Sharing your success stories with other sport organisations can be a great way to demonstrate the work that you have been doing to increase engagement of people with disability. These stories can generate interest and excitement around your sporting organisation. They can also get more community members interested in the steps your club has taken, expose your club to more potential participants or volunteers, and help build strategic partnerships and attract new sponsors.
These stories can include testimonials, images or videos filmed on a phone, a page on your website or quotes that can be shared on social media. Remember, a picture tells a thousand words!
It is important to recognise and celebrate the people within your sport who have led the way on boosting participation by people with disability. This can include recognition within your organisation, or entering awards offered by other sport sector organisations or local council. Here’s some ideas:
- Offer awards and recognition within your organisation – this might be as simple as certificates and “thank you” letters from committees and recognising champions through award structures (e.g. annual and/or regular awards).
- Send in nominations to the Victorian Disability Sport and Recreation Awards.
- Send in nominations for the Victorian Sport Awards.
- Send in nominations for State Sporting Associations awards or local council awards.
- Consider participating in state and national awareness-raising events, such as the International Day of People with disability or the Victorian Disability Sport & Recreation Festival.