Creating opportunities and pathways in sport for people with a disability

A key element of Sports CONNECT involves 30 national sports organisations working towards the common goal of making sport more inclusive for people with disabilities.

Sports CONNECT involves a range of initiatives to increase opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in sport. One of these initiatives aims to provide National Sporting Organisations with assistance in meeting the needs of people with a disability within their sport. Its two main focus areas are:

National sports organisations are engaged for a six year period with defined levels of support and achievement through Green, Bronze, Silver and Gold levels of a Disability Action Plan. Inclusive strategies are starting to impact significantly at State and Territory level with the assistance of Case Managers and the Disability Sport Network. Also, national sports organisations and national sports organisations for the disabled are increasingly working together to provide the best possible outcome for people with disabilities.

This process has increased the supply of inclusive sport to the community. While sports are becoming more inclusive it cannot be assumed that people with disabilities will simply turn up to participate. From 1 July 2007, the Australian Sports Commission's framework for inclusive sport will continue to address the supply of inclusive sport over the long term as well as addressing the demand for inclusive sport and provide direct links between people with disabilities and sport.

The national sports organisations involved in Sports CONNECT include:

To find out how to get involved with any of the above sports, please consult the CONNECT - Sport Contacts list below.

• CONNECT - Sport Contacts ( PDF - 575.1 kb)
• CONNECT - Working with Sport ( PDF - 203.4 kb)

Did you know?

Australia is one of only two nations to have competed in every modern Summer Olympic Games

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