The Dylan Alcott Foundation is a charitable organisation that aims to help young people (under 25 years of age) who are struggling to come to terms with a disability to fulfil their dreams. With more than 4.3 million people living with a disability in Australia (more than 18% of the population), the work performed by this charitable Foundation provides a lifeline to young wheelchair bound Australians.

Supporting the community is one of Insurance Advisernet’s (IA) fundamental principles, so we were delighted when Dylan Alcott attended our annual conference as a keynote speaker in Canberra at the end of October 2018. He spoke about his incredible journey and the stigma attached to people in wheelchairs and how the perception of disability needs to change in Australia.

At the end of Dylan’s keynote, Ian Carr, Founder and Chairman of Insurance Advisernet and the Insurance Advisernet Foundation, walked on stage to advise Dylan that the IA Foundation would like to donate $25,000 for his Foundation’s work. To say that Dylan was shocked is an understatement, but he was also extremely grateful for IA’s financial support of young disabled Aussies.

Ian says, “The work Dylan does for young people with disabilities is amazing; he’s a fantastic advocate for his Foundation and we hope to continue assisting Dylan with his charity work”.

Who is Dylan Alcott?

You might remember Dylan from the 2008 Beijing Paralympics where he was the youngest person to win a gold medal in basketball; winning two more gold medals for Wheelchair Tennis at the Rio Paralympics in 2016. 

Born with a tumour that was wrapped around his spine, Dylan became a paraplegic as a child and spent many years struggling to accept this dramatic change in his life. This was a difficult period for Dylan, but over time he developed an interest in sport, which eventually became his salvation and changed his life forever.

As a gold medallist in the Paralympics, Dylan has done much to break down the stigmas attached to disabled people, specifically for young Australians who are wheelchair bound. It was these stigmas that prevented Dylan from participating in sports for many years. Through his Foundation however, he is now ensuring that young Australians who are living with a disability can have the opportunities they need to fulfil their potential.

How does the Dylan Alcott Foundation help young Australians? 

This Foundation relies on donations from individuals and organisations to help young Australians with a disability overcome the barriers they face in life. Specifically, it assists young people to participate in sports and further education by providing mentorships, scholarships and grants. For example, sporting equipment that is too expensive for individuals to purchase alone, education at leading institutions, and mentoring by some of our industry greats.

With the help of like-minded organisations, such as the IA Foundation, the Dylan Alcott Foundation will continue to help young disabled Australians overcome a lack of resources, funding and understanding, and become the best possible version of themselves. 

To learn more about the Dylan Alcott Foundation and how you can help to provide new opportunities to young disabled Australians, visit their website: https://dylanalcottfoundation.com.au