Cérge: The Queensland innovation changing the game for disability inclusion

The technology, aimed at delivering access for people with disabilities and promoting inclusion, began with an idea from co-founder Victoria Kerrisk.

“I’m a veteran and I have a range of invisible disabilities, PTSD and generalised anxiety disorder. A lot of things were becoming more and more difficult for me, whether it was going to a shopping centre, going to the airport, to a hotel, those larger buildings, I was getting quite overwhelmed, and it was resulting in panic attacks.”

“I was really struggling to participate in the community. And I said to Chris, there must be a technology I can use to help me.”

There wasn’t, so Victoria and co-Founder Chris Kerrisk got to work on creating one.

Cérge provides tools like 360-degree tours, visual and sensory guides and communication boards to improve access to sporting venues and facilities.

Chris says, for people with a disability, their carers and families, it helps to remove the uncertainty about what they’ll experience when they arrive.

“The feedback we’ve had, for what people with a disability are looking for, is for publicly available information that’s easy to find, so you can have confidence that the venue does or does not work ahead of time.”

“It’s, how do I get to the venue? Can I get in? Can I get around? What’s the light? What’s the glare? What’s the overarching sensory experience? Once they’ve made the decision to go, then there comes a genuine fear of how they’re going to be treated when they show up.”

Since Chris and Victoria’s idea in 2019, more than 300 venues have been onboarded, both in Australia and overseas. The Sleeman Sports Complex, which includes the Brisbane Aquatic Centre and Anna Meares Velodrome, are among their partner venues.

Chris says he and Victoria will be working hard to extend Cérge’s reach in the lead up to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“Through this award, we’ve been gifted a remarkable platform for our business. It allows us to amplify the message of access and inclusion, and it validates that as a need in this country.”

“By the time the Games come along, our big, audacious goal is to be one of the major sponsors of the Paralympics. So, when someone is flying in for the Games, when they hop off the plane, our technology is available at the airport. When they go to a hotel, we’re there, when they go to any of the sporting stadiums, we’re there.”

“We believe that the Brisbane 2032 Games will leave a legacy of being one of the most inclusive and accessible Games in history.”

To learn more about Cérge and how to become a participating venue, visit cerge.app

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