In this episode of What Are We Drinking?, Rachel sits down with Aden Perry — founder of OurChoice Disability — for a raw, funny and honest conversation about rugby league, disability support, community access, young leadership and building a business with purpose.

Aden shares his journey from growing up in the Sutherland Shire and chasing rugby league, to entering the disability sector at 18 and being confronted by the reality of personal care, group homes and the lives of people who need genuine support.

That experience became the foundation for OurChoice Disability — a business Aden started at just 21 years old with a simple mission: to give participants real experiences, real connection and real opportunities to build confidence, independence and capacity.

Rachel and Aden unpack why community access is so much more than “just going out for fun.” From learning how to order a coffee, go shopping, build friendships, cook meals, move your body, regulate emotions and come home with a story to tell — this conversation is a powerful reminder of how much growth happens in everyday moments.

They also discuss rugby league, resilience, knockbacks, mental health, tall poppy syndrome, the pressure of being a young founder, asking for help, building a young team, and the impact potential NDIS cuts to community participation could have on participants and families.

This episode is energetic, emotional, hilarious and deeply relevant to the disability sector right now.

Topics:

Aden Perry’s upbringing in the Sutherland Shire

Rugby league, resilience and knockbacks

Playing footy across Sydney, Wollongong and representative pathways

Rachel giving Aden his first job in disability

Entering personal care at 18

The confronting reality of disability support work

Working in group homes

Supporting participants with complex needs

Why Aden started OurChoice Disability at 21

What OurChoice is really about

Community access as capacity building

Helping participants build independence

Social skills, confidence and friendship

Giving participants “dinner table stories”

Why community participation is not just playtime

NDIS cuts and the risk to social/community participation

The pressure of being a young founder

Mental health, burnout and asking for help

Tall poppy syndrome

Building a young team and strong culture

Why sport, movement and fitness matter

Meal prep, life skills and future program ideas

Rachel and Aden’s full-circle relationship