About us

Pushing Barriers is a not for profit association with the primary objective being to advance and improve the lives and welfare of refugee youth by providing them with opportunities and funding to be included and welcomed into Australian culture and society through sport.
Pushing Barriers does this by –

1. Providing financial relief by paying for costs of playing a sport, including club fees, sports clothing and equipment.

2. Providing transport to and from sporting events and training as required.

3. Encouraging and facilitating participation in a sport of an individual’s choice at the club level in the local community and further participation at district and or higher levels if the opportunity arises.

4. Acting as a liaison for and providing support to the refugee youth in their communications between the school, the relevant sporting club, the individual and their family.

5. Providing opportunities for refugee youth to meet with positive role models who are aligned with Pushing Barriers’ values to motivate, inspire and support them both in their sporting endeavours and as they seek to be included and welcomed into wider Australian society and culture.

6. Providing exposure to a variety of sports through a clinic-based approach at the individual’s school.

7. Working to reduce social and financial barriers that refugee youth face in the community so as to improve their quality of life and their connection with their local community.

8. Creating and facilitating supportive social networks for refugee youth by encouraging their inclusion and acceptance within a sporting community.

9. Encouraging and educating about the need for diversity, inclusion and acceptance within the sporting community and various sporting bodies.

10. Performing and discharging such duties and functions where this is incidental or conducive to the attainment of these objects, including seeking and/or raising funds from the public to advance the above objects.

- Values -

Teamwork • Trust • Inclusion • Fun • Respect

- Our team -

Tracy Tucker

President
Cofounder

Tracy has a lifelong involvement in sport and thrives in ultra distance events. Tracy has a degree in Physiotherapy and a Diploma in Community Services. A qualified swim teacher, she enjoys passing on her experience in the pool to children with refugee background. Tracy’s motivation to create Pushing Barriers stems from her belief that every person has the potential to reach their personal best given opportunities and support.

Clare Wynn-Williams

Vice-President
Cofounder

Clare has a background in nursing and practice management. More recently she has turned her passion for exercise into working with children and adults teaching learn to swim and personal training. Growing up in New Zealand, Clare was immersed in community sport and experienced first-hand the power of sport in binding families and connecting communities. She sees Pushing Barriers help families new to Australia
experience the positive benefits sport offers.

Jenifer French

Secretary
Cofounder

Originally from South Africa, Jenifer immigrated to Australia with her family. She is a Registered Nurse with a Masters in Counselling. Jenifer follows her passion for raising awareness of psychological wellbeing through education and is currently working in mental health. She loves working with children, making community connections and firmly believes in the benefits of sport to enhance people’s lives.

Liz Sherratt

Treasurer
Financial Controller

Elizabeth has a background in Accounting and Finance. She really admires the work of Pushing Barriers in trying to positively influence the lives of children from refugee backgrounds who are new to the Australian community, helping increase their sense of belonging and wellbeing. She is honoured to hold the title of Treasurer and is strongly committed to good stewardship of the funds entrusted to Pushing Barriers by its donors.

- Our ambassadors -

Anjilla Seddeqi

Anjilla is an Australian designer of Afghan heritage. She arrived in Australia in 1989 with her family, seeking refuge from war torn Afghanistan.

Anjilla obtained her combined law degree from Macquarie University and her Masters in International Law from the University of Sydney. She has interned with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Canberra and provided legal representation to asylum seekers arriving by boat to Australia. Anjilla has received the Symbol of Harmony award in March this year at the Fashions of Multicultural Australia (FOMA) runway show and has been featured in the September 2019 issue of Harper’s Bazaar.

She resides in Sydney with her husband and two young boys.

Peter Bol

Peter is a professional 800m track athlete competing in national teams at the Olympics in 2016, IAAF London World Champs in 2017, IAAF Doha World championships in 2019 and was the Australian Champion 2019.

Peter has a degree in Construction Management and is passionate about design, buildings and construction and building communities.

Peter's hobbies include cafes, travel, cultures, languages, bikes and books.

- Testimonials -

It's through small acts like the work Pushing Barriers is doing that unity and understanding are built. It takes courage and lots of hard work to make the world a better place, and I am so proud to be a part of the excellent work that PB does — Faizal

- Our supporters -

Multicultural affairs Queensland • Rotary Centenary

Clubs that support our players are