Disability Inclusion in the Australian Sports Outreach Program Rob Regent, Consultant, Sport for Development Australian Sports Commission
What is the Australian Sports Outreach Program? A partnership between AusAID and the Australian Sports Commission that aims to: increase the capacity of partners (local authorities, development partners, agencies and communities) to plan and conduct quality, sports-based activities which contribute to addressing locally identified development priorities.
What do we do now and where? Country/regional programs Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu Caribbean India
Pacific Sports Partnerships Sport Partnerships with 5 Australian/Regional sports Rugby leagueFootball/soccer Cricket Netball Rugby
Sport for Development Grants Pacific and targeted (non-Pacific) grants ASC/AusAID/DFAT Predominately Commonwealth countries Do not receive ASOP assistance Do not receive strong support/funding from other sources High priority for public diplomacy Australian diplomacy representation in country High development priority
How we’ve included people with disabilities in the past Pacific Sport Ability (2004-5) Boccia, goalball, sitting volleyball and other activities Fiji, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, South Africa Pacific Junior Sport Program (2006-8) Games based activities for children 6-12 Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu, South Africa, Botswana, Swaziland
How we include people with disabilities now 1.Vanuatu – Paralympic Committee and Sanma Frangipani Association 2.Fiji – Fiji Paralympic Committee (funding and technical assistance) 3.India – Special Olympics (funding support) 4.Caribbean – Education departments/special schools (funding support) Country/regional programs Pacific Sport Partnerships Focus on including people with disabilities in Football and Cricket Sport for Development Grants Small grants to community based organisations (eg wheelchair basketball in East Timor, sitting volleyball in Zimbabwe, community clubs in Malawi)
What we’ve achieved Increased understanding of how to include people with disabilities in sport Increased opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in sport (in both communities and schools) Increased inclusion of people with disabilities in mainstream sport Improved quality of life for many people with disabilities through their participation Increased awareness of disability in countries where we work Increased awareness of the possible use of sport as a tool for inclusive development
What we’ve learnt Sport alone can have tangible non-sport benefits for people with disabilities Sport is a valuable tool to help promote positive community attitudes towards people with disabilities There are limitations to the value of sport for people with disabilities Sport for people with disabilities can be delivered in a variety of settings and by a variety of groups Mainstreaming disability into other S4D initiatives is a challenge
Questions?