The aim of this project is to increase the number of adults with intellectual disability who are physically active. We aim to do this by co‑designing, implementing, and evaluating ‘Connect to Move’, a physical activity navigator program. Many adults with intellectual disability want to be more active but experience barriers to navigating complex and disconnected health, disability, and sport systems and limited support to find suitable community‑based physical activities.

This project involves working with adults with intellectual disability, their families, and interest-holders across sectors to develop tailored support that links people to appropriate physical activity opportunities. The project will also include education initiatives for allied health clinicians and students to improve workforce knowledge, skills, and attitudes. People with intellectual disability will be involved in all stages of planning, development, implementation, and evaluation to support inclusive and sustainable access to physical activity.

We hope our findings will lead to improved physical activity participation, health, inclusion and wellbeing among adults with intellectual disability.

 

Funding: This study is funded by the MRFF 2024 Improving the Health Outcomes of People with Intellectual Disability Grant (APP2045063).

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Investigator team:

Ms Jenni Cole (World ParaVolley), Dr Phil Hamdorf (ASAPD), Prof Benjamin Smith (USyd), A/Prof Gillian Nisbet (USyd), Dr Katherine Lawler (LTU), Prof Catherine Sherrington (USyd), Dr Che Fornusek (USyd), Prof Jennifer Smith-Merry (USyd), Dr Abby Haynes (USyd), A/Prof Natalie Allen (USyd), A/Prof Joanne Glinksy (USyd), Dr Louise Pearce (USyd), Dr Georgia McKenzie (USyd), Prof Andrew Milat (NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation), Dr Marina Pinheiro (USyd), Dr Katherine Owen (USyd), Ms Jennifer Hassett (Lived experience investigator), Mr John Carey (UniMelb), Dr Jennifer Torr (Monash), Ms Kirsten Deane (UniMelb)

 

Partner Organisations:

Inclusion Australia, Down Syndrome Victoria, Prader-Willi Research Foundation of Australia 

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Contact the team: connecttomove@latrobe.edu.au