Sport Birmingham, in partnership with Birmingham City Council Wellbeing Services, collaborated in 2017 on a Core Cities research project to better understand the supply and demand for inclusive / disability-specific sport and recreation opportunities in the city.
A desktop research exercise took place to identify the gaps in local knowledge and understanding about this underrepresented market, followed by a series of consultation sessions with Disabled User Organisations, service users and disability sport and activity providers.
The results of this study highlighted a specific need for more disabled role models & advocates in the sport, leisure and recreation setting. Psychological barriers were also identified as the most powerful in preventing a disabled person from seeking and accessing opportunities to be active due a fear of being judged, misunderstood and/or not sufficiently supported. The successful sessions visited as part of the consultation process were delivered by staff that adopted a flexible, welcoming and positive mind-set and communicated the many benefits of attending to individuals and their families, carers and friends.
Based on this insight, Sport Birmingham and BCC Wellbeing Services aligned an action plan to focus on the recruitment and development of a workforce that other disabled people can relate to; is more diverse and representative of Birmingham and has the potential to give confidence and encourage individuals from a similar background to consider their own involvement in volunteering and/or participation in sport.
Birmingham Diversity Days
A key focus was to be able to reach out to young people with and without disabilities in large numbers, and so a concept and offer for schools that was created was ‘Diversity Days’.
A Diversity Day aims to provide both special and mainstream schools with a tailored disability awareness and information day for pupils (and teachers) designed to promote the various opportunities to take part in inclusive activities; challenge negative perceptions about having a disability, instil confidence in young disabled people through volunteering and ambassadorial roles and to provide children with the opportunity to try new inclusive sports.
The format / approach for the day includes;
- A KS1 and KS2 assembly led by a (young) disabled volunteer ambassador or athlete which is sports themed to encourage and inspire other young people to get involved in various volunteering and participation opportunities
- A series of workshops consisting of tasters in activities such as Boccia, Sitting Volleyball, Wheelchair Martial Arts, Archery, New Age Kurling, Adapted Cycling, Powerchair Football and VI Tennis.
- A Q&A session with athletes/disability charity representatives in the classroom
- Schools are left with information about the School Games programme; specific SEND opportunities and direct links with charities / community sport providers
- In return, the school helps to cover costs by holding a non-uniform day and donating contributions to the attending charity
Diversity Days Impact:
12 Diversity Days have been successfully delivered to date, delivered by a workforce of 25 disabled volunteers, ambassadors/athletes and engaging over 1500 pupils. A further 40 Diversity Days in new schools have been scheduled across Birmingham this year, with the concept being taken to The Department for Education in order to influence the national curriculum and consider the model for national roll-out.
The broader, longer-term outcomes for Diversity Days:
- BCC and Sport Birmingham are gathering the latest insight regarding the physical accessibility of school sites and any community use offer through requesting that the schools complete a pre-visit facility audit questionnaire (designed in partnership with the EFDS)
- Schools are better informed of – and connected to - the wider opportunities for SEND and non-disabled pupils to participate in local community activities, initiatives and competitions (linked to School Games)
- The disabled volunteers and ambassadors involved in diversity days are to be profiled via a digital campaign that is due to launch in February 2018 with the purpose of promoting the various avenues for disabled individuals to gain qualifications, experience and employment through sport and physical activity
- Sport and physical activity is highlighted as playing a central role in personal growth, skills development and providing a fun and social outlet for people with a disability
- Sport and physical activity is recognised as a unifying tool leading to raised pupil aspirations while challenging the negative preconceptions associated with having a disability