Sailability Manual – Info HUB
Club & Program Handbook · Chapter 4
Working with Participants
How to welcome, communicate with and support sailors — with respect, the right balance of care and independence, and a pathway to grow.
This chapter builds on the inclusion philosophy in Chapter 1 · About & Affiliation. The focus here is the practical, one-to-one side: how volunteers interact with, support and develop participants.
A person first
A person with a disability is just that — a PERSON who has a disability.
Some volunteers feel uneasy meeting a person with a disability for the first time. Treat them exactly as you’d treat anyone else. If you think someone may need help, ask first, then ask how best to help. Independence matters — support people to learn to sail independently if that’s what they want.
Always refer to ability rather than disability, so a person’s ability is acknowledged and nurtured rather than their disability being the focus. Be observant, respectful and pleasant — but most importantly, be yourself, relaxed, and enjoy the interaction. Remember that a person’s wheelchair is part of their personal space: don’t lean or drape yourself over it unless they’re comfortable with that.
Duty of care vs dignity of risk
These two ideas sit in balance and it helps to understand both:
| Duty of care | Dignity of risk |
|---|---|
| The obligation to take reasonable care to avoid injury to a person who could foreseeably be injured by an act or omission. Volunteers stay alert to hazards and provide a safe environment. | Acknowledging a person can make their own choices. A decision may look risky to you, but the person making it knows exactly what they’re choosing to risk. |
Sailing is safe but not risk-free. Part of a program’s duty of care is providing a safe environment — through stable craft and by following this manual, its supporting documents and current legislation, programs minimise the risks of sailing. A level of risk remains, and it’s heightened when a person has a higher risk of injury due to impaired function. In those cases take greater care: an appropriate PFD fitted correctly, well-maintained equipment, and best-practice guidelines to prevent injury, dehydration, sunburn and stress.
Communication
People communicate through a mix of spoken words, tone and body language. Some people with disabilities may have difficulty with some or all of these. A few practical tips:
- Establish yes and no. For a non-verbal person, ask them to show you “yes” and then “no”. Then phrase questions to need a yes/no answer.
- Be patient. If you can’t work out what someone is telling you, it’s fine to say so and get some help — don’t be embarrassed. It usually gets easier as you get to know someone.
- Listen closely. Whether through speech or a communication aid, effective communication means combining your message with careful listening.
Communicating safety
Communication with participants is a primary safety measure. Ask each participant (or their support person if needed) whether they have any condition that could affect their own safety or others’. Pay particular attention to anyone who may not be personally aware of the dangers of hypothermia or heat exhaustion.
Some participants have no sensory feeling of “cold” or “hot”, or little sensation in parts of the body, and some find it hard to judge their stamina. Protect feet and legs from bruising, pressure spots and scrapes — e.g. appropriate footwear. All volunteers should watch for these risks. See also the Working with Sailability Participants supporting document.
Sailor development
One of Sailability Victoria’s objectives is to fully integrate people with disabilities into mainstream yachting. Participants are encouraged to develop skills and record progress through Australian Sailing programs — Assistant Instructor, Instructor, Coach, learn-to-sail programs, and club racing for those interested.
If a program interests you but the current delivery doesn’t feel accessible, contact the training team or your Club Support Officer — Sailability Victoria may be able to help negotiate modifications. See Australian Sailing’s “Become a…” and Diversity & Inclusion resources.
The Australian Hansa Class Association runs winter Discover Hansa clinics at Docklands Yacht Club from May–August. Email hansasailingvic@gmail.com for more, or follow the Association and Sailability Victoria on Facebook where these are often shared.