Speakers
Description
Decades of research has consistently found the same list of barriers that restrict underrepresented and marginalised groups from accessing various levels of sport and physical activity. Despite knowledge of these barriers, rates of participation have remained relatively unequal in a context where those responsible for organising these sports (volunteers and administrators) actually believe in equality, and are often actively engaged with trying to make their sport spaces more inclusive. This paper discusses the process of utilising sociological thinking and methods with people working in community sport to assist them in achieving the social change and inclusion that they seek. In particular we explain the design, successes, short comings, and potential, of taking the lessons from the sociology classroom to the community in a project titled Change Makers. Key elements of the Change Makers' design explicitly address both the taken for granted commonsense that exists within sport and the issues of volunteer burnout, resistance and the specific and diverse differences between each sport club context. We hope that the Change Makers model can provide direction and innovation in locally based sport for social change environments and realise the potential for public sociology to transform community sport.
