Illawarra Sports High School has established itself as a leader in inclusive education through its Elouera support unit – named after a local Indigenous word meaning “safe place of belonging.” Since 2014, the unit has grown from a single class with two staff members to a thriving faculty of four classes and eight staff members, supporting students with autism across the school.
The school’s commitment to inclusion extends beyond specialist support, with numerous staff and student groups receiving ‘Autism Awareness’ training to ensure understanding and inclusion in classrooms, playgrounds, and whole school events.
While Elouera students access mainstream facilities and teachers for some subjects, there was an opportunity to create deeper peer connections and build confidence through sport. The school recognised that peer mentoring could be transformative for both the Elouera students and their mainstream peers.
How Does Inclusive Sport Support Students at Illawarra Sports High School?
Inclusive sport at Illawarra Sports High School creates opportunities for students to participate, communicate and build positive relationships with their peers. Through structured activities and peer support, sport can encourage confidence, empathy, communication and a stronger sense of belonging within the wider school community.
Supporting Inclusion Through Sport
- Adapt activities to suit different abilities, communication styles and comfort levels.
- Encourage participation and cooperation alongside physical activity.
- Create safe opportunities for students to interact with their peers.
- Use shared activities to develop communication and teamwork.
- Give students opportunities to experience success in a supportive environment.
Creating Opportunities for Peer Connection
- Give students a shared activity and purpose.
- Encourage students to communicate and work together.
- Help students understand different needs and communication styles.
- Create regular opportunities for positive peer interaction.
- Use sport to help build stronger connections across the school.
Creating Chances partnered with Illawarra Sports High School to develop a peer coaching program where Year 9 and 10 students were trained to coach and support their Elouera unit peers in fun, safe, and inclusive sports activities.
The program focused on building understanding, empathy, and leadership skills in the mainstream students while creating a supportive environment for Elouera students to develop their physical, social, and emotional capabilities through sport.
Students learned adaptive coaching techniques, communication strategies, and how to modify games to ensure every participant could succeed and enjoy the experience.
How Does Peer Coaching Support Inclusive Education?
A peer coaching approach can strengthen an inclusive education support program by giving students an active role in helping their peers participate in shared activities. With appropriate guidance, peer coaches can develop leadership, empathy and communication skills while students receiving support gain opportunities to participate, connect and build confidence.
Supporting Students Through Inclusive Education
- Extend inclusion beyond specialist learning environments.
- Create opportunities for students to participate alongside their peers.
- Encourage positive interaction through structured activities.
- Support confidence through regular participation.
- Adapt activities around individual needs and abilities.
Building Communication, Confidence and Empathy
- Encourage students to listen and communicate clearly.
- Help peer coaches adjust their communication when supporting others.
- Develop empathy by understanding different needs and experiences.
- Give students opportunities to practise teamwork.
- Build confidence through positive and repeated interactions.
The program was specifically designed to bridge the gap between mainstream and Elouera students, creating authentic peer relationships built on mutual respect and understanding.
Activities included modified team sports, individual skill-building sessions, and collaborative games that emphasised participation over competition. Each session was carefully structured to ensure safety, inclusion, and fun for all participants.
The peer coaches developed leadership skills while learning to adapt their communication and teaching styles to support their Elouera peers effectively.
How Can Schools Support Inclusive Education for Autism?
Support for inclusive education for students with autism in school may be facilitated through the provision of specialist advice, provision of accessible activities, communication strategies and appropriate peer interaction. Inclusive activities should be flexible enough to make it possible for students to participate in ways where they can but also connect with the broader school community as students have varied strengths, needs and communication methods.
Creating Supportive Participation
- Give precise directions and foreseeable patterns of activities.
- Use modification of games, equipment or rules as needed.
- Give students opportunities to engage in activities based on their own capacity.
- Emphasize encouragement and participation, not competition.
- Inform staff about and support safety and a supportive environment.
Creating Meaningful Peer Relationships
- Give frequent opportunities for student interaction.
- Promote cooperation by engaging in joint activities.
- Educate students about various types of communication.
- Develop familiarity with positive experiences repeated over time.
- Provide opportunities to cultivate a sense of belonging for students
The wellbeing transformation in initially shy students, who were reluctant to participate, was noticed by staff in terms of their ability to actively engage in activities and form genuine connections with their peers.
“I think they’re more confident just even walking through the school corridors like they’ll say hello as they’re walking through. Lots of times kids put their heads down and keep walking. And maybe don’t have the confidence to talk to the adults in the school.”
Head Teacher Wellbeing
“I will try to help more people understand others’ needs to develop empathy skills. I learnt how to communicate, in a more peaceful way. In my friendship group I’m more open to communication , I think that we all are now and when things get tense it’s we’ve just been talking it out a lot more lately.”
Student – Year 9
The student feedback demonstrates the powerful impact of peer mentoring and inclusive sport programming, with benefits extending throughout the entire school community and reinforcing Illawarra Sports High School’s reputation for best practice in inclusive education.
This activity received grant funding from the Australian Government.
For more information about our Coach Program click here.
What Are the Benefits of Inclusive Sports Programs for Students?
Inclusive sports programs for students can create opportunities to develop communication, confidence, teamwork, empathy and positive peer relationships. When activities are thoughtfully adapted, sport provides a practical setting where students can participate together while developing skills that can extend beyond the sporting environment.
Developing Student Skills
- Communication and active listening
- Teamwork and cooperation
- Leadership and responsibility
- Empathy and understanding
- Confidence and participation
- Adaptability and problem-solving
Supporting Positive Peer Experiences
- Encourage students to work towards shared goals.
- Give students opportunities to support and encourage one another.
- Make activities accessible to a wider range of students.
- Create positive experiences through participation.
- Strengthen relationships between students across different learning environments.
The student feedback demonstrates the powerful impact of peer mentoring and inclusive sport programming, with benefits extending throughout the entire school community and reinforcing Illawarra Sports High School’s reputation for best practice in inclusive education.
How Can Inclusive Sports and Activities Build a Stronger School Community?
Inclusive sports and activities for students can help strengthen school communities by creating shared experiences where students participate, communicate and support one another.
When inclusion becomes part of everyday school life, sport can provide one practical pathway for developing understanding, connection and belonging.
Building a Culture of Inclusion
- Create opportunities for students from different learning environments to connect.
- Encourage respect for individual differences.
- Give students meaningful roles in supporting their peers.
- Make inclusion part of wider school activities.
- Encourage positive relationships across the school community.
Supporting Long-Term Connection
- Provide regular opportunities for peer interaction.
- Encourage open and respectful communication.
- Build familiarity and trust through shared experiences.
- Help students become more comfortable participating in wider school settings.
- Use sport as one practical way to strengthen inclusion and belonging.
What Can Schools Learn From the Elouera Unit Program?
The Elouera Unit program shows how specialist support, peer coaching and inclusive sport can work together to create meaningful opportunities for participation and connection. By combining structured activities with peer involvement, schools can create environments where students learn from one another while developing communication, empathy, confidence and leadership.
Key Takeaways for Schools
- Combine specialist support with opportunities for wider school participation.
- Prepare peer coaches to understand different communication and support needs.
- Adapt activities instead of expecting every student to participate in the same way.
- Prioritise communication, empathy and belonging alongside physical activity.
- Give students regular opportunities to build positive peer relationships.
Explore Inclusive Sports Programs for Students
Creating Chances works with schools to use sport as a pathway for inclusion, connection and student development. Inclusive sports programs for students can be adapted to the needs of each school community, creating opportunities for participation, peer connection and the development of communication, empathy and leadership skills.
Explore Creating Chances programs to learn how sport can support more inclusive and connected school communities.
