Making inclusion real: Practical insights for Sport & Outdoor Recreation
This article includes insights shared during Sport4All’s national webinar “Progress in Play: The Future of Inclusive Sport” (2025).
If you’re delivering VETDSS Sport & Recreation, Sport Coaching, or Outdoor Recreation qualifications, participant inclusion should be at the forefront of your thinking. But how do we move beyond theory and make inclusion genuinely practical for both you and your students?
Recent insights from Sport4All’s Progress in Play webinar have provided some practical approaches that directly support your teaching and your students’ workplace readiness.
The foundation: Trust takes time
One of the most powerful messages from the webinar was: ”Hold the door open long enough for them to walk through.”
This metaphor reminds us that inclusion isn’t about a quick checklist. It’s about creating spaces where people feel genuinely welcome. Whether you’re working with participants with disability, First Nations participants, or those facing multiple barriers, the principle is the same: trust takes time, and patience matters.
Don’t rush straight into discussing needs or assumed limitations. Instead, invest time in building rapport through individual-focused communication, active listening, and consistent support.
Simple strategies that work
For your teaching practice:
1. Just ask
The most effective consultation technique? Simply ask the person. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable about not knowing everything.
Start conversations with “What do you want to achieve?” rather than “What’s your disability?” or “What’s wrong?” This shifts the focus from limitations to capabilities and preferences.
2. Recognise the real barriers
Help your students identify practical barriers beyond the obvious:
- Physical access issues
- Cost of participation
- Lack of clear signage
- Fear of “getting it wrong” from coaches and volunteers
- The assumption that people need specialised programs rather than modifications to mainstream activities
That last point is crucial. Often, small adaptations to existing programs are more inclusive and more sustainable than creating separate “disability programs.”
3. Communication matters
Make learning more accessible:
- Provide information in multiple formats
- Use contrasting colours and large text
- Add alt text to images in learning materials
- Type out information rather than only posting images
These adjustments benefit all participants, not just those with disability.
For your students’ learning:
1. Belonging before performance
Baseball Queensland’s approach to coaching in the first 3-4 weeks of any program is to focus on making friends and creating belonging, not developing skills or winning games.
The mindset shift from “winning” to “belonging” is particularly important at junior and entry levels. Help your students understand that as coaches and activity leaders, they’re mentors and facilitators first, instructors second.
2. Diversity within disability
Make sure students understand that disability is incredibly diverse. Three different people with disability will have three different needs. The key is making people comfortable first, then asking how you can support their participation.
3. Cultural considerations
When working with First Nations communities, students need to understand that:
- Some communities may not discuss disability openly due to shame or stigma
- Decisions might be made by family groups rather than individuals
- Building relationships comes before discussing programs
- Cultural safety and disability inclusion are deeply connected
Evaluation tools
These evaluation strategies will work just as well in your classroom as they do in community sport:
- Sticky note exercise: Best parts on one wall, improvements on another. Then group themes together.
- Photo voice surveys: Ask students to photograph their favourite part of a practical session.
- Stories of change: Informal conversations about experiences.
- Google Forms: For anonymous feedback when appropriate.
Create multiple feedback avenues. Not everyone likes surveys, and offering choice makes evaluation more inclusive in itself.
Resources to support delivery
- Sport4All 3-minute schools inclusion check-in survey (https://sport4all.com.au/school-form/)
- Sport4All 3-minute clubs inclusion check-in survey (https://sport4all.com.au/club-form/)
- Contrast checker tools for accessible social media (free online – https://colourcontrast.cc/)
- Baseball Queensland Junior Coaching Handbook (free download)
- Play by the Rules resources (www.playbytherules.net.au)
- Australian Sports Commission PlayWell Strategy (https://www.ausport.gov.au/playwell)
The bottom line
Inclusion isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about asking the right questions, listening actively, and being willing to learn.
You’re already doing important work by delivering these qualifications. These practical strategies help you do it with more confidence and impact.
As the Sport4All team reminded us, when you design for 1% of the population (those who need the most support), the other 99% benefit too. That’s not just good inclusion practice. It’s good teaching.
For more Sport4All resources, visit: https://sport4all.com.au
