Inclusive Sport Research Articles

Sports Social View--Method of Inclusive Sports Appreciation Extracting and Sharing the Essence of Sports through the Sense of Touch

Sports Social View--Method of Inclusive Sports Appreciation Extracting and Sharing the Essence of Sports through the Sense of Touch

An exploration of indigenous peoples’ perspectives of physical literacy

ABSTRACT Physical literacy is a key focus within physical education and sport policy and practice in Canada. Although physical literacy has been suggested to benefit the general population, the experiences of Indigenous peoples are noticeably absent in the physical literacy literature. To facilitate meaningful and inclusive sport policies and programmes in Canada, it is necessary to develop a physical literacy evidence-base that is grounded in the voices of Indigenous peoples. The purpose of this research was to explore Indigenous peoples’ perspectives of physical literacy. Two research questions were used to guide the research process: (a) how do Indigenous coaches, educators, and youth mentors understand physical literacy?, and (b) what is the role of Indigenous coaches, educators, and youth mentors in facilitating physical literacy among Indigenous youth? Eleven Indigenous educators, coaches, and youth mentors served as collaborators in this community-based participatory research. One-on-one and sharing circle interviews were used to generate data. Collaborators’ understandings of physical literacy, and their role in facilitating physical literacy among Indigenous youth, are represented by five themes: (a) wisdom sharing (b) being mindful in teachings, (c) youth-centered approaches, (d) culture and spirituality as part of being active for life, and (e) relational support. Findings from this research contributes to a more in-depth understanding of physical literacy in the research literature, and how the concept is understood in practice. Importantly, findings from this research highlight several suggestions for facilitating physical literacy among Indigenous youth that may support future physical education and sport initiatives that are inclusive of, and meaningful to, Indigenous youth.

Leadership, empowerment and coaching: how community sport coaches in the UK can effect behavioural change in disadvantaged youth through incrementally given roles of responsibility

ABSTRACTGrowing evidence outlines how sport can assist with community regeneration and other social policy objectives. Given that the impact of austerity measures within the UK has impacted significantly on funding patterns for sport, it is perhaps somewhat surprising that statements by the Conservative government continue to emphasise that sport and inclusive sport programmes have a crucial role to play in an effective society.The focus of this research was to understand how, in the context of austerity, experienced community coaches view good practice in sport intervention programmes. The research was undertaken by interviewing ten sport coaches with significant experience of community coaching in the south of England. Using Jennings et al.’s (2006) Critical Youth Empowerment (CYE) model to interpret the data, the findings suggest that developing leadership roles and community level empowerment facilitates changes in individual behaviour and more sustainable projects. Overall, the research demonstrates that the role of the coach is paramount to the success of these programmes. In particular, the research findings indicate how developing trusting, boundary-enabled relationships with participants is key to the success of the programmes.

‘Active integration’: sport clubs taking an active role in the integration of refugees

ABSTRACTIn the context of the global migrant and refugee crisis there is considerable enthusiasm for the notion that participation by migrants of refugee background in community sport can play a role in fostering a sense of community belonging. Sport potentially is an opportunity for refugees to integrate (with each other and host communities). Community sports organisations in the UK - and specifically sports clubs - continually face challenges to devote resources to social policy outcomes beyond increasing sport participation. This article argues that the active approach of coaches, volunteers and managers to consciously manage inclusive sport activities is central for the integration of refugees. Utilising a mixed methods approach, this study analysed the impact of one sports club that used table tennis to promote the active integration of refugees. The study found three significant areas of impact: first, an active approach from coaches can facilitate integration; second, such an approach should be conducted in a safe, enjoyable and welcoming environment; and that sport is a positive social activity for youths with a refugee background if the focus of the activity centres on fun and social interaction, rather than just sporting skills.

BUILDING SOCIAL CAPITAL THROUGH INCLUSIVE BASKETBALL

The inclusive basketball program of the National Sports Academy is a compilation of adapted and unified basketball where persons with intellectual and physical disabilities together with students and volunteers are training and competing together. PURPOSE of this study is to explore the extent of contribution of our program for the building of social capital. The concept of social capital is drawn from psychology, sociology and economy. It is defined as controversial due to many theories and cultural diversity behind. METHODS: Participants in the study were all persons involved in the adapted basketball program. Data was collected using interviews, life-story techniques, field notes and tests batteries for basketball skills. RESULTS are showing improvement in personal development domain for the athletes with disabilities where sport specific skills, building trust and communications were the leading components. For the students in the same domain the leading components of improvement were attitudes and relationships. Positive change was found in the domains of social inclusion, micro-culture and participation. We also found that there is direct and indirect production of social capital. CONCLUSION: inclusive sport practice like our adapted basketball program could be considered as a powerful contributor to the building of social capital.

Unified Extracurricular Activities as a Pathway to Social Inclusion in High Schools.

The present study examined how a multicomponent intervention embedded in a high school's extracurricular framework impacts students' acceptance of peers with intellectual disability (ID). Data were collected from eight high schools, three of which implemented the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools (UCS) program involving inclusive sports, clubs, and schoolwide events, and five of which did not. A pretest-posttest survey design was used to measure students' attitudes, perceptions, and interactions (n = 1,230). Lagged dependent variable modeling revealed that UCS participation significantly predicted improved attitudes toward peers with ID and perceptions of school social inclusion, as well as increased social interactions with peers with ID. Unified extracurricular activities may be the next step forward in promoting an inclusive school culture.

'A level playing field': Young people's experiences of wheelchair basketball as an enabling place.

Using a novel case-study of a youth wheelchair basketball team in Auckland, New Zealand, we investigate the experiences of young people with physical disabilities in recreational sports places. We consider the 'enabling places' created by this sport, which can enhance disabled young people's wellbeing and social inclusion. Semi-structured interviews with the team's players and coordinators revealed logistical and societal challenges associated with facilitating youth-oriented sports, as well as those encountered by team members personally. They also identified physical health and social benefits experienced through involvement in wheelchair basketball. The material, social and affective dimensions of participants' experiences of wheelchair basketball elucidate the capacity for the sport, and its team members and settings, to affirm young people's identity and place-in-the-world. We conclude that youth-specific, inclusive sports generate enabling places that enhance young people's social inclusion, wellbeing and life enjoyment.

開発プログラムにおけるインクルーシブスポーツ の効果的な推進～太平洋におけるオーストラリア 政府の取組みから

開発プログラムにおけるインクルーシブスポーツ の効果的な推進～太平洋におけるオーストラリア 政府の取組みから

Sport and Integration of Migrants: Some Considerations

The potential of sport for the inclusion of minorities is widely acknowledged. Being a non-verbal language, sport is particularly useful to ease the integration of the migrants in the hosting societies; in the present world – in which migrations are one of the most debated issues of the political arena – it can be a valid tool to create a more inclusive society. However, the potential of sport should not be overestimated, mainly because of the limits of its role and the barriers that hinder the participation of migrants. In this context, the role of scholars, which can provide useful tools of knowledge, is essential.

Experiences of bullying victimisation in female interuniversity athletes

The purpose of the study was to explore interuniversity student-athletes’ experiences with bullying victimisation. Eleven female athletes from a range of individual and team sports volunteered to be interviewed about their personal experiences as targets and witnesses of bullying behaviours from their teammates. The interviews elicited stories that were analysed using narrative thematic analysis. The athletes discussed a range of negative repercussions associated with bullying victimisation including reduced enjoyment of sport, isolation from their teams, reduced self-esteem, negative emotions including sadness, embarrassment, and fear, and detriments to sport and academic performance. Interpretation of the athletes’ stories led us to conclude that bullying represents a form of peer-to-peer interpersonal conflict in the sport context that has serious negative effects on athlete mental health and well-being. Bullying between teammates should be included in the broader conversation regarding identifying and preventing harassment and abuse to foster safe and inclusive sport environments. Future research should explore roles beyond that of the victim to inform effective strategies to intervene and prevent bullying in interuniversity sport contexts.

Una experiencia en deporte inclusivo: el evento final

El deporte inclusivo es una herramienta facilitadora de la inclusión de alumnos con discapacidad en Educación Física. Su práctica debe promover interacciones de calidad entre los alumnos con y sin discapacidad. El programa educativo Deporte Inclusivo en la Escuela consiste en una serie de actividades y recursos didácticos, dirigidos especialmente a alumnos y profesores de Educación Física, que buscan la participación activa de sus alumnos en las actividades deportivas inclusivas desde un planteamiento educativo en un ambiente motivador y ameno.

Playing on the periphery: troubling sport policy, systemic exclusion and the role of sport in rural Canada

In policy contexts, social exclusion can be experienced through the systematic marginalization of groups by inhibiting their ability to access resources and support. In this article, we consider the context of community sport development in rural Canada to discuss the implications of rationalized policy systems for rural citizens. We discuss instances where engagement with the sport system was constrained as well as the way that rural people responded in order to continue engagement in sport both within and outside of policy frameworks. A more inclusive sport policy system requires the acknowledgement of diverse social outcomes which may be realized through sport. But, in order for this to take place, policy makers and practitioners must acknowledge that these outcomes can exist outside of athlete development and must re-consider the ways that resources and support can be allocated.

Meet the Associate Editors: Stephen Holman

Meet the Associate Editors: Stephen Holman

The Effects of Inclusive Soccer Program on Motor Performance and Sport Skill in Young Adults with and without Intellectual Disabilities

This study aimed at investigating the effect of inclusive soccer program on motor performance and sport skill in young adults with and without intellectual disabilities (ID). Twelve participants with ID and twelve typical partners practiced 50-min each session, twice a week for 15-week long. All participants were encouraged to perform the practice at moderate exercise intensity. Measures of manual dexterity, mobility and soccer skills were tested pre- and post- program. This study showed participants with ID were able to perceive and report a number of exertion level in response to the intensity of exercise. In addition, participants with and without ID improved their performance in the Purdue Pegboard Test and Special Olympics Soccer Skill test. Thus, the mutual benefits in physical and motor performance were also evident in the typical partners. Our findings can encourage school and community to implement the inclusive sport programs. Lastly, the comparison groups and more measures are needed to generalize the findings to the large group.

A longitudinal study about the impact of an inclusive sports program in people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia

ABSTRACTThe present study analyzes the impact of an Inclusive Sports and Physical Activity Program which lasted 14 months on a sample of people with a diagnosis schizophrenia. 30 people took part in the study. An initial evaluation was conducted after 7 months and a final evaluation was carried out at the end of the program. In addition, a follow-up evaluation was conducted 1 year after the program had ended. The sample was divided into two groups based on attendance (those who participated regularly, and those who attended occasionally). Results showed statistically significant improvements in the functional aerobic capacity of both groups, but to a greater degree for the individuals who attended regularly. In terms of body composition, statistically significant improvements were only observed among the group with regular attendance. Regarding motor skills, only balance was improved (in both groups). A general decline in the physical variables assessed was observed in the follow-up, however, this decline was less pronounced among the group of individuals that attended the program regularly than for the group with lower attendance. The results confirm the effectiveness of this type of intervention, particularly when carried out regularly, and show the need to promote inclusive programs in people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia that favor adherence to these types of programs.

Using Inclusive Sport for Social Change in Malawi, Africa

This report draws upon the first year of the Youth Enrichment through Sports (YES)-Africa cooperative agreement focused on sport for social change involving five sub-Saharan African countries. The YES-Africa program, funded by the U.S. Department of State, is designed to enhance cross-cultural understanding and collaboration between individuals and nations. The YESAfrica Malawi exchange builds capacity for sport leaders in Malawi to implement inclusive sport and recreation for youth with disabilities. This case study employs a content analysis of international and national legislative and policy agendas addressing inclusion of youth with disabilities within the context of sport, and explores barriers to policy implementation through interviews with seven key stakeholders and a review of structured field notes. Findings suggest that while Malawi’s legislative and policy landscape appears to adequately address the needs of youth with disabilities broadly, implementation is limited by social, physical, and socio-environmental barriers. We explore contributions of TR professionals in addressing key policy priorities in developing countries.Subscribe to TRJ

Building a national team context based upon the identity challenges and intervention strategies of elite female boxers in their home training environments

In this article, we discuss some of the identity challenges presented by Canadian National Team Female Boxers, and their possible implications to the athletes’ well-being and sport performance. Three identity challenges identified by the athletes included: (a) being a female boxer in a masculine sport context, (b) acceptance and tensions surrounding queer identities, and (c) feeling “different” as racial/ethnic minorities. Corresponding to these challenges, intervention strategies are proposed for sport practitioners, comprised of sport psychologists, coaches, and organizational staff seeking to build a culturally inclusive sport environment and support elite female athletes as holistic persons in combative sports through both policies and interventions. This submission is also intended as a catalyst to context-driven explorations and subsequent practical interventions within further elite sport contexts.

Inclusive Sports and Fitness Model: Occupation-Based Sports Program Designed to Advance Sensory, Motor, and Process Skills

Abstract Date Presented 4/21/2018 This study assessed the efficacy of the Inclusive Sports and Fitness (ISF) program designed to advance performance skills in children with autism. Participants demonstrated improvements in activities of daily living and adaptive behavior skills. Results suggest that the ISF model promotes occupational performance and participation. Primary Author and Speaker: Alexander Lopez Additional Authors and Speakers: June Kume

Governing by means of sport for social change and social inclusion: demarcating the domains of problematization and intervention

In this article, the rationality of a sport-based intervention in Sweden promoting social change and social inclusion is explored. By examining statements made by representatives of the intervention, the article outlines the domains where problems are located and where social change and governing is presumed to take place. Discursive formations such as ‘the self’, ‘the family’, ‘the community’ and ‘the place’ are problematized in distinct ways and consequently formed as domains of governing intervention. These domains are made particular from the rest of society based on a presumed lack of integration as well as articulations of otherness. These deviances are pointed out and remedied within the frames of the established social order – it is, according to the discourse, not society that should be reformed, it is the individuals, the families and communities that should reform or adapt. Within the frames of such a discourse, major social reforms are neither conceivable nor desired.

A New Model for Inclusive Sports? An Evaluation of Participants’ Experiences of Mixed Ability Rugby

Sport has been recognised as a potential catalyst for social inclusion. The Mixed Ability Model represents an innovative approach to inclusive sport by encouraging disabled and non-disabled players to interact in a mainstream club environment. However, research around the impacts of the Model is currently lacking. This paper aims to contribute empirical data to this gap by evaluating participants’ experiences of Mixed Ability Rugby and highlighting implications for future initiatives. Primary qualitative data were collected within two Mixed Ability Rugby teams in the UK and Italy through online questionnaires and focus groups. Data were analysed using Simplican et al.’s (2015) model of social inclusion. Data show that Mixed Ability Rugby has significant potential for achieving inclusionary outcomes. Positive social impacts, reported by all participants, regardless of (dis)ability, include enhanced social networks, an increase in social capital, personal development and fundamental perception shifts. Factors relevant to the Mixed Ability Model are identified that enhance these impacts and inclusionary outcomes. The mainstream setting was reportedly the most important, with further aspects including a supportive club environment and promotion of self-advocacy. A ‘Wheel of Inclusion’ is developed that provides a useful basis for evaluating current inclusive sport initiatives and for designing new ones.