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A webinar is scheduled for Wednesday 5th February at 5.30pm (AEDT) in which information will be shared about the exciting new opportunities at Paralympics Australia.  Find out more and register at our Careers Hub

Paralympics Australia’s search for candidates to supercharge critical areas of Para-athlete development is being undertaken by a two-time Canadian Paralympian with wide-ranging experience driving policy and operational change.  

New Para Uplift Recruitment Lead Jenn Brown smiles at the camera.

Jennifer Brown competed at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 in discus and has held various government strategic roles in Canada and Australia. She will draw on all her skills as Paralympics Australia’s new Project Lead – Workforce Implementation, onboarding specialists to work across areas identified as barriers to entry into Para-sport.  

The roles in Classification, Entry and Performance Pathway Development, Para Literacy and Para Sport Equipment Support are a small but crucial aspect of the Para System Uplift program, utilising a designated allocation of funding through the Federal Government’s $54.9 million investment in Paralympic sport over the next two years.  

“Paralympics Australia is one of many partners who have received support to specifically focus on Para-sport performance and Winning Well into 2032,” Brown said, referring to Australia’s High Performance 2032+ Sport Strategy, which was released in late 2022. 

“These new positions will help build our capacity to address the barriers and support our sports, athletes and system partners across Australian sport.” 

In the development of the HP2032+ Sport Strategy – which was co-designed by Australia’s high performance sport system – barriers were identified in seven main areas of the Para-sport system: 

  • Classification 
  • Pathways 
  • Coaching  
  • Para Literacy  
  • Competitions  
  • Workforce Structure 
  • Training Environments 

“We’re starting to address those barriers now,” Brown said. “Ultimately, the goal is to create the framework for more athletes to be identified, enter and be retained in the system, and to support athlete development.” 

Brown’s task is to find the right candidates to help achieve those goals. 

“My experience through the Para-sport pathway in Canada combined with my professional history in government gives me a well-rounded view on how we can create opportunities for alumni, Paralympians and Para-sport athletes. I aim to bring new ideas for Paralympics Australia to consider and part of that is to think differently about engaging people who may not normally apply.” 

Paralympics Australia’s Head of Performance Strategy, Elise Rechichi, said Brown brought a powerful blend of professional expertise and experience as a Paralympian. 

“Jenn’s blend of strategic thinking, collaboration and problem-solving skills makes her uniquely equipped to lead our workforce implementation projects,” Rechichi said.  

“We are confident her leadership will make a significant impact on Paralympics Australia and the broader Paralympic movement.”  

Paralympics Australia is a charity organisation. It relies on government, business, donations and fundraising to deliver teams to the Summer and Winter Paralympics, provide sport participation opportunities for people with a disability and build talent pathways for the stars of tomorrow.  

By: David Sygall, Paralympics Australia

Published: 4th February 2025