Paralympian Gold Medallist Ben Popham joined APM for International Day of People with Disability.
Ben spoke to hundreds of team members across Australia from APM’s West Perth headquarters.
The champion swimmer shared his journey from dealing with the challenges of school as someone with Cerebral Palsy to winning Paralympic Gold in the pool at Tokyo earlier this year.
In his talk Ben revealed fascinating insights on how he approached the psychological aspect of competition as well as the physical training.
“It’s ok to fail and lose sometimes, but when you need to, you have to know you can win,” he said.
As well as sharing anecdotes from within the Tokyo village, Ben shared how he maintained his confidence and winning mindset.
Ben is no stranger to speaking on camera as he is known to Western Australians as a former Telethon Star.
Speaking about the high-profile experience when he was younger, Ben said it helped frame his mindset into thinking about the things he can do, rather than the things he can’t.
Ben praised the support for International Day of People with Disability as, like the Paralympics, it raised the profile of people with disability and accessibility for everyone.
“There’s a lot of talk about awareness but the great thing about this day is it is all about action and not just about ticking boxes.”
Ben's talk to the APM team members was one of multiple events held across the country for International Day of People with Disability.
The annual day recognises the value of people with disability in all areas of day to day life.
This year APM released the latest research into the state of inclusion within Australian businesses. To see how businesses rate for inclusion and the latest insights from employers and job seekers with disability, download the APM Disability Diversity and Inclusivity Index.