Belgravia Foundation emphasizes the on-going success of YouMeUs program
Building Inclusive Communities in Victoria: The Ongoing Success of the YouMeUs Program
Since the YouMeUs Program was launched by Belgravia Foundation and within local councils, it has made significant progress in promoting inclusion and diversity in communities by raising awareness about disability inclusion.
Through targeted training and education, YouMeUs has enabled tens of thousands of people to better understand, support, and include people with disabilities in their everyday interactions. Recent data analysis of the program’s impact highlights its effectiveness, while also revealing areas of focus to further improve its inclusive efforts in creating healthy community environments.
Since its inception, the YouMeUs initiative’s vision has been to promote equality and social cohesion, and to educate and engage people from all fields and areas of life about the importance of inclusive practices. The program primarily targets health practitioners, leaders and staff from community health leisure centers to assist them to obtain the knowledge and skills to better interact with people with disabilities. Under the support of key stakeholders and the commitment to accessibility, the program's success has been bolstered by a diverse participant base and wide-reaching impact.
Since 2021, the YouMeUs program has continued to grow. The program uses unique approaches to encourage participants to learn the contents at their own pace, offer flexibility and accessibility through online modules, videos and quizzes. Feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive, with the majority praising the user-friendly structure and comprehensive content to improve their skills, awareness and attitudes towards the disabled population.
As of now, the latest report shows that a total of 12,216 participants have successfully completed the YouMeUs Program training course. The majority of participants in the program were women, making up 63.46%, while 35.10% were men. A small percentage identified as intersex. In addition, most of the participants were aged 15-29 years old, highlighting the program’s appeal to younger audiences.
Feedback from participants underscored the program’s strengths, particularly its flexibility and impressive settings. The data shows:
● 93.47% found it helpful to move through the training at their own pace.
● 92.05% valued the flexibility of completing the training at a convenient time.
● 91.34% of participants found the Certificate of Completion a valuable aspect of the program.
The report also highlighted significant improvements in participants' understanding of inclusive practices, confidence in interacting with people with disabilities, and knowledge of the TREE model (Teaching, Rules, Equipment, Environment). These tools have been pivotal in promoting inclusive leisure centers where staff feel empowered to support disabled individuals in activities.
However, the data also revealed some areas for enhancements, particularly concerning the usefulness of additional resources, with 83.62% noting that links to websites could be updated. Some participants encountered broken or invalid links, indicating a need for more current and relevant supplementary materials. Improvements in this area will better promote the YouMeUs Program to major health centers and communities, ensuring increased awareness of services for people with disabilities.
Take a closer look at two health centers, WaterMarc and Danny Frawley Center, to get a more comprehensive idea. Both centers reported similarly high levels of satisfaction and appreciated the training courses. Danny Frawley Center participants scored higher in confidence and understanding of inclusive practices. While participants from WaterMarc showed relatively low confidence when interacting with people with disabilities, their understanding of disability also improved slightly. This suggests a potential gap that could be addressed with improved training content, including more practical examples, which could help bridge the knowledge gap and boost the confidence of health practitioners.
The YouMeUs program continues to make a lasting impact in promoting inclusive practices and fostering a sense of belonging within communities. With over 12,000 individuals trained, the program has significantly advanced participants’ attitudes and awareness towards disability inclusion. To keep this program going and accessible to more people, Belgravia Foundation encourages you to join the YouMeUs program. Whether you are a healthcare professional, community leader, or simply someone who wants to foster inclusivity, this training will equip you with the tools and understanding necessary to create a welcoming environment for all.
Visit the Belgravia Foundation website to learn more and start your training journey today, or share with your networks to build a more inclusive society for everyone. Your small step is a big contribution to the whole community!
This report and analysis has been completed by a Monash Placement Student and is a testament to their hard work.