Gurri Wanyarra
Stories of Inclusion / Gurri Wanyarra
I’ve always loved going swimming but it’s not something I would want to do by myself.
I usually need someone there with me to keep me busy enough not to worry about the bubbling anxiety waiting. Making a mistake that might have me singled out or worrying about people watching me.
The ability to write exactly what I wanted during the visit was so helpful. Initially I was a little nervous about writing a short note about my anxiety and my son’s struggles with being overwhelmed by loud noises, new places and lots of people, but in hindsight it was amazing not to have to worry about trying to mask how I was feeling. It was also a relief having them know my son may need some extra attention during the tour.
Thanks to being able to answer those two simple questions in the Cérge app, and letting the centre know when to expect us, checking in and being welcomed was a very comfortable experience. I was greeted, by name, by a calm and friendly staff member and shown around the spacious new aquatic centre. I believe he also targeted some information towards me such as letting me know their usual quieter times.
At the end of the tour my son and I had a great little swim around and Aaron even wanted to explore one of the other pools he had seen during our tour which I definitely consider a win as he doesn’t love stepping outside of his comfort zone.
After this experience I feel much more comfortable with the idea of going swimming at the centre on my own as I feel I could do so knowing the ins and outs of the pool area and the process of entering the facility. I would definitely recommend the Cérge app for people that have any requirement for more targeted assistance. Even if it is just needing someone to help you feel at ease in a new and overwhelming environment.
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Having a child who is autistic means that certain needs have to be considered with everything we do. We are working hard in developing skills that will enable her to manage and navigate the world as “normally” as we can and in a way that supports her with where she is at as we like to build on her sensory capacity.
Going to a pool isn’t something we do often as it can be loud, busy and overwhelming. Over the weekend we used the new Cèrge app where I was able to notify staff at Gurri Wanyarra Wellbeing Centre of our needs. As we are trying to capacity build I requested “business as usual” so that they would treat us just like everyone else. We didn’t want a fuss to be made or to be treated differently.
The Cérge app is a fantastic tool to be able to ask for specific things, we know now we can ask for a quieter space or lane if we need that on the day or to let them know we are coming but that we are ok. It’s just nice to give them a heads up and I can see how Cèrge will be very useful on a range of locations and experiences.
If you’re a parent of a child with additional needs, or if you have additional needs yourself, I highly recommend the Cèrge app - it’s going to change the landscape for inclusive practice.
My husband is a wheelchair user as a double amputee and was terrified he would sink if we visited a pool. I'm partially deaf and care for him and a man recovering from a heart attack along with two autistic teens.
Outings for us are challenging as we have such varied needs and it can be a lot to orchestrate making sure everyone’s needs are met.
To be honest, we don’t go the pool often, my husband is terrified he will sink. My two autistic teens can get sensory overloaded and it just all feels too hard.
However, we wanted to check out if this new Cérge app could help us. I put our needs in the app to let the staff know who we were and what we may need. Floatation devices, a tour, to see the change rooms and a hoist.
My husband would love to be able to swim again so this is a huge goal for us but one we didn’t think we could achieve easily.
Julie from Gurri Wanyarra Wellbeing Centre was excellent and showed us around easily, slowly and efficiently. Julie asked our questions and offered information on all the aspects we had stated in Cérge we would need.
We will be returning next week and using Cérge to let Julie know we are ready for a swim.
It’s amazing, wow, we are literally at the point of being able to reach a goal.
Thank you Cérge and thank you to Julie and Gurri Wanyarra, you’ve just enhanced our lives ??