Helping young people thrive through rugby.
An occupational therapy led rugby program designed to help tamariki and rangatahi participate in active recreation and sport.
Our mission is to help all tamariki and rangatahi to love movement and sport.
We provide high quality, high impact, and accessible opportunities for disabled tamariki and rangatahi to participate in rugby.
We believe that sport and active recreation has the power to help create positive physical and mental health and wellbeing, and a sense of belonging and connection within our local communities.
At Sense Rugby NZ we aim to:
01.
BUILD CONFIDENCE
Sense Rugby helps tamariki and rangatahi develop their confidence and self-esteem, learn how to follow instructions, wait their turn and be part of a group.
02.
BELONG & CONNECT
Sense Rugby provides a safe and fun environment for tamariki and rangatahi to make friends, connect with their peers and for their whānau to build new and meaningful connections too.
03.
BE ACTIVE
Sense Rugby allows tamariki and rangatahi to have a regular activity that can be their own, while learning new skills and giving them a team and community to belong to for life.
When therapy meets rugby.
Founded in Australia by Occupational Therapist, Carlien Parahi and Australia’s Rugby Sevens Olympian Jesse Parahi, Sense Rugby gives tamariki and rangatahi a safe environment where experienced Paediatric Occupational Therapists work within a specialised rugby programme to help young people achieve success.
In 2019 Sense Rugby crossed the Tasman for the first time and landed in Aotearoa. Sense Rugby (New Zealand) Trust was formed in July, 2020 and the team have been hard at work to grow access to equitable participation opportunities for disabled tamariki and rangatahi and their whānau ever since.