We must have a complete re-think of how we engage with the many diverse groups across our communities if we are to get more disengaged people active

Despite continued efforts, and multiple restructures, our health service has not managed to reduce health inequalities among people with different attributes and backgrounds (i.e. race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion) in a meaningful way.

?We continue to see those groups lag behind their white counterparts in terms of being physically active and living long and healthy lives.

It is no secret that it has proved far too easy in the past for the system to lose focus on equality, either because it has not been prioritised by leaders, or because it has fallen between the gaps left by these different organisations and structures.

This applies to the broader inequalities agenda, as well as to ethnic health inequalities specifically. A recent systematic review of clinical commissioning groups found that they saw the reduction of health inequalities as a public health duty and not part of ‘core’ commissioning work.

?This has to change. Work to address health inequalities, including ethnic health inequalities, should be elevated to a ‘must do’ rather than a ‘nice to have’.

?If we are to call our society progressive, forward-thinking and a potential exemplar for others, then the imperative to tackle ethnic health inequalities must be acknowledged and met head-on.

At the same time, the sporting landscape has changed enormously in recent years. Government and community expectations for good governance, integrity, equality, member protection and child safeguarding means that providing safe, fair and inclusive sporting environments is no longer an aspiration, but an imperative.

The demographic of the communities in which sport operates has also changed dramatically. Our culturally, linguistically and gender diverse communities are looking for sporting options that celebrate diversity, promote inclusion, and most importantly, make people feel like they belong.

?We must develop places that are welcoming to everyone and ‘not just people like ourselves’

?We must develop pro-active behaviours, options and actions to make people from all backgrounds, ages and abilities feel welcome, respected and that they belong at your club/centre. Being inclusive is about following best practice for what sport/physical activity should be so that everyone can get the most out of it.

?Diversity is the mix of peoples’ different attributes and backgrounds and a good way is to think about diversity is to think about your local community. Does your club/centre reflect the diversity of your local community? Diversity is the mix of people, inclusion is trying to get this mix to all work together in harmony.

?Making inclusion happen

Everyone should have the opportunity to be actively involved in whatever sport they choose, in whatever capacity they choose. Each sporting organisation should be committed to being inclusive and open to all members of the Australian community regardless of age, gender, disability, cultural or religious background or sexual orientation, or other attributes that may add to any person feeling excluded or isolated.

But the reality is, a tale of missed opportunities still exists. Sports and clubs are missing out on entire groups of potential members, players, administrators and volunteers. More importantly, people who want to play sport feel, for a variety of reasons and barriers, excluded and don’t become involved.

Those challenges and opportunities exist within culturally and linguistically diverse populations. gender inclusion, homophobia and sexuality, people with disability, race-based inclusion and religious vilification.

So here are some starting tips:

·????????Listen to people’s lives and learn from them as the diversity of thought is valuable

·????????Stand up to inappropriate behaviour

·????????Be welcoming and enable and encourage friendships to develop

·????????Reach out to community centres and religious organisations

·????????Invite leaders from different communities to give feedback

·????????Fun educational sessions

And there is more…we will keep looking into these opportunities and challenges, so any response is always welcome.

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