Design our new mascot competition

Help us design a mascot about safety and belonging.

To celebrate International Day of People with Disability and Human Rights Day, Disability Commissioner Tasmania is inviting Tasmanians with disability to design our new mascot.

The winning design will be developed into a plush toy. The plush toy will be given to Tasmanians with disability living in supported accommodation, and students attending support schools.

We want the mascot to represent safety and belonging and help people know they have rights.

The mascot will also help people learn about Disability Commissioner Tasmania and our role in protecting and promoting the rights of people with disability.

What should the mascot represent?

Your mascot should reflect safety and belonging.

Safety can mean:

feeling and being safe
feeling and being respected
knowing your rights
having a voice.

Belonging can mean:

being yourself
feeling connected to others
being included in your community.

There are many ways to represent safety and belonging. We want to know what it means to you.

Who can enter?

The competition is open to all Tasmanians with disability.

It is free to enter.

About your design

Your mascot could be:

a character
an animal
a creature
something you have imagined.

Think about how your idea could work as a plush toy that is safe and suitable for different people.

You don’t need to be an artist to enter.

How can I share my idea?

You can use a format that works best for you. You could send us:

a drawing or sketch
a painting, collage, digital artwork
a photo of a model you have made
a written description
a video
an audio recording.

You can also tell us more about your mascot, including:

its shape and colours
what makes it special
how it represents safety and belonging
how it could help people learn about Disability Commissioner Tasmania.

Someone can help you prepare and submit your entry, but the mascot must be your own idea.

Designs or ideas created using AI will not be accepted.

How do I enter?

You can enter in different ways.

Online: Complete our online entry form below and upload your design or idea
Email: Download the entry form, complete it and email it with your design or idea to contact@disabilitycommissioner.tas.gov.au
Mail: Download and print the entry form and send it with your design or idea to - Disability Commissioner Tasmania, GPO Box 123, Hobart Tas 7001.

If you would like us to send you a printed entry form, please contact us.

If you need help to enter, you can call us on 1800 179 249 (free call) or email contact@disabilitycommissioner.tas.gov.au.

When do entries close?

The competition closes at 11:59pm on Sunday 22 November 2026.

How will we choose the winning design?

The Disability Commissioner will choose the winning design. When considering entries, the Disability Commissioner will look at:

Experience and understanding – your own experience of living in supported accommodation, attending a support school, or being at Ashley Youth Detention Centre, or how well your entry shows understanding of how people in these settings might use the mascot
Safety and belonging – how your design represents safety and belonging for people with disability
Our role – how the mascot could help people learn about Disability Commissioner Tasmania and our role in protecting and promoting the rights of people with disability.

When will the winner be announced?

The winner will be announced at an event on Human Rights Day, Thursday 10 December 2026. This event will also be held online and anyone can attend.

We will share more information about how to attend on our website and social media.

We plan to display all entries at the event and in an online gallery on our website.

If the winner is not at the event, we will contact them using the contact details provided with their entry.

What happens to the winning design?

Winning the competition is the first step in bringing the mascot to life.

We will work with the winner and a professional designer to develop the idea into a plush toy. We will:

develop a first version of the plush toy
test and refine it to make sure it is safe and suitable
develop the final plush toy.

The plush toy will then be given to people living in supported accommodation and other settings.

The mascot will be part of our broader work to promote safety, belonging, and the rights of people with disability, and to help people learn about our role.