Australians Investing In Women is a proud member of MECCA’s social change movement, M-POWER, which supports a collective of more than twenty not-for-profit organisations working to improve opportunities for women and girls through education, participation in the economy and in public life and through enhancements to women’s health, safety and wellbeing.  

We recently spoke with M-POWER Collective member Professor Nicole Rinehart, practicing clinical psychologist and founder of AllPlay, about how philanthropic support from Moose Happy Kids Foundation helped launch her social movement and the way that support from M-POWER and the Collective has assisted her program’s development and expansion to support neurodiverse girls alongside boys. 

How it all began  

One Saturday morning in 2013, Nicole, like many parents, was at a local community family centre cheering on her kids as they played in team sports. Observing the large and energised crowd she suddenly realised that children with disabilities, whether visible or invisible, were absent. 

As a clinical psychologist and researcher this prompted her to reflect on the disparity in opportunities for participation in community activities for children with disability.  

Motivated by her professional understanding of the stark contrast in outcomes between children who have had the chance to engage in community social and sporting activities, and those who have not, Nicole decided in that moment to shift her approach to her research. She transitioned from focusing on “what is wrong with this child” to adopting a child and family centred approach.  

Energised by this insight, Nicole reached out to her local NAB AFL (Australian Football League) Auskick coach and together they spent the next two years advocating and engaging with the AFL to establish a partnership for a new program, AllPlay which would be inclusive of children of all abilities. 

“We aimed to completely reshape the traditional community sports approach, prioritising an environment where every child could thrive, and benefit from community inclusion,” Nicole explains. 

“Around that time, I was introduced to Manny Stul, a visionary entrepreneur, sports lover and founder of Moose Toys. After a t 10-minute conversation Manny said five simple, powerful words that were the genesis of what has become AllPlayTM, he said, “Nicole, how can I help?” 

And thus, due to Manny and the generosity of the Moose Toys Happy Kids Foundation and support from the AFL, AllPlay quickly gained traction changing the lives of hundreds of children and families and the community took notice. We would not have been able to grow and scale AllPlay without their early support and they are still our partners to this day.  

“Watching the program develop over the next few years, parents, peers and colleagues in my extended network all started to ask me “what’s next?” Everyone was keen to see AllPlay develop more programs for children who were not interested in football and wanted other ways to move, play and connect with the community. The interest in the program was exciting and energising! ” . 

Developing new streams 

“It was around this time that we were introduced to the team at MECCA and its incredible M-POWER initiative which focuses on supporting a diverse range of not-for-profits and has a strong focus on gender equality. This introduction was central to launching the next stream in our AllPlay program: AllPlay Dance, which has an inclusive focus on girls. 

Nicole explains that MECCA’s support has not just been about funding, “They’ve also provided my team and I with incredible in-kind support to connect us with other not-for-profit leaders. This has developed our capacity and ability to translate and communicate our academic research in compelling ways. It really has had an extraordinary ripple effect on our work.” 

In addition to expanding the AllPlay program setting, Nicole has expanded the team’s research focus to include a commitment to advancing gender equality by bringing a gender lens to research in this field.  One in five children will experience a developmental challenge or disability in their lifetime. Currently one in 100 Australians are diagnosed with autism. Boys have traditionally been diagnosed at a rate four times higher than girls.  

“When I started my career, leading research predominantly focused on boys, influencing our findings and our practices. We now recognise that girls with neurodevelopment conditions present differently to boys, therefore it is crucial to address this gender gap and ensure equitable research and representation for girls.” Nicole emphasised.

Chloe, an AllPlay participant, reflects on how a gender gap has led to misconceptions; “I’ve encountered stereotypes surrounding autism more times than I can count. It’s as if there’s this blanket assumption that if you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met them all. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. 

“I find myself advocating all the time for a more inclusive and enlightened perspective on the spectrum. Every person with autism is unique, with their own strengths, challenges, and quirks. It’s crucial that we spread awareness about this diversity and encourage acceptance and understanding.” 

The program’s rapid and successful expansion has included mobilising 100 percent of the team’s research into teaching and support resources within a decade, which is a considerably shorter timeframe than a research program traditionally takes to be applied in “real-world” settings. 

Nicole attributes the success of the program and research application to the people and partnerships involved, emphasising the collective commitment and collaboration of individuals from diverse backgrounds and organisations, all united by a shared goal.  

“Our ongoing foundational philanthropic partnership with Moose Happy Kids Foundation and now MECCA M-POWER has supported our research with children facing developmental challenges and spurred us on to intensify our focus on girls with intellectual disabilities and complex genetic presentations. It’s essential to ensure their voices are heard in research, a pivotal move to include those traditionally overlooked in clinical studies.” Nicole observed.

Expanding through partnerships 

Today there are multiple AllPlay streams including AllPlay Learn, providing essential resources to educators in Victorian schools, and AllPlay Dance in partnership with Queensland Ballet. 

“I find immense satisfaction in our evolving collaborations and witnessing the growth of various programs and initiatives. The expansion of our program to different locations and the potential inclusion of various sports underscores our commitment to inclusivity. We strive to cater to diverse interests, and our persistent efforts reflect our dedication to refining and broadening the program’s scope.” said Nicole. 

As a founding partner of AllPlay, the Moose Happy Kids Foundation has been a key collaborator and supporter of the expansion into new areas and locations.  

“The aim of Moose Happy Kids Foundation is to bring joy and happiness to kids around the world. We value equality and diversity and know that if we can educate and empower women and girls, the impact can be huge. There are some incredible new AllPlay programs in development and to ensure kids that may have been overlooked for support, are getting the support they need to thrive.” Kate Jeite-Delbridge, The Moose Happy Kids Foundation. 

Donors interested in supporting the work of Prof Nicole Rinehart and her team at Monash University’s Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, School of Psychological Sciences can make contact here via nicole.rinehart@monash.edu 

For more information on ways that you can apply a gender lens to your giving head to the resource section of our website where you will find a series of AIIW resources: 

• Guide to Gender-wise Philanthropy outlines the case for investing in women and girls, introduces gender lens concepts, shares case studies, and suggests steps for those at the beginning of the journey, as well as actions for those further progressed in gender-wise philanthropic practice. 

• Gender-wise Toolkit for Grantmakers is a practical step by step ‘how to’ resource that complements the Guide to Gender-wise Philanthropy providing grant-makers with simple downloadable tools. 

• Equitable Foundations A Framework and Case Studies for
  Gender-wise Philanthropy in Partnerships. The Equitable Foundations Framework has been produced as part of a collaboration between Australians Investing In Women and the University of Melbourne’s Melbourne Social Equity Institute, with funding from Paul Ramsay Foundation. These resources, and more, will guide you through the simple questions you can ask, and steps you can take, to strengthen gender equality in Australia through gender-wise giving.