Disability plan
Play, active recreation and sport
October 20l9

Creating a non-disabling society - a place where disabled people have equal opportunity to achieve their goals and aspirations is what we are focused on.

As a nation, we are clear about our commitment to being inclusive of disabled people.

This is highlighted in our obligations to the UN Convention on the Rights of Person's with Disabilities, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the Government's Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy, the New Zealand Disability Strategy and our recently published Strategic Direction to 2032 and  2020-24 Strategic Plan.

Sport NZ has developed its Disability Plan to support these documents and transform opportunities in Play, Active Recreation and Sport for disabled people.

Play, Active Recreation and Sport creates happier, healthier people, better connected communities and a stronger Aotearoa New Zealand. Maximum benefits will come from engaging at all levels of the system - participation, coaching, administration, leadership and governance.

There are, however, inequalities for disabled people when it comes to participation, and their wider involvement and visibility.

This needs to change.

Eleven per cent of all young people under 15 are disabled as well as a quarter of all adults. Sport NZ is committed to ensuring that everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand has the opportunity to be active through Play, Active Recreation and Sport.

We want a system that is equitable and where disabled people are just as likely to be active as non-disabled people. For this to occur, providing inclusive opportunities in Play, Active Recreation and Sport for disabled people needs to be embedded into our way of working.

We want to see everyone developing inclusive opportunities and experiences to ensure that disabled people are enjoying Play, Active Recreation and Sport - for their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of our communities throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.

“We want a system that is  equitable and where disabled people can be as active as non-disabled people."

Peter Miskimmin Chief Executive Sport NZ

Introduction

Aotearoa New Zealand is committed to being inclusive of disabled people. This is highlighted in our obligations to the UN Convention, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the Government's Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy and the New Zealand Disability Strategy.

The vision within Sport New Zealand's 2020-24 Strategic Plan is Every Body Active.

This means:

1. All tamariki, rangatahi and adults being physically active through Play,   Active Recreation and Sport
2. No one missing out on the benefits of Play, Active Recreation and Sport, regardless of factors such as gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or where in Aotearoa they live
3. Every New Zealander is able to  access a quality experience at  home, within their neighbourhood and across their community
4. Communities are collaborating, generating ideas, and owning the creation and promotion of opportunities for all New Zealanders to  be  active

As part of this and in response to the review of the New Zealand Disability Sport and Active Recreation Review Sport NZ have developed this Plan for Disability.

The plan

The Plan is designed to support the development of an inclusive and enabling Play, Active Recreation and Sport system - a  place where disabled people have equal opportunities to achieve their goals and aspirations, fulfilling their potential as a result of those within the system working together.

The plan references:

• An outcomes framework
• A strong commitment from Sport NZ demonstrating leadership of the change
• Sport NZ's commitment to Te Tiriti 0 Waitangi and the principles of Partnership, Protection and Participation
• Evidence-based decision making and outcomes to measure progress against

The focus for 2020 - 24 will be on supporting disabled tamariki and rangatahi.

The outcomes framework

In order to support disabled people, action needs to be taken across a number of levels. We have worked with our partners to develop the following outcomes framework which articulates how the Play, Active Recreation and Sport system contributes to outcomes in the New Zealand Disability Strategy.

The outcomes framework sets out the long-term outcomes that Sport NZ is trying to achieve. It also provides the basis for us to understand and measure our contribution to the Government outcomes.

To direct how we intervene to impact the long-term outcomes we have used the established socio-ecological model of behaviour change. The model sets out the multiple components that are determinants of physical activity, and provides a means for identifying the levers Sport NZ can pull to affect change in play, active recreation and sporting outcomes.

Our vision - every body active

“No one missing out on benefits of physical activity regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or where you live"

Strategic direction 2020-2032

The outcomes we are wanting to achieve:

1. Physical activity: Improved frequency, intensity, time and type of physical activity for disabled people

2. Experience: Improved experience of participants, supporters, volunteers and workforce for disabled people

3. Cultural vitality: Increased variety of culturally distinctive pathways in physical activity for tangata whenua and all New Zealanders

4. System: Improved system that is capable, diverse, trusted and reflects Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the principles of Partnership, Protection and Participation

Our commitments

1. Ensure an inclusive approach to strategy, policy, marketing and communications, and resource development within Sport NZ and our partner organisations.
2. Be an advocate for policies and programmes that support disabled tamariki and rangatahi to be actively engaged in play, active recreation and sport.
3. Leverage existing cross-government (local and national) relationships to promote the value of participation in play, active recreation and sport and influence government policy across disability, health, education, social welfare.
4. Understand and articulate the roles and responsibilities of different agencies working across disability play, active recreation and sport. Highlight the gaps, identify potential partners and create a clear participant road map for disabled tamariki and rangatahi.
5. Gather and share insights, data and case studies to inform better decision making.
6. Recruit a Disability Consultant to lead the delivery of the Sport NZ Disability Plan.
7. Invest in partnerships, funds and programmes supporting disabled tamariki and rangatahi.
8. Advocate for well-designed, inclusive and fit for purpose facilities, accessible parks, playgrounds and open spaces.
9. Provide training to support the development of a skilled and confident workforce that enables play, active recreation and sport for tamariki and rangatahi with a range of impairments.
10. Support play, active recreation and sport partners to reach and engage less active disabled people in quality experiences.

Collective action

Creating change starts with reflection and review. The following questions are posed for Sport NZ and others to consider how we can collectively contribute to improving outcomes for disabled people in Play, Active Recreation and Sport.

• What do you know and don't know about disabled people?
• What does an inclusive Play, Active Recreation and Sport strategy mean for you and your organisation?
• How are you ensuring that disabled tamariki have the right to play?
• Who are your partners in this work?
• How can you partner with disabled people as leaders, advisors, facilitators of change?
• What networks, links or systems can you connect with in our community?
• What strengths do your partners have and how can you use them?
• Where is the disability community excelling in your area? What can I/ my organisation do to help build on this?
• What role can you play? What is the role of others?
• How can we use principles, such as collaboration, co-design and collective action to create positive change?
• How can you give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the Principles of Partnership, Protection and Participation?
• How can we keep track of how well we are doing in this area?
• What is your unconscious bias? How can we learn more to change this?

Glossary

• Disabled people - In this document, we use the term 'disabled people' rather than 'people with disabilities'. This references the contemporary social model of disability as opposed to the traditional medical model of disability. From a social model viewpoint, disability is not something people have, but is something done to people with impairments.
• Sport NZ 2020 -2024 Strategic Plan
• Disability - An impairment that has a long-term, limiting effect on a person's ability to carry out day-to-day activities. Active NZ uses the Washington Short Set of validated questions to classify disabled New Zealanders.
• Te Tiriti o Waitangi - Refers to Maori version of the Treaty of Waitangi
• Tamariki - children aged 5-11
• Rangatahi - young people aged 12 -18