New research identifies key ways to support disabled leaders
Today, Get Out Get Active releases its new research report: ‘Developing inclusive leaders in Haringey’. The research, conducted by Activity Alliance in partnership with Haringey Council, looked at the key qualities and skills of deliverers and leaders in Haringey. It explored how to create an inclusive environment for disabled participants and deliverers. It also looked to identify key ways to support more disabled people in the physical activity workforce.
Through Activity Alliance’s Get Out Get Active (GOGA) programme, Haringey Council are working with local delivery providers to engage young people in the most deprived parts of the Borough, including those affected by violence or crime.
GOGA is a UK wide programme that supports disabled people and non-disabled people to enjoy being active together. It launched in 2016 and funded by Spirit of 2012 with further investment from Sport England and London Marathon Charitable Trust.
Key findings from the research show the importance of community links. It shows how previous positive experiences of inclusive sport and physical activity helped create an inclusive environment for deliverers, leaders and participants.
During the interviews, a leader of a session said:
"When I was working with my colleagues in that setting, the advice they gave me was ‘It is like no other session’. All you need to do is to adapt the session sometimes just to ensure that everyone gets the same opportunity."
The research also found the most important qualities for inclusive deliverers were; being trustworthy, being patient, and having enthusiasm and passion.
Through the research recommendations Haringey Council and similar organisations can encourage the development of inclusive environments.
Daniel Ball, Leisure Client Contract Manager, at Haringey Council said:
"The insight in this research has shown us how important community links are to creating community connections. This research has helped us, at Haringey Council, explore how to create an inclusive environment for disabled participants and deliverers. The recommendations will help us to identify and implement key ways to support more disabled people into the physical activity workforce."
In partnership with Haringey Council, we have developed inclusive workforce practices. These show ten ways to create an inclusive workforce for disabled people. This resource will support providers and physical activity organisations to create inclusive and supporting environments for leaders and disabled people to access the activity workforce.
Helen Newberry, Workforce Lead at Activity Alliance, said:
"Our vision as an organisation is to achieve fairness for disabled people in sport and physical activity. Conducting this research with Haringey Council gave us the opportunity to explore what being an inclusive leader means from those who are delivering sessions. We found there is strong interest from many disabled people in taking on paid and voluntary roles. With the inclusive workforce practices, we aim to support providers and physical activity organisations to create an inclusive and supportive environment."
From our Annual Disability and Activity Survey, we know disabled people often have lower participation and enjoyment of physical activity. Disabled people are underrepresented among the people working in the sport and activity sector. Only 22 per cent said they see ‘people like me’ working in sports and physical activity roles.
The key findings in our ‘Developing inclusive leaders in Haringey’ research gives us evidence and practices to begin to achieve fairness for disabled people in sport and physical activity.
Click here to view the research executive summary and full report.
Click here to view GOGA inclusive workforce practices resource.
Photo credit: Haringey Shed.
