industry
in conversation :
John Cranwell , CEO , Inclusive Sport SA
Tell us about Inclusive Sport SA .
Inclusive Sport SA has a simple purpose - to build an inclusive community through sport and recreation . We have been driving this purpose for 35 year in South Australia with the inclusive message of our founder , Marie Little OAM , reaching across the globe . Currently the organisation has six permanent staff , 40 casual staff and five volunteers focusing on two main functions – to build the capacity of the sport and recreation sector to be more inclusive and to support individuals to access activities of their choice . Inclusive Sport SA has a five-year vision which aims to establish our organisation as a leading voice for best practice in inclusive sport and recreation .
What are some of the programs and services that you provide ?
Our most significant program is Rapidswim which has two elements , a Learn to Swim and Aquatic Therapy . Rapidswim has been in operation since 1990 and supports people living with disability to access one-on-one swimming lessons and one-on-one therapy in an aquatic environment . We currently support 280 individuals a week for 40 weeks of the year . We also support a number of sporting activities for people living with a disability , including AFL ( the Adelaide Footy League ’ s C7 Division ), netball ( the AMND ’ s C6 Division ), lawn bowls , indoor rowing , indoor cricket and other sports from time to time . In total , these programs support around 250 individuals during the year . We also have an Inclusion Advisor who works with state sporting organisations , sport and recreation clubs and Flinders University physical education students .
How long have you worked at Inclusive Sports SA and how did you come to this role ?
I have been CEO at Inclusive Sport SA for five years . During my university days I was a Recreation Assistant for Inclusive Sport SA ( which was then known as Sasrapid ) where my role was to support participation in community sport for young people living with disability . After completing my studies in Sport and Recreation Management , I worked with Bowls SA and Squash SA in sport development roles . When the CEO role with Inclusive Sport SA was advertised , I was encouraged to apply and I ’ ve been here ever since . The most rewarding part of my role is when I hear the story of someone who
had felt isolated and through sport or recreation , they have been able to find new friends and build a community .
What are the benefits of sport to people with disability ?
The benefits of sport and recreation to all Australians are the same , regardless of disability . Sport and recreation is one of the best tools in society to teach social norms , rules and teamwork , increase health and fitness , encourage social connections and build inclusive communities .
What are some of the main obstacles to people with disability from participating in sport ?
Through our own research we have found that the biggest barrier to participation for people living with disability is the attitudes and perceptions of people already in the sport and recreation sector . For instance , if a member of a sport or recreation club has not had a lived experience of disability , they might have attitudes and perceptions of
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