insport NGB
Over the years, Disability Sport Wales has built some very strong relationships with National Governing Bodies here in Wales. As a result, far more disabled children and adults are able to take part in sport in Wales. We would like to push this even further, and create inclusive opportunities which enable anyone to play, officiate, or coach any sport, with the full support of not only Disability Sport Wales, but their individual Sport's National Governing Body.
The term inclusion is not intended to be a scary once, but if minunderstood can result in fear that you do not have the capacity, knowledge or experience in order to deliver on this expectation. This is how the concept for insport was born. We have been very fortunate to have worked closely with Australia who have a similar programme, Sport Connect, and through identifying their successes and challenges have created insport.
insport is a 4 stage award programme, designed to ease you into inclusion, and support you through the process of opening your sport up to disabled people, in terms of participation, coaching, volunteering, officiating and employment opportunities. You will be supported through each stage, and together with your case manager will identify a realistic submission date for all parties. You will then be asked to present to a working group of colleagues and peers, on your findings, results and thoughts on the project.
The intention with this process is that it will not be a large paper exercise, or a process which requires you to keep a large porfolio of evidence. You will be required to evidence your findings and progress, however this will be done through regular meetings with your case manager who will be assigned to support you through the process, and through the submission presentation to the working group.
Please take a look through the breakdown of the four stages. As you will see, the Ribbon phase is straighforward and realistic to attain for most governing bodies at the present moment, if with a little work. As you progress through the stages, the committment level is increased, the requirements to satisfy the submission group will also increase, but so will the level of support you receive from your case manager.
On successful completion of each stage, you will be awarded the insport mark relevant to the level achieved, which you are free to use on publications, websites and other materials to advertise and demonstrate your commitment to inclusion. You will also be presented with an award.
Interested Welsh Governing Bodies are asked to complete the 'Readiness Exercise' below, which will be used to identify if you are willing and able to start working on the insport process. The exercise should then be sent through to eandt@fdsw.org.uk, and the Education & Training Unit will review your completed exercise.
Readiness Exercise
Disability Sport Wales have been working with Welsh Rowing and Welsh Athletics who both achieved their Ribbon Phase in the Spring. Congratulations to both NGB's. More information and case studies to follow.