You run a volleyball club with several teams competing in different leagues, including junior and senior teams. There has been a recent increase in new participants with disabilities, which the club is pleased about. However, several coaches have expressed that they are struggling to make their sessions inclusive and are wondering what they can do to make them more engaging and accessible.
Sport England estimates that people with disabilities are twice as likely to be inactive (41%) compared to those without a disability (20%). People with disabilities may experience many barriers to participation, some of which are physical. Fortunately, most sports can be adapted to make them more inclusive.
To make sport inclusive, we should adopt a person-centred approach. This means putting participants at the centre of the activity and tailoring sessions around their individual needs. Rather than planning for participants, we should plan with them and find solutions together.
Most activities can be adapted, including through changes to equipment and facilities, such as lowering the volleyball net or making the court smaller.
Rules can also be adapted to make activities more inclusive, for example, allowing more touches during training sessions.
For participants with non-visible disabilities, using visual instructions can also be a helpful way to make activities more accessible.
We should actively seek feedback directly from our members on how we can make sessions work better for them. Participants, and where appropriate their parents or carers, can tell us what we can do to create a more welcoming space that accommodates their needs.
The STEP model can be used to support you in adapting your activities. STEP stands for Space, Task, Equipment and People. By making small changes to these areas, we can make our activities more accessible. Learn more here: Adapting activities | Activity Alliance.
Upskill yourself and your coaches
If you want to learn more about making your sessions inclusive, join us for one of our Inclusive Activity Programme workshops in partnership with Activity Alliance here.
These sessions are worth 3 CIMSPA points upon completion.
