Thank you, Australia, for sharing your insights as we work together to develop the nation’s first codesigned National Sport Participation Strategy.
Our National Sport Participation Strategy survey was a huge hit with more than 6,600 Australians providing valuable insights into the sporting landscape. The figures below provide a breakdown of some of the survey respondent demographics and most commonly identified motivators and barriers to participating in sport.
Where particular groups or communities are not sufficiently represented in the survey responses there is opportunity for further consultation.
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1/5
More than half of those who completed the survey have children who participate in sport. More than 3,300 Australians also participate in sport themselves.
2/5
More females than males completed the survey. 16 respondents identified as non-binary, while 133 respondents identified as something else or preferred not to answer.
3/5
Out of the 6,600 survey responses, more than half were from urban areas.
4/5
Respondents highlighted a number of barriers to participating sport with cost seen as the biggest barrier followed by lack of confidence and knowledge of local opportunities.
5/5
When it comes to volunteering in sport you told us that the biggest barrier was not knowing how you could contribute, and that volunteering takes up too much time.
Graph 1: Number of respondents who are involved in sport in each way
| I work in a sport-related role | 1381 |
| I volunteer in community sport | 2760 |
| I participate in sport | 3306 |
| My children participate in sport | 3407 |
| None of the above | 163 |
Graph 2: Number of respondents by gender
| Male | 2167 |
| Female | 3051 |
| non-binary | 16 |
| Something else | 73 |
| Prefer not to say | 60 |
Graph 3: Number of respondents by location
| Urban | 3554 |
| Regional | 1657 |
| Remote | 76 |
| Prefer not to say | 76 |
Graph 4: Barriers to other people playing sport
| Takes up too much time | 22.0% |
| Injury/poor health | 27.0% |
| Lack of knowledge of local opportunities | 29.0% |
| Lack of confidence | 34.0% |
| Too expensive to play/buy gear | 45.0% |
| Too much emphasis on competition | 17.0% |
| Playing/training times not flexible | 22.0% |
| Not inclusive enough | 11.0% |
| Other (please specify) | 10.0% |
| There are no barriers | 3.0% |
| Got other interests | 25.0% |
| No clubs/facilities in the local area | 19.0% |
Graph 5: Barriers to volunteering
| Takes up too much time | 54.0% |
| Injury/poor health | 17.0% |
| Not knowing what they could do | 61.0% |
| Lack of confidence | 44.0% |
| Lack of interest in sport | 17.0% |
| Not enough flexibility in the roles | 10.0% |
| Not enough flexibility in the timetable | 14.0% |
| Not inclusive enough | 13.0% |
| Other (please specify) | 22.0% |
| There are no barriers | 3.0% |
About the strategy
In partnership with sector stakeholders, the ASC is facilitating the development of Australia's first codesigned National Sport Participation Strategy.
The objectives of the Strategy will be to:
- Connect and align stakeholders that support the delivery of sport participation
- Reimagine how participation is delivered in Australia, and define the strategic intent of participation
- Change the face of sports participation to ensure it reflects the broader representation of Australian society now and into the future
- Clarify the roles and responsibilities of the sport participation system across government and sport
Working under the guidance of a Project Steering Group the ASC will create a formal project governance structure, which reflects the diversity of the sport system and maximises the number of Australians contributing to insights, ideas and project outcomes.
What's next
We’ve been busy behind the scenes working through these responses and experts have spent the past few weeks shaping content, activities and measures for the strategy.
A co-design workshop in Sydney is up next and we will provide another update following this important milestone.
Sport is great, and great things are coming we cannot wait to share more soon.