Tag: Inclusion

The June session in the SOA’s monthly online Community Conversations series focused on supporting inclusion and wellbeing. The session was introduced by Ken McDonald, the SOA’s Equality, Welfare and Diversity Director, followed by open discussion around aspects of inclusion that clubs and SOA might now focus on.

Ken set the scene by outlining what we mean by inclusion and what Scottish Orienteering wants to achieve. Key to this is developing an understanding of the barriers different people may face and proactively addressing these to maximise access, increase participation across the board, and drive wider benefits around the sustainability of our sport and positive experiences for everyone. Inclusivity is part of the bedrock of the Sport for Life strategy of sportscotland (our major funder), to support a more active Scotland and public health goals as well as Scottish sporting performance.

As you will have seen highlighted in recent news coverage there are 9 protected characteristics within the UK in terms of Equality legislation.  These are Age, Disability, Gender Reassignment, Marriage and Civil Partnership, Pregnancy and Maternity, Race, Religious and Belief, Sex and Sexual Orientation.  Within Scotland we must also have due regard to the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation.

In order to ensure that all sports and physical activity organisations move towards being a more diverse, inclusive and socially responsible sector the five UK Sports Councils (which includes SportScotland) have developed a programme which all Sports Governing Bodies supported by one of the UK Sports Councils must follow.  

This programme provides a framework for organisations to work through to ensure that equality, diversity and inclusion are incorporated into an organisation’s everyday work.  The framework is intended to drive meaningful change in practice, tackle inequalities and lead to sustainable improvements in the representation, diversity and positive inclusive experiences.

As part of the work being carried out by the Scottish Orienteering Association we are looking to appoint an Equality Working Group consisting of staff and representatives of our membership to help review our organisation.  This Equality Working Group would help review the current position of the SOA which would then lead to the preparation of a continuous improvement plan to be implemented.  Initially it is thought that the working group would be in place for one year but there would likely be a role to review progress made by the SOA thereafter.

We are looking for members who have an interest in this area and would like to be involved in helping to ensure that Scottish Orienteering is the most welcoming and inclusive environment possible which will encourage diversity within the sport and adoption of the sport by under represented groups and communities.  If you are interested in being part of this group please get in touch with either our Welfare Director, Ken McDonald at welfare@scottish-orienteering.org or our Chief Operating Officer Nikki Howard at nikki@scottish-orienteering.org

We are hoping to arrange for the Equality Working Group to meet in a central location at the end of April in the first instance for a few hours but thereafter the commitment should be a few group meetings a year.