Research Overview
This research has examined CALD women's patterns of participation in sport and recreation (Stage One) and analysed the barriers to their participation and strategies for overcoming these, from the perspectives of stakeholders in the field (Stage Two) and CALD women (Stage Three). In Stage Two, telephone interviews were conducted with representatives from 15 sporting, cultural and women's organisations. These responses were influenced by a complex mix of factors including organisational culture, policies and practices, along with personal attitudes, perceptions and beliefs. Stage Three included the views of 94 women from diverse CALD backgrounds who participated in focus groups in regional and urban NSW, Victoria and South Australia. The focus groups captured the experiences of women born in 35 different countries, of sport and recreation participants and non-participants, and of women between 18 and 75 years of age
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Who is Participating, what are they participating in and what have we learnt about data collection?
The ABS data clearly shows a gap between the participation rates of women born in Australia, compared to women born in countries other than the main English ones (ABS, 2005). Women born in North Africa and the Middle East were the least likely group of women to participate in sport or physical activity. Those not proficient in English were also less likely to participate than their counterparts (ABS, 2006). Note however that when data includes both organised and informal sport, participation rates increase for women (from 28.5 per cent to 45.1 per cent) (ABS, 2003).
The ABS data is critical to understanding CALD women's levels of participation in sport and recreation activities. Its importance is compounded as the main alternative, the Exercise, Recreation and Sport Survey (ERAS S) (conducted by the Standing Committee on Recreation and Sport Research Group) does not collect data on CALD status. However, small sample sizes in the ABS surveys make it difficult to disaggregate participation trends for CALD women at a cultural, ethnic, religious and geographic level. If sample sizes are increased in future data collections, it would also be worthwhile adding additional variables to sport and recreation surveys. By including questions regarding the length of time in Australia, language spoken at home and other indicators of socio-economic status, the relationship between CALD status and the different social, cultural and economic circumstances of CALD women would be better understood.
Limited data also makes it difficult to get a sound understanding of the types of sport and physical activities CALD women engage in. The literature and interviews with sporting organisation representatives reveal that sporting club members' demographic information rarely includes indicators of CALD status (Cortis and Muir, 2007), with this information not seen as sufficiently relevant to the operations of National or State sporting organisations.
Many of the informal activities that women in the focus groups emphasised, such as walking, are not being captured in the ABS Survey of Involvement in Organised Sport and Physical Activity. Including indicators of CALD status in the Exercise, Recreation and Sport Survey would also assist to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the types of activities CALD women participate in. It is important to develop data sources that provide a better understanding of the delineation between CALD women's participation in organised sporting activities, organised physical recreation activities and informal activities in order to develop strategies and target areas where there involvement can be enhanced.
While the 94 women who participated in the focus groups are not necessarily representative of their broader cultural communities, they provide some examples of, and insight into, the experiences of women from diverse cultural backgrounds. These women's experiences reveal the important role organised physical recreation activities can play in CALD women's lives. These activities provide health, social and community benefits, with more flexibility and less responsibility and pressure than organised sport. These activities also offer women a non-competitive environment where they can build confidence and expand their social networks.
Of the three types of sport and recreation activities (organised sport, organised physical recreation activities, and informal physical recreation activities), the CALD women in the focus groups were most likely to be involved in informal activities, followed by organised physical recreation and, thirdly, organised sport. Many of the women doing informal activities, like walking, were doing so alone. The focus group findings demonstrated that even where women were participating in physical exercise there were still barriers to joining organised activities. These barriers require understanding and redress in order to increase the participation of CALD women and realise the health, social and community benefits of sport and recreation.
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Lessons about facilitators and barriers to participation
The literature highlights the range of factors that have been found to impact on CALD women's participation in sport and recreation activities. These include socio-cultural issues (racial and cultural constraints or freedoms and levels of comfort in certain social settings); access (recreation provision, information, skills and transport); levels of appeal and meaningfulness; physiology (physical capacity and age); resources (time and money); and interpersonal contacts (having or not having someone to participate with) (Tsai and Coleman, as discussed in Cortis et al. 2006). It is important to recognise that women from different CALD groups, geographic areas and socio-economic backgrounds will experience different facilitators and barriers to participation, but the findings of this report demonstrate some common prevailing themes.
A level playing field
The research found the perception of sport representing a “level playing field” is pervasive. This perception exists not only amongst representatives of sporting, cultural and women's organisations (see Cortis and Muir, 2007), but also amongst CALD women. There is a general belief that sport and recreation are areas of social life that are equally accessible by all. This was celebrated and embraced by the sporting organisation representatives and many of the women included in the focus groups. The enthusiasm and acceptance of this concept was surprising given that sporting representatives did not know how many CALD women participate in their sports and did not have supportive policies or strategies in place; and that the stakeholders and the CALD women identified numerous barriers to participation.
Barriers
Some sporting, cultural and women's organisation interviewees were aware that discrimination and racism (both direct and overt) persists in some sporting organisations. Interestingly, discrimination did not emerge as a substantial barrier in the focus groups (although it had profound effects on those experiencing it). This could be attributed to the generalised acceptance of sport and recreation as a 'level playing field'. However, a few women described their experiences as racism or discrimination. More commonly, women discussed subtle and indirect socio-cultural barriers to their participation. Cultural and religious notions of female physicality and dress, for example, clashed with the norms and requirements of many sporting organisations. This was particularly the case for women needing to cover their bodies and adhere to cultural and religious standards of modesty. While this experience was strong among Muslim women, it was also shared by some women from other cultural backgrounds.
Most sporting organisation interviewees admitted that the dress codes of their particular sport conflicted with the dress standards of some religious and cultural groups and that there was a need for this to change. Where dress codes conflict, CALD women are left to balance the requirements of the sport with those of their cultural or religion. While some of the women in the focus groups described adapting their dress to comply with both religious requirements and sport and recreation norms (for example wearing long clothing under uniforms or in the pool), they tended to find this uncomfortable and stigmatising.
Overwhelmingly, the women would prefer to have opportunities to participate in women's only sport and recreation contexts than to cover their bodies in mixed-gender facilities. The important message here is that the issue is not about cultural segregation, but women from all backgrounds sharing a safe, comfortable and appropriate space. This was further reinforced by CALD women who were not tied to dress standards because of religious requirements, but as a result of body image or because culturally they were expected to participate in separate activities from men.
The issue of women-only spaces presents a barrier in regard to the availability of facilities. Many women pointed out that they had limited or no options within their communities to participate in women-only spaces. Sporting organisations also reported infrastructure limitations as an institutional problem. They described the difficulty of closing off sections of sporting facilities to men (even for short periods each week) and noted that showers and change rooms often lacked sufficient privacy. The women in the CALD groups who participated in women's only activities and spaces believed women's only times were in the financial interest of sporting organisations and businesses, with catering for CALD women seen as a way to expand their participant-base.
For women to be able to attend these facilities, they also require access to child care at an affordable rate. Household and child care responsibilities overwhelmingly fell to the CALD women in the focus groups, which left them with little or no free time for sport or recreation. Even where child care was provided, cost could prevent some women from participating. Financial limitations could also significantly restrict the participation in sport and recreation of older women and women who had recently migrated to Australia.
Interestingly, sporting organisation interviewees also maintained cost as their major obstacle to addressing some of the barriers CALD women faced. A number of sporting organisation representatives, for example, noted the need for bilingual information and translators, but cited cost and recruitment problems as limitations. The women in the focus groups also discussed the effect of limited English on the participation of CALD women in sport and recreation. But they also pointed out that there was limited information (English or otherwise) targeted to CALD women regarding the benefits of sport and recreation, the availability and range of activities in the community (for people with different levels of fitness, ability, and interests), how to join and how to participate.
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What can be done?
These barriers can be overcome. Below is a series of recommendations arising from the literature and data review, the interviews with sporting, women‟s and cultural organisations, and the focus groups with CALD women. These are tangible strategies for increasing the proportion of CALD women participating in sport and recreation.
Education and information
Education and information could be provided to CALD women that:
- promotes sport and sporting organisations as culturally diverse and welcoming;
- demonstrates culturally appropriate opportunities to participate;
- reinforces the health benefits of exercise;
- explains what participating in sport involves;
- shows the sporting achievements of women from diverse backgrounds and establishes role models;
- Promotes the range of ways women can be involved in sport and recreation: organised sport, organised physical recreation and informal physical recreation activities;
Education and information could be provided to sporting organisations and venues that:
- Promotes the benefits of recruiting CALD women;
- Educates sports administrators (at national, state and community levels) about how to
promote their sports to CALD groups and how to inclusively engage CALD women.
This may require the development of specific resources or training modules relating to best practice in working with CALD populations.
Education and information could be provided to the general public that:
- Promotes the importance of including all women in sport and recreation.
- Showcases positive examples of culturally diverse women in sport and recreation.
- Educates community members and leaders about the importance of women-only spaces for physical activity and promote these with a focus on shared gender.
Sport and recreation facilities
- Provide and promote culturally appropriate and family friendly facilities;
- Provide facilities with a guaranteed gender segregation (not cultural segregation) period at least at certain times each week;
- Ensure public transportation is available so women can attend facilities with women-only times;
- Provide affordable childcare at sporting venues;
- Set up opportunities for CALD women to participate. For example, establish CALD based girls sporting teams; or provide funding for sport promotion programs, tickets to CALD women‟s sporting groups to watch games, and the required clothing and footwear; establish sporting scholarships for CALD women and girls; and run community-based cultural events;
- Ensure short-lived programs targeting CALD women have transition schemes and pathways to other types of sport and recreation;
- Ensure program funding includes a component for rigorous evaluation and dissemination of best practice;
- Promote, support and build on organised physical recreation groups in communities, for example providing funding to expand existing activities.
Financial issues
- Provide sporting organisations with financial incentives to recruit and engage CALD women in sport and recreation;
- Implement strategies to make sport and recreation activities for women affordable, along with the associated costs of transport and childcare.
Partnerships
- Establish formal partnerships between sporting and cultural organisations, especially to supplement the skills and expertise of sport and recreation providers with community contacts and specialised experience with cultural groups.
- Develop formal networks between sporting and cultural organisations so they can share their experience of promoting cultural diversity;
- Develop peer networks between CALD women to educate, encourage and provide women with interpersonal support to participate in sport and recreation;
- Facilitate the building of positive relationships between ethno-specific organisations or individuals from CALD communities and sporting organisations;
Sporting organisation policies
- Include relationship building with CALD communities within policy development and planning processes;
- Set standards and establish strategic frameworks that prioritise CALD participation;
- Develop and implement diversity policies at the national, state and community levels;
- Use bilingual women in non-playing roles.
Current research shows that sport and recreation can help build inclusion and express cultural diversity and promote better social relations. Further research is required to more thoroughly establish best practice approaches for engaging CALD women in sport and recreation and to further understand differences in participation between and within groups (such as socio-economic status, country of birth, language spoken, cultural practices, religion, time in Australia).