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.
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.
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.
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.”
“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."
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.
For more information about our Coach Program click here.
