With cerebral palsy and a determination that refuses limits, Corinda State High School Year 12 student Max Bailey-Jensen has become a powerful advocate for inclusion. Whether competing at the Boccia Australia National Titles or teaching future health professionals, Max is spotlighting parasport and the importance of inclusive communication.
Read: Inspiring Corinda Boy with Cerebral Palsy Takes Up RaceRunning, Dreams About Paralympics
Max’s days are anything but ordinary. One moment he is sitting with sporting leaders, the next he is standing before a lecture hall, and soon after that, he’s competing on the national stage. Each step of his packed schedule becomes a platform to champion athletes with disability and to show how inclusive communication can break down barriers.
Spotlight on the ParaSTART program
One of Max’s proudest achievements this year was promoting the ParaSTART program at The University of Queensland (UQ). Meeting with Deb Merchant of the Merchant Foundation, Max championed the program’s mission to empower people with disability through sport and wellbeing.
ParaSTART provides both one-on-one and group training sessions for athletes of all levels, from beginners to those aiming for competition. The program specialises in swimming, athletics, and strength and conditioning, while also adapting to meet the needs of participants with high support requirements. Sessions take place in the pool, gym, or field, and are delivered by experienced coaches who are supported by medical doctors, psychologists, and dieticians.
ParaSTART is designed to be inclusive, welcoming individuals with a wide range of support needs, and no prior sporting experience is required. The program provides a pathway into physical activity and, for some, towards higher levels of competition.
Since launching seven years ago, the program has achieved an extraordinary milestone: not one athlete has ever left. For Max, that retention rate speaks to the program’s power to make sport not just possible, but irresistible.
Conversations on facilities and inclusion
Max’s advocacy extended beyond the university campus to government halls. In a meeting with Andrew Hopper, Director-General of the Department of Queensland Sport and Recreation, Racing and Olympic & Paralympic Games, he highlighted the pressing need for more parasport facilities in Brisbane.
With the city preparing to host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Max’s voice added weight to the push for accessible infrastructure. His message was simple but urgent: inclusion starts with having the right spaces to play, train, and compete.
Teaching inclusive communication
Perhaps the most memorable moment of Max’s journey came when he became a lecturer for a day at UQ. Using text-to-speech technology and his lived experience, he taught third-year Human Movement and Exercise Science students about communicating with non-verbal patients.
Max combined practical strategies with humour, keeping the lecture engaging while driving home the importance of empathy in clinical practice. The session was so impactful that he has since been invited to present to other faculties across the university.
Competing at the national level
Alongside his advocacy, Max pursued sporting excellence. Partnering with Mitchell McCracken, he represented Queensland in the BC3 class at the Boccia Australia National Titles in Canberra.
Supported by Sporting Wheelies, the pair competed against athletes from across the country. Boccia, a precision ball sport played by athletes with high support needs, is being promoted and developed in Queensland.
His participation at the national level reflects the opportunities available through community programs and sporting organisations.
Read: 3 Corinda State High School Staff Recognised at Australian Education Awards
A voice for inclusion
From raising awareness of ParaSTART to meeting government leaders, teaching university students, and competing nationally, Max Bailey-Jensen is redefining what inclusion in sport can look like.
What began years ago with a RaceRunning frame — the first in Australia — has grown into a journey that inspires Brisbane and beyond. And as the countdown to the 2032 Paralympics continues, Max’s voice is part of the city’s evolving story: a future where sport belongs to everyone.
Published 1-October-2025
