Speakers
Description
This paper reflects on community-based participatory action research that aims to enhance transformative social inclusion of migrants and refugees in sports clubs. Drawing on theoretical foundations of critical pedagogy, social justice education and learning communities, we critically reflect on an innovative programme of research led by Victoria University’s Sport and Social Change Living Lab in which local stakeholder coalitions of club volunteers (so-called ‘change makers’), mentors and sociologists work together to co-design, implement and evaluate inclusion projects in culturally diverse communities in Melbourne, Australia. We use artefacts from workshops, interviews and field notes to examine the development of a learning community of more than 60 change makers from a range of sports and community groups who have been trained, mentored and supported to: (1) critically analyse their organisational climates; (2) design and implement innovative projects that address structural and cultural barriers to participation; and (3) enhance the representation of migrants in positions of leadership and administration. We reflect on the lessons learned and implications of the Change Makers methodology for research practice aimed at promoting equitable access, experiences and representations of migrants in community-based sport. The insights provided in this paper indicate ways in which sociologists of sport can help to amplify meaningful and impactful public sociology, and, more specifically, how they might serve as co-creators of, and actors in, micro-level social change.
