Knights of the (dining) table: The start of Flying Fox

In 2014, a young Dean Cohen’s Friday afternoons looked pretty similar. With his mates and a soccer ball in the local park.

Until one day, a mum in the community reached out to them.

She told them about how she wishes her son (who has autism) could get involved in a soccer game, too. Seeing that an opportunity to do so wasn’t so readily available in 2014.

So, Dean and his friends added one more to their regular Friday match. It was the start of a beautiful friendship – and organisation.

‘Their friend group realised that a lot of people with disability lacked a solid social network,’ explains Community & Partnership Manager Timnah Kieser. ‘They knew it was always going to be left to young people to be creative, energetic and innovative in tackling such a pervasive issue.

‘So they gathered around his parents’ dining table to plan a fun, four-day camp in Phillip Island for a group of people with and without disability,’ she continues.

And so, after a few months of doorknocking (and assuring parents their children would be in safe hands), Flying Fox was established – and its first camp came to fruition. The organisation then – as it is today – powered by youthful energy.

 

 

Humble beginnings: Flying Fox’s first camp

Starting strong with 39 buddies (volunteers) and 19 campers (people with disability), Flying Fox began with a bang. And the potential for more was impossible to deny.

‘After that first camp, it just continued to grow and grow,’ says Timnah.

Flying Fox didn’t take long to take off, but the society of 2014 needed a while to catch up.

‘Our basic understanding of accessibility was totally different a decade ago,’ shares Carly Glasser, Community & Corporate Partnerships Coordinator.

‘Back then, accessibility looked like a ramp on the side of a building. Today, it’s more about listening and engaging with people with disability, and holding space for them to lead the social change they want to see.’

Needless to say, 2014 didn’t offer many opportunities for people with disability to hang out with friends in our community.

 ‘It was meant to just be one four-day camp, but seeing how happy all the campers were from day one, we realised just how important a role we had to play in building a more socially inclusive society.

‘So, our organisation had to keep growing,’ Carly states.

 

 

Onwards and upwards: Picking up speed

When the camper waiting list hit 100 people, the team knew Flying Fox needed to expand its repertoire.

‘Our campers got four days of fun, but we couldn’t help but wonder, what about the other 361 days of the year?’ Timnah remembers. ‘How can we facilitate our campers staying connected?’

And so, Flying Fox’s Shortz and Hangouts programs were introduced.

‘Our Shortz getaways started in 2016 as a weekend away for a small group of campers and buddies, in a holiday home down the coast,’ Carly explains. ‘Now, we run Shortz getaways every weekend – in two of our very own holiday homes.’

And let’s not forget the COVID-borne Hangouts.

‘During the pandemic, our overnight camps were obviously a no-go,’ says Timnah. ‘So we started running five online sessions a week. They were a mix of Zumba classes, international dance parties and just classic catch-ups. We had about 60 people logging on each night!’

Today, the lockdowns are behind us. But the Flying Fox Hangouts are here to stay.

‘Now every week, our Hangouts could be anything from a comedy show to a pizza night,’ Carly adds. ‘As the name suggests, they’re just an excuse to socialise, have fun and – ultimately – hang out!’

 

 

From the ground up: Sharing the Flying Fox mindset

Flying Fox has been – and always will be – a youth-led organisation. So, naturally, a large part of its work is in educating Australian youth.

‘We run a bespoke program at schools for each year level. They’re all about sharing how we view disability, who we are, what we do – and recruiting new buddies!’ Timnah says.

‘Because if you get young people motivated and passionate about a cause, it’s going to be revolutionary,’ Carly emphasises. ‘And that’s exactly what’s needed to turn society’s perceptions about disability around.’

But Flying Fox isn’t only looking for young people to get involved.  

‘We’re also growing our corporate relationships,’ Timnah shares. ‘Last year we held our first annual Corporate Basketball Funday. It was the perfect way for philanthropists and corporates to feel the magic of Flying Fox.

‘And each year, we’re adding more and more events to the calendar!’

 

 

Little wins and big wins: Fostering change with Flying Fox

Even after 10 years, it’s still the little things that make the biggest difference for the team at Flying Fox.

‘One of the participants on our first camp had never slept away from home before,’ Timnah remembers. ‘And when we got to the giant swing, he put on the helmet and watched the other campers.

‘His mum burst into tears when she heard about it. Because for him, that was participation.’

This camper returned the next year and put on the harness. The following year, he sat in the swing. Then several years later, he went all the way to the top… and swung down!

‘He still comes to all our camps to this day,’ Carly shares. ‘While everyone has the most fun imaginable on camp, the real impact comes from the growth in independence and confidence that happens as a result.

‘We could list a billion stories just like his – of campers performing at our talent shows on the last day of camp. Of campers and buddies embracing each other on the streets of St Kilda months down the track. Of campers and buddies now living together, being in each other’s wedding parties, being lifelong friends.

‘But what it boils down to at Flying Fox is the genuine feeling that we’re all just human. We all bring something unique to the table, and we’re here to celebrate that.’

 

 

Big dreams, bigger hearts: The future of Flying Fox

If you asked Carly and Timnah, Flying Fox is nowhere near slowing down.

‘In the next five years, we want to triple our programs,’ Carly shares. ‘Because we’re ready to provide opportunities to more and more campers.’

And where better to work on these extra programs than in a brand new, central community hub?

‘Our big dream is to have a four-storey building to house all our operations,’ says Timnah. ‘One level to be a hangout spot for campers and buddies. Another to be used as our training space, so we don’t need to keep using other people’s offices (including Gary Peer’s) for our education sessions – as beautiful as they all are. And on top would be all our offices.’

One way to send Flying Fox hurtling towards turning that dream into reality? By giving them a little push.

‘We’re always looking for financial donations and partnerships,’ Timnah explains.

‘But at the end of the day, we really just want more people to come and experience an immersive Flying Fox program to feel the magic firsthand.’

 

 

Hip Hip Hooray: Flying Fox turns 10

On 25 February, Flying Fox celebrated its 10^th birthday. And the community came out in droves.

‘In the past 10 years, we’ve gone from running one camp on a whim to racking up 268 getaways – and we all feel this passion to keep going,’ Timnah says. ‘So it was incredibly special to be able to share that passion with a room full of 800 like-minded people.’

The room in question? A kaleidoscope of colour.

‘The room was filled with flamingos, bunny rabbits, balloons and generosity,’ Carly remembers. ‘We wanted to engage our community – including campers, buddies, volunteers, parents, families, donors, schools, corporates, the list goes on. And, we wanted to make it fun.

‘So a whimsical high tea theme was perfect. Especially when it was paired with all the incredible interactive elements incorporated throughout the day.’

The pillars of the day were just the same as they were at the very first camp back in 2014: holding fun, respect and integrity at the core.

 

 

Curious to learn more about Flying Fox – and discover how you can help? Visit the Flying Fox website today.