The fifth Active NZ survey continues our series looking at when and where adults (16 years and over) are engaging in sport and recreation, as participants and volunteers.

Quick look - Sport and Active Rec in the Lives of NZ Adults

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Sport and Active Recreation in the lives of NZ Adults

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About Active NZ

More adults participating and volunteering in sport and recreation is a key goal for Sport New Zealand (Sport NZ).

Also see Questions and answers and Technical information, below, and the media release.

The 2013/14 Active NZ Survey helps us gauge how we’re progressing by providing an up-to-date, nationwide snapshot on how, when and where adults (16 years and over) are engaging in sport and recreation, as participants and volunteers.

The results also inform our work in community sport, and have contributed to the development of our new Community Sport Strategy 2015-2020 and Sport NZ Group Strategic Plan.

This is the fifth Active NZ survey – earlier versions of the survey were conducted in 2007/08, 2000/01, 1998/99 and 1997/98. Sport NZ carried out the two most previous surveys (2000/01, 2007/08).

The results in the 2013/14 initial report show changes in participation and volunteering between the 2007/08 and 2013/14 surveys. Later reports will describe longer-term trends between 1997/98 and 2013/14.

The 2013/14 Active NZ survey was a face-to-face survey carried out in people’s homes by trained interviewers. To select people for the survey (the sample), households from across New Zealand were selected at random and then visited by an interviewer who randomly selected one adult per household and invited them to take part in the survey. This approach means that a good mix of men and women, from different age groups and ethnic backgrounds, took part in the survey to ensure we capture a representative picture of sport and recreation participation and volunteering by adults in New Zealand.

The survey was voluntary and all answers were anonymous. Not everyone selected for the survey took part, and to account for possible under- or over-representation the results have been adjusted to reflect the 2013 Census population.

The survey, which was carried out over 12 months (April 2013 to March 2014) to capture participation in seasonal sports and activities like cricket, netball, skiing and tramping, was run by the National Research Bureau. Over 6,400 adults took part in the survey.

Results are presented for all adults and, in some sections, for sport and recreation participants. Many results are presented for all adults (all participants) and then by gender, age, ethnicity, socio-economic background (deprivation index) and location (urban/rural).

Questions and answers

What is the 2013/14 Active NZ Survey (ANZS)?

The 2013/14 ANZS is a nationwide survey that gives detailed insights into Kiwi adults' participation in sports, active recreation, and volunteering. Adults for this survey include people aged 16 years and above throughout New Zealand.

The National Research Bureau (NRB) was charged with conducting the survey on Sport NZ’s behalf. It was carried out face-to-face in people’s homes by trained interviewers over 12 months (April 2013 to March 2014) in order to capture participation in seasonal sports and activities like cricket, netball, skiing and tramping. To select people for the survey (the sample), households from across New Zealand were selected at random and then visited by an interviewer who randomly selected one adult per household and invited them to take part in the survey. The survey was voluntary and all answers were anonymous.

Why does Sport NZ conduct the survey?

Sport NZ's goal is to increase the number of Kiwis participating and volunteering in sport and recreation. This survey enables us to report back to government on our progress towards our strategic targets, as well as providing new research and trend analysis to inform decision-making across the sport system.

How will the results be used?

The 2013/14 ANZS will provide Sport NZ and the wider sports sector with valuable information about how adults engage in sport and recreation – as participants and as volunteers. The results also inform our work in community sport, and contributed to the development of our new Community Sport Strategy 2015-2020 and Sport NZ Group Strategic Plan.

Has the ANZS been carried out before?

Yes, earlier versions of the survey were conducted in 2007/08, 2000/01, 1998/99 and 1997/98. (Sport NZ conducted the 2000/01 and 2007/08 surveys, and the Hillary Commission conducted the 1997/98 and 1998/99 surveys).

Why does the survey focus on adults and not children and young people?

Children and young people tend to take part in sport and recreation in different ways than adults. For example, they have opportunities to do sport at school. So, we have a separate survey for this group, designed especially to meet the comprehension and reading abilities of Kiwi kids aged 5 to 18 years old. This survey is called Sport NZ's Young People's Survey. It provides Kiwi Kids an opportunity to tell us about how they participate and volunteer in sport and recreation. It was done for the first time in 2011.

How are people selected to take part?

NRB randomly selects houses throughout New Zealand and then interviews one randomly selected adult per household. This ensures we get a good mix of men and women, and people from different age groups and ethnic backgrounds to provide a representative picture of sport and recreation participation by all adults in New Zealand. More than 6,400 adults took part on the 2013/14 ANZS.

Will the findings be compared with those from earlier surveys?

Yes. There are certain questions that have remained unchanged since 1997/98, and this allows us to conduct trend analysis on both participation and volunteer information.

The results in the 2013/14 initial report show changes between the 2007/08 and 2013/14 surveys. Later reports will describe longer-term trends.

Technical Information

See the 2013/2014 Active New Zealand Survey page at the Sport and Recreation Knowledge Library for more information.