Working with sport
Working with sport involves sports organisations at all levels working towards the common goal of creating more inclusive opportunties for people with a disability.
The Building Inclusive Communities initiative provides networking opportunities and links within local communities to support the development of local sustainable sport and physical activity for people with a disability.
Case Study
NSW Sport and Recreation coordinated a community forum in Taree in 2007 to identify the needs and demands of people with a disability in the Manning and Great Lakes areas. The forum brought together local sport and physical activity providers, people with a disability, disability service providers and local councils to determine community objectives and identify ways in which these could be met.
As a result, ‘Ability All Sports’ was formed to help deliver these objectives. The group started with a disability sport expo showcasing sports such as basketball, tennis, croquet, ten pin bowling and horse riding. Over 200 people with a disability attended the expo, which also provided links to ongoing opportunities and the chance to register with a local club.
Ability All Sports recognises that building an inclusive community is something that takes time and persistence. “It’s an ongoing process and there’s a lot to do, but every time we meet we are taking the next step on the journey,” said Garry Stephen from Ability All Sports. Over the past two years the group has launched www.abilityallsports.org.au, providing accessible online information about local sporting opportunities for people with a disability.
The group continues to work with sports groups in the Manning and Great Lakes areas that are keen to develop opportunities for people with a disability, and Ability All Sports is planning an annual sports expo showcasing even more sports.