Opening up perspectives on life: exploring the benefits of culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) sport and active recreation programs for participants

ABSTRACT

Rationale/purpose: Variant organisations across Australia have implemented specific programs to increase the participation of people from CaLD backgrounds in sport and active recreation. Academic research that explores the process and outcomes of these programs, however, is quite limited.

Design/methodology/approach: This paper uses focus groups to draw on the local experiences of participants and service deliverers to explore the benefits for participants of specifically designed and delivered CaLD sport and active recreation programs.

Findings: Emergent themes suggest these programs offered opportunities for individual empowerment as participants enhanced their psychological well-being, developed sport-related and other life skills, and strengthened social relationships.

Practical implications: Programs that adopt a model of co-design and co-delivery, and offer value outside of the actual delivery component, which is most often the focus of service providers, may provide enhanced benefits for participants.

Research contribution: This study focuses on local voices and their sport and active recreation experiences to consider how they can be better managed.

KEYWORDS:

• Culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD)
• sport and active recreation
• benefits
• empowerment
• development

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Nikkola Pickering for co-development of the research design and data collection.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).