Community Inclusion
The Community Participation Branch of the Department of Sport and Recreation uses a ‘community development’ approach as a key strategy in its quest to enhance community inclusion.
Whilst hard evidence is also a crucial ingredient, taking such an approach means being driven by the community and its needs, goals and aspirations. The focus is on low participation groups, that is, those that are not adequately resourced to enable them to achieve participation rates equal or close to those of the total population. For example, culturally and linguistically diverse, indigenous and people with disabilities.
Within the Community Participation Branch there are three Inclusion Officers who support communities, to develop inclusive sport and recreation environments.
The role of these Inclusion Officers includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Build relationships with Government and non-Government agencies through the facilitation of community based inclusive participation projects;
- Facilitate support to organisations and community groups to encourage greater participation in sport and recreation and to foster inclusive practices; and
- Develop appropriate resources that promote community participation in sport and recreation activities
Contact one of the Inclusion Officers below, to find out more about their roles and how they could assist you to develop and promote inclusive sport and recreation environments in your area.
For general inclusion enquiries please contact
Susan McDonald
Planning and Assessing Officer246 Vincent Street, LEEDERVILLE WA 6007PO Box 329, LEEDERVILLE WA 6903
08 9492 9821
Email SusanInclusion Officers
Jonelle Burns/Natasha HanhamInclusion OfficerNorth, Central Metro (Coastal) and Regional Support246 Vincent Street, LEEDERVILLE WA 6007PO Box 329, LEEDERVILLE WA 6903Telephone 08 9492 9814
Facsimile 08 9492 9711Email JonelleEmail NatashaGemma WhitmanInclusion OfficerSouth Metro, South East Metro & Regional Support246 Vincent Street, LEEDERVILLE WA 6007PO Box 329, LEEDERVILLE WA 6903Telephone 08 9492 9620Facsimile 08 9492 9711Email GemmaMelanie Thomas
Inclusion OfficerEast, Central Metro and regional Support246 Vincent Street, LEEDERVILLE WA 6007PO Box 329, LEEDERVILLE WA 6903Telephone 08 9492 9741Facsimile 08 9492 9711Email MelanieBeing an Inclusive Club
You're in the Game
The information in these documents has kindly been provided by NSW Sport and Recreation Communities.
Towards inclusion for State Sporting Organisations
Current DSR Funded Inclusion Projects
ActiveSmart
The Department of Sport & Recreation (DSR) is driving a large scale regional initiative, involving up to 4,000 households in the City of Greater Geraldton. ActiveSmart is a world−first physical activity participation program model based on the internationally recognised strategy used by the TravelSmart program. ActiveSmart uses tailored information, resources and personal contact to motivate and encourage households to participate in physical activity.
ActiveSmart works by steadily building trusting relationships with the participating households offering them the opportunity to self select information they are interested in and providing regular non−judgmental encouragement and support to be active. The program then links them to local sport, recreation and physical activity opportunities in their locality and encourages them to connect with them.
For more information please visit the ActiveSmart web page.
Communicare Active Together (CAT)
The Department of Sport and Recreation in partnership with the Department for Communities Office for Youth, have engaged Communicare to deliver a three year sport and active recreation project in the SE corridor of Perth. The CAT project aims increase the participation of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) children and youth (6-25) in sport and active recreation in the South East metropolitan local government municipalities of Victoria Park, Canning, Belmont, Gosnells and Armadale.
For more information please visit the CAT web page.
North West Metropolitan Project
Extensive community consultation identified an increase in humanitarian entrants residing in the Cities of Wanneroo and Joondalup. CaLD youths from these areas were accessing the City of Stirling CaLD project, due to the limited services in their areas. The demand for programs to be developed in the LG areas to service the new and emerging CaLD communities to access sport and recreation in their area was highlighted. The programs outcomes include:
- Creating better access to sport and recreation programs in the targeted LG's for young CaLD and indigenous groups.
- Increasing the participation rate in sport and recreation of youth from low participation groups and new and emerging communities.
- Building links and inclusive practices between clubs and the target group.
Multicultural Youth Sport and Recreation Program
Through the Edmund Rice Centre Mirrabooka a sports coordinator delivers programs, in the cities of Wanneroo and Stirling, to increase participation by CaLD and Indigenous youth in after school sport and recreation. The project aims to:
- Increase the utilisation of mainstream clubs and facilities by the target group; and
- Build sustainable partnerships with local sports clubs, associations and organisations.
This program provides leadership, coaching and team management skills to training young people identified as Sporting Club Leaders in their community.
For more information pleasevisit the Edmund Rice Centre Mirrabooka project web page.
Shire of Katanning
Katanning has one of the most culturally diverse communities in the state with large populations of Burmese, Malay, Afghan, Chinese as well as a large indigenous community.
A full-time Project Officer coordinates strategies in the Shire of Katanning that aim to increase participation in sport and recreation, by youth from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) and Indigenous backgrounds. This is facilitated through partnerships with mainstream clubs and facilities.
For more information please visit the Shire of Kataning web page.
Case Studies
Inclusive Sports Funding (ISF)
ISF was developed to support SSA’s to implement inclusive strategies within their sport. The key project outcomes are:
- To enhance the capacity of SSA’s to deliver inclusive sport programs for CaLD, Indigenous and disability groups; and
- To increase the participation rates of CaLD, Indigenous and disability groups in community level sport.
Gymnastics
GymAbility
http://www.gymnastics.org.au/default.asp?ID=13773
Netball
Indigenous
http://www.netballwa.com.au/extra.asp?id=7257&OrgID=25&menu=13537
People with Disabilities
http://www.netballwa.com.au/extra.asp?id=633&OrgID=25&menu=1084
Bowls
Inclusive Practices
http://www.bowlswa.com.au/try-bowls/inclusive-practices
Football West
Equal Footingball (Disability Football)
http://www.footballwest.com.au/community/equal-footingball/
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Football
http://www.footballwest.com.au/community/cald/
Where would you like to go next?
