Special Olympics Europe Eurasia’s Post

Over the past year I have been supporting North Harbour Rugby with the development of their Women and Girls strategy. Findings from our consultation phase revealed discouraging club environments as a significant barrier to women's and girls' participation. As a result, improving club environments was identified as one of the strategy's main focuses. It was recommended that best-practice guidelines be developed for grassroots rugby in the North Harbour region, which can support clubs to: 1. Have a better understanding of the decisions they can make to provide female rugby players with inclusive environments and sustainable rugby offerings. 2. Identify areas of growth. 3. Recognise areas where they have already taken positive steps. The Club Check outlines recommended initiatives that clubs can work towards, to help them on their journey to becoming a more equitable, inclusive, and empowering club. These initiatives are organised into four key sections: environment, strategic, governance, and capability. It's great to see this initiative come to fruition. Well done to all of the rugby clubs, in particular Silverdale Rugby club, that have started and/or are continuing this journey!

New benchmarks have been set in supporting Para sport over the last decade or so, but it's a model that needs to evolve and be replicated globally. Support and exposure can propel it further into the mainstream between Games 📣🚀. Lots of promising steps being made though! #Paris2024 #LA2028 #Paralympics

The 2023 Sporting Equals Race Representation Index (RRI) has been published and we’re pleased to share the progress that England Netball is making. The survey is a crucial baseline barometer, evaluating publicly funded NGBs of sport on their advancements in the race equality agenda, specifically focusing on ethnic diversity and representation. Out of the 58 NGBs that responded, only 12%, including England Netball, scored A or B. England Netball has moved from a C to a B grade overall – with A grades recorded for Board, coaches and athletes – and are sixth out of 58 sports in the final index. You can click below to see the full report, with a breakdown of our scores and comparisons to other sports. While there is still more work to be done, this index provides a good foundation to build on moving forwards. England Netball is committed to ensuring netball is an inclusive sport and improving diversity at all levels. Driven by insight, we’re working collectively across the organisation to develop and deliver our Dedicated 2 Difference Action Plan which will help us drive an anti-racist culture through an equitable approach. Recently, our Regional ED&I Leads joined one of our regular Regional Chairs meetings for the first time (photo from the day below). It was fantastic to have everyone together in one room to spend the day discussing our ambitions as well as sharing best practice, and establishing how we can collectively develop knowledge, build confidence and be fearless leaders to make the change in sport. View the full Race Representation Index report: https://lnkd.in/eed94zm3 #RRI2023 #Diversity #Leadership #Race #Inclusion 

On the 200th anniversary of the sport, the Future of Rugby report identifies five ways rugby is positively impacting society, acting as a ‘force for good’ through inclusivity, health, education, the fan experience, and sustainability... https://lnkd.in/gqkcDZWG

In a world where unity and camaraderie are ever so crucial, rugby stands as a beacon of global goodwill. The ongoing Rugby World Cup France 2023 isn't just a spectacle of top-tier athleticism and sportsmanship, and it's a testament to the power of sport as a force for positive change on a global scale. One of the embodiments of this positive change is the Laureus Foundation, which harnesses the power of sport to transform the lives of youth around the globe. With its core values of respect, integrity, and solidarity, #Rugby naturally aligns with the mission of such foundations. The Laureus Foundation has, over the years, leveraged the influence of Rugby ambassadors to advocate for social change, fostering community development and inclusivity through sport. The Rugby World Cup provides a grand stage where these values are displayed. It's an occasion where nations, regardless of geographical or political differences, celebrate a sport that epitomizes #teamwork, #discipline, and #respect. Each game is a narrative that goes well beyond the rugby pitch, inspiring many to rally together for a common goal, both on and off the field. As we revel in the excitement of the Rugby World Cup France 2023 tournament, let's also acknowledge the broader impact of rugby in promoting social good. The legacy of this sport goes beyond the cheers, the scores, and the trophies. It's about the global community coming together, breaking down barriers, and championing the ethos of sportsmanship and positive change. As we cheer for our favorite teams, let's also cheer for the power of rugby to catalyze global goodwill and the commendable efforts of organizations like the Laureus Foundation in harnessing this power for a better world. #RugbyWorldCup2023 #Rugby #LaureusFoundation #SportForGood #GlobalGoodwill #CommunityDevelopment #AzureforSports

Between the two #FGCU soccer teams, players hail from all over the world - Australia, Israel, Germany, Japan, Brazil, Barbados, Spain, Canada, Sweden, and Norway! Read more in the #FGCU360 article below. ⬇️🦅 #FGCUSoccer #WingsUp #GoEagles #FGCUAthletics

Crocodiles, koalas, kangaroos & soccer. A natural combination, right? For North Greenville University women's soccer it made for an amazing team-bonding trip! Learn more about the experience for North Greenville in our latest #BodyMindSoul feature. #LeadingTheWay

🌟 Exciting News from Dallaglio RugbyWorks! 🏉 We are thrilled to share the remarkable outcomes from our 2022/23 Impact Report, underscoring the incredible strides made by our young people, dedicated staff, and supporters over the past academic year. Here are some key highlights: 👏 97% of young people enjoyed their sessions 💪 90% of our young people demonstrated either a good level or noticeable improvement in their physical fitness. 🧠 Beyond the physical benefits, our programme has contributed significantly to the mental resilience of our participants, with 83% reporting increased mental strength. 🌃 In a particularly noteworthy achievement, 100% of participants in our evening programme expressed greater enjoyment during these sessions compared to their usual evening activities. This positive shift is crucial, as evenings are identified as a vulnerable time when they might otherwise be susceptible to negative influences. 🎓 The ultimate measure of success – 87% of our young people were either in education, employment, or training at the age of 18. This speaks volumes about the long-term impact we are helping to achieve. These accomplishments wouldn't have been possible without the support of our incredible staff, partners, and the entire Dallaglio RugbyWorks community. Together, we are transforming the futures of these young people, instilling values that extend far beyond the rugby pitch. Please get in touch to find out how you could help us extend this impact even further for this academic year. Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/eHA6tJjQ

It is now 1️⃣7️⃣9️⃣6️⃣ days since Naz Shah MP contacted Sport England regarding the British Ju-Jitsu Association NGB, raising serious concerns including #racism #islamophobia #homophobia (Sport England added #sexism to the list). A deadline of 1st October 2023 was set by Sport England for the NGB to meet criteria (after failing 6 areas in a review and breaching all 7 listed examples in Section 64 of the Sport Councils’ Recognition Review Policy 2017). The BJJA NGB submitted new policies in the hope of meeting criteria set by Sport England but received criticism from Martina Navratilova and Sharron Davies in relation to its Trans Inclusion Policy thus failing to meet criteria in the timescale set and should have received automatic derecognition. So here is a question for Sport England - why are you still continuing to recognise the BJJA NGB? 1) Derecognise the BJJA 2) Release all data held regarding my club and self. 3) The DCMS needs to conduct a full public inquiry into Sport England’s failings in handling this matter. #accountability #transparency

Hello, all I am very pleased to say that another article has come out. This time building on my experiences as an international touch rugby player. It was a real labour of love and I am very pleased to have been able to write something on the topic. ‘It’s always on’. Rituals and social structure within an international touch rugby team Abstract: This article investigates the processes of group formation. Utilising a ritual framework, it looks at how the Sweden Touch (rugby) team formed and bonded together to compete in the 2022 European Championships. Based on autoethnographic data, I focus on the role of rituals in bonding players as a group within Team Sweden and with the wider Touch community, contributing to creation of the space within which matches took place. This space is analysed with Mary Douglas-derived theory of sociocultural viability. Utilising the theory’s typology of social solidarities, I track the changing forms of social relations within the groups. I argue that the player-group was initially structured as an individualist network, which morphed into a hierarchical group through the actions of participants. Subsequently, an alternative egalitarian social organisation manifested among players, at times contesting the dominant social orderings. These changes are observable in the ritual activities of the player group. #rugby #culturaltheory #sports #anthropology #sociology #rituals https://lnkd.in/dR_6xzQS