, templates, and employer training materials were developed. A strategy mapped roles, prepared recruitment processes, and onboarded athletes into partner workplaces.

The Beyond Sport Mentoring and Employment programme provides mentoring, advocacy, peer support, skills building and universal design, creating resources and assets that help to create meaningful employment opportunities and community impact.

A key focus of the Beyond Sport Mentoring and Employment programme is remunerating Para athletes and persons with disabilities to co-design and deliver the programme with stakeholders, ensuring it meets the needs of the community it serves.

What made it special?

The mentoring programme combined Para athlete expertise with strategic content, underpinned by lived experience. It is deeply accessible, strength-based, and designed to be scaled. Modules were designed for the unique needs of our community.

The Building Employer Confidence programme’s strengths include deep co-design with Para athletes, integration into Diversity, Equity and Inclusion planning of major employers, and a Para athlete-led training model. It embedded long-term strategic change, not just placements. The combination of Para athlete experience with employer capability-building has created a programme that is adaptable, scalable, & sustainable.

What changed?

The Mentoring and Employment Programme, together with the Building Employer Confidence, led to:

• 100 per cent of participants reported improved life skills
• 90 per cent noted stronger awareness of services & supports
• 89 per cent strengthened their networks & willingness to try new things
• Employer confidence in recruiting and managing persons with disabilities improved across all key measures
• Major shifts occurred in knowledge of workplace adjustments, onboarding readiness, and ease of attracting diverse talent
• Over 5,500 people have been impacted
• Over 2,500 job postings made available for Para athletes

What was learned?

Programmes were grounded in accessibil­ity, trusting the voice of lived experience and providing direct employer support. Alumni participation sustains impact.

Programmes must be structured yet flexible, context-sensitive, and grounded in both human impact and commercial value.

As employers learned more, they realised the depth of support required. This led to more open conversations and deeper commitments.