Inclusive sport design lowers barriers to physical activity

Issue: Volume 102, Number 5

Posted: 20 April 2023
Reference #: 1HA_Tg

This year, for the first time, New Zealand will host the International Symposium of Adapted Physical Activity. ISAPA 2023 is an opportunity to share knowledge and experience in professional preparation, research, advocacy, and service delivery in the fields of adapted physical activity, physical education, and sport science.

Education Gazette had a kōrero with symposium speaker Michael Woods about creating an environment where all ākonga have an equal opportunity to participate in, and celebrate, sport.

Sophie enjoys a Taranaki Whānau Day with The Halberg Foundation.

Sophie enjoys a Taranaki Whānau Day with The Halberg Foundation.

From small beginnings as a resource blog in 2017, Michael Woods’ Inclusive Sport Design has grown into a business that works to welcome, involve and celebrate more people playing and competing in sports.

Michael says he originally created the blog as a platform to share information, best practice resources and things he’d learned along his own practitioner journey.

“I wanted to create the resource I wish I had access to when I started my career,” he says.

Now, the business provides consulting, advisory and education services to the sports industry, including sports organisations, clubs and volunteers.

“The ultimate goal is to create solutions for sport that help inclusion happen at scale so everybody can be involved, welcomed and celebrated in sport,” he says.

Michael is working to create an environment in the sporting world where everyone has an equal opportunity to participate, regardless of their abilities or identity.

“In my experience, generally speaking, most people involved in delivering sport don’t lack the willingness to create inclusive environments but rather they lack the skills and knowledge to convert that willingness into meaningful action,” he says. “So that’s where inclusive sport design comes in.”

Adapted physical activity gives everyone equal opportunity to participate, regardless of their abilities or identity.

Adapted physical activity gives everyone equal opportunity to participate, regardless of their abilities or identity.

Removing barriers

People with disabilities and other minority groups can face many barriers that make it harder for them to participate in sports. People with disabilities often struggle with accessibility, equipment and attitudes, and minority groups can face discrimination and bias which prevents full engagement. Compounding these issues, financial barriers can also be a significant hurdle.

Michael explains these barriers result from sport environments and cultures not having an array of individual needs in mind.

“It’s essential to recognise these barriers can overlap and intersect too, creating even more obstacles for individuals who belong to multiple minority groups,” he says.

John Sigurdsson, lead advisor at The Halberg Foundation, demonstrates adaptive physical activity to a young group of participants.

John Sigurdsson, lead advisor at The Halberg Foundation, demonstrates adaptive physical activity to a young group of participants.

Michael believes successful inclusion in sports always begins with understanding. He says to ask your students what they need and how they would like to play, always keeping in mind, “how can I ensure participation for everyone?”

Once teachers and coaches understand the needs, preferences and goals of participants, they should then adapt and modify their sport activities to meet those needs.

John Sigurdsson, lead advisor at The Halberg Foundation

John Sigurdsson, lead advisor at The Halberg Foundation

“Change how you teach, change or adapt the equipment you use, modify the field of play and even change the rules of the game,” he says.

“This should be matched with a positive, empathetic and creative attitude, with a focus on finding solutions to ensure meaningful participation for everyone.”

Academic meets practical

Methods like TREE or STEP can be used to help change sport programmes. For Michael, he believes it starts with building the capability and confidence to take action on inclusion.

One example from Michael’s programme is his work at Swimming Australia. While working with the organisation, he worked to advance Multi Class disability competition, classification systems and other inclusive policies.

During this time, he got involved in the Australian school sport system, helping to replicate the swimming systems and policies in the school swimming competition environment. This directly led to a growth in student participation.

Michael says it’s important for schools to understand both the academic aspects and practical ways to make sports more inclusive.

Academic knowledge can be used to create policies and guidelines that promote inclusion.

This can then be paired with practical knowledge to implement the policies and practices in the real-world, day-to-day delivery of sport activities.

“By combining both types of knowledge, schools can create a more welcoming and inclusive sports environment that benefits all students,” says Michael.

Michael notes that teachers also have an important role beyond sport delivery.

“Teachers play an important role in connecting students to further sport pathways; this is especially so for people with disabilities,” he says.

“So teachers should also be familiar with local sport options and help students access these to extend their sporting participation.”

A toolbox of ideas

Michael is a keynote speaker presenting at the 2023 International Symposium of Adapted Physical Activity. This year’s theme is innovation, adaptation and accessibility in a changing world. Michael will be sharing with participants practical ways to plan sustainable and inclusive sports programmes.

“More often than not practitioners start and end their inclusion thinking with the activity itself – what and how people play,” he says, “but many other factors influence the success or failure of inclusive or adaptive sport programmes.”

His session will explore those factors, aiming to provide participants with a toolbox of ideas they can use to increase the chances of engaging and retaining participants in their home sport environments.

Michael is encouraging people to attend ISAPA this year. He believes it is an excellent opportunity to connect in person after Covid had affected the event for a number of years.

Alex loves learning how to surf at a Taranaki Surf Day.

Alex loves learning how to surf at a Taranaki Surf Day.

"It’s an opportunity to listen, learn and generate new ideas to advance adaptive sport and physical activity – especially considering the impacts of the last few Covid years have negatively impacted people with disability more than most,” he says.

Michael says the sports industry has a responsibility to create environments that support the needs and wants of people with disabilities.

Ultimately, sport and physical activity provides numerous benefits to participants. It offers improvements to physical health and also supports positive mental health. To each student and educator, it’s an invaluable part of the curriculum.

“Central to this, is the great potential for building social connections, finding meaning and developing individual capacity that helps people live better lives,” says Michael.

Top Five Tips for teachers creating an inclusive sporting environment

  1. Ask students how they want to play and what support they need (then implement this)
  2. Adapt and modify your sport activities to meet the needs and preferences of students (get creative)
  3. Offer choice in how students can participate (choice is the friend of inclusion)
  4. Always work towards meaningful participation (no is not an option)
  5. Find a mentor, another coach or teacher doing it well (then model their practice) 
Eliza with volunteers from the Oakura Boardriders, who work with The Halberg Foundation to give children and young people with disabilities a day at the beach and the opportunity to learn how to surf.

Eliza with volunteers from the Oakura Boardriders, who work with The Halberg Foundation to give children and young people with disabilities a day at the beach and the opportunity to learn how to surf.

International Symposium of Adapted Physical Activity

ISAPA 2023 will be held from Sunday 25 June to Thursday 29 June, co-hosted by the University of Otago and Mooven in Ōtepoti Dunedin.

An Adapted Physical Activity Sport and Recreation Day will also be hosted by The Halberg Foundation, Paralympics NZ, Blind Sports NZ, Special Olympics and Parafed Otago.

The symposium is held every second year to provide physical activity professionals with an opportunity to share their knowledge and experience in professional preparation, research, advocacy, and service delivery in the fields of adapted physical activity, physical education, and sport science.

ISAPA programmes include research presentations, innovative sessions for the discussion of new ideas, practical workshops, and some social events. This will be the first time ISAPA will be held in New Zealand.

The week’s programme includes several international speakers who will share their expertise from both an academic and practioners’ perspective. These include Professor David Howe (Western University Ontario), Dr Emma Beckman (University of Queensland), Professor Simon Darcy (University of Western Sydney), Andrew Leslie (Nuku Ora) and Michael Woods (Inclusive Sport Design, Australia).

There will also be a showcase of the great mahi being achieved throughout the motu within the education sector.

This is an important opportunity to learn about new initiatives, connect with colleagues around Aotearoa and develop new working relationships with national and international colleagues.

Learn more and register at isapa2023.com(external link)

Tara with volunteers from the Oakura Boardriders.

Tara with volunteers from the Oakura Boardriders.

BY Education Gazette editors
Education Gazette | Tukutuku Kōrero, reporter@edgazette.govt.nz

Posted: 9:45 am, 20 April 2023

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