Sport System Sustainability

Background

We know sustainability plays an important role in the design, performance, and value of community sports infrastructure in Australia [The value of community sport infrastructure: Investigating the value of community sport facilities to Australia (2018), Australian Sports Commission/KPMG].

What is less clear is the sustainability and resilience of many other systemic enablers of community sport in Australia.

What we do know can be found in our evidence base topic:

Proposed Research Focus

How do we ensure community sport grows and maintains a strong and capable volunteer workforce today and into the future?

We are seeking to expand on our current understanding and analysis of the volunteer workforce in community sport, including its growth and sustainability as it relates to:

• Australians at all life stages and abilities.
• Specific communities, groups, or other population cohorts and segments.
• Sporting clubs and organisations.
• Local, rural, regional, metropolitan, state, territory, and national jurisdictions.
• Measures and indices of workforce resilience.

How can community sports clubs provide desirable participant experiences?

We are seeking to expand on our current understanding and analysis of various community sport participant experiences and how they can be enhanced for current and future participants, including:

• Australians at all life stages and abilities.
• For both playing and non-playing participants.
• Specific communities, groups, or other target population cohorts and segments.

What are the ideal governance and operating models for sporting organisations?

We are seeking to expand on our current understanding and analysis of the various governance and operating models available to sporting organisations, including:

• Strategies and approaches for building greater organisational resilience.
• Strategies and approaches for realising greater efficiencies and improved outcomes across organisational and federated governance structures.
• Identifying good and promising practice within and beyond the sport sector.

How can we minimise the environmental impact of sport?

We are seeking to expand on our current understanding and analysis of the impact of Australian sport on the environment, including:

• Analysis of current behaviors and practices.
• Strategies for mitigation and sustainability.
• The impact of a changing climate on sport.
• Horizon scanning

How do we maximise the value of sport infrastructure in Australia?

We are seeking to expand on our current understanding and analysis of the use and future requirements of sport infrastructure in Australia, including:

• Analysis of current sport and recreation facilities use cases and practices.
• Needs of Australians at all life stages and abilities.
• Infrastructure and facilities requirements for sporting organisations.
• Universal design to improve accessibility and performance for all.

How do we minimise integrity threats to sport?

We are seeking to expand on our current understanding and analysis of measures, programs and practices that mitigate and remove the potential for poor behaviours that impact people’s positive experience in sport, including:

• Evidence of proven measures and interventions aimed at eliminating discrimination, violence, or abuse in sport.
• Evidence of proven measures and practices used by organisations and other entities to ensure a safe, ethical, and inclusive environment for their members, fans, and officials.
• Horizon scanning