‘There’s something for everyone’ at One&All
Centre will offer daily activities, skills training and social enterprise opportunities to over 18-year-olds with physical and intellectual disabilities and those struggling with mental health.
SYDNEY’S first all-inclusive community centre for disabled and abled individuals opens next week.
Founded by Jewish community member Romy Wolman in collaboration with Jewish House, the One&All hub will service over 18-year-olds with physical and intellectual disabilities, as well as those struggling with mental health.
Located in a 400 square-metre loft space in Rosebery, it will provide daily activities, skills training and social enterprise opportunities – all designed to enhance mental wellbeing.
A study by the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) found 52,920 people live with a disability in the 50km radius of Sydney and that number will rise to 100,800 by 2024.
“Our mission is to create a lasting social impact within the community and beyond by providing a centre for elevation for one and all,” Wolman said.
“People with disabilities can flourish, learn skills, receive therapy, socialise and be creative, lift their spirits and enrich their souls in one supportive space.”
Wolman said her biggest inspiration for developing One&All is her 13-year-old daughter, who was born with cerebral palsy.
“She’s super bright, super capable, but physically disabled, and so I found more and more that she fell through the cracks where she was too abled to be part of fully disabled programs, and too disabled to be part of mainstream programs,” Wolman said.
“That was the idea from my daughter and exploring what options were available to her, and then I started building a new model in disability.
“With the support of Jewish House, over the year and a half we’ve been building relationships, developing the model, developing the concept.”
Wolman designed One&All as “a place to shine” – pioneering a shift from focusing on disability and instead highlighting and expanding abilities, accomplishments and the potential of all.
The centre will provide 11 workshops and additional daily activities including singing and dancing, as well as learning life skills such as how to self-centre through yoga and meditation.
The workshops offered are designed to inspire and are customised to the individual’s needs to help build self-esteem. Visitors are encouraged to bond through art, movement and creativity, while learning crucial life skills for use in their everyday lives.
Some examples of the program’s workshops and social enterprises include ceramics, street art, outdoor urban vegetable gardening, coffee making, branding and selling, daily yoga, meditation, art and a collective community art piece to showcase within the centre.
Boasting a nearby retail store at shopping destination the Cannery, One&All will sell the products made by workshop attendees including art, juice, plants, ceramics, and pickles – all made on site by the participants.
NDIS registered, it is truly unique as Sydney’s only inclusive, daily creative arts centre for people with all abilities.
The workshops will run for 6-12 weeks each and feature co-creators, carers and support workers to aid the individuals undertaking the courses.
“There’s something for everyone,” Wolman said.
“It is important for our workers to create a space where absolutely everyone feels accepted, happy and safe.”
While its opening has been delayed due to the delta outbreak, a “Light Up” event held at the space in May was “an absolute taste of the magic that can be”, she said.
“It was a really good test to see if we could actually convert the magic into reality,” Wolman said.
“This event was meant to be a little gathering of 10 to 20 artists, a brainstorm session to see which workshops we could come up with. That turned into somebody providing picnic tables, somebody providing lighting, somebody facilitating the workshop … 76 people turning up.”
One&All has also created a volunteer program to give interested individuals the opportunity to work alongside those who have a disability and gain first-hand experience in the joy of giving.
“Whether you want to pop in for 30 minutes or the full day, you will be welcomed with arms open wide,” Wolman said.
Jewish House CEO Rabbi Mendel Kastel said, “For families who are affected or who need these kind of supports, the message that the community is here for you and with you is so important.
“It’ll definitely have all the Jewish aspects to it and make people feel included to the Jewish community, but at the same time, as the Jewish community [is] warm and open and sharing and caring, it will be open to to others to join as well.”
An open day will be held next Thursday, November 11 from 10am to 1pm.
To attend the open day register at events.humanitix.com/one-and-all-ignite
More information: oneandallhub.org or info@oneandallhub.org
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