'It's the resources of having someone available': Valuing and managing diversity in junior sport

TL;DRAbstract

Sport is being looked to as a solution to societal problems of social cohesion and connectedness, but for sport to be such a solution, it must be accessible and attractive to diverse peoples. This study examined Melbourne sports clubs’ approaches to fostering and managing diversity. Diversity was defined as difference based on gender, race-ethnicity, sexuality and ability. The study asked whether clubs valued diversity and whether they had policies or strategies that encouraged diversity within their club. Based on 26 interviews with leaders at a variety of sports clubs around Melbourne, we find that while in principle the clubs support the idea of diversity of all sorts, particularly of race-ethnicity and ability, they mostly did not actively promote it. For many, it was something that they would promote if they had the resources. A few clubs had specific programs for people with a disability or from culturally diverse backgrounds which were successful, but most did not have any diver

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