The impact of development through sport: Australian Sports Outreach Program case studies
The Australian Sports Outreach Program in Vanuatu is working with local communities to help address important development challenges, including health related behaviours, young people’s engagement and quality of life for women and challenges for people with disabilities. Through a partnership with Vanuatu’s Department of Youth Development, Sports and Training, three projects in five provinces are being delivered through the Nabanga Sport for Development program.
With Australia’s support, Nabanga is developing healthier, more inclusive and more cohesive communities through sport. Sport is well placed to help combat non-communicable diseases by getting people more active more often, and by providing opportunities to deliver messages on other risk factors including diet, tobacco and alcohol. When used strategically, sport can also address barriers to inclusion, and establish and build relationships within and between communities.
Tonga
The Australian Sports Outreach Program in Tonga is an Australian government initiative that is working to increase the level of physical activity amongst women and girls between the ages of 15 and 45. Tonga has the second highest prevalence of obesity in the world, mostly due to changing lifestyles, worsening diets and declining levels of physical activity. Ninety-three per cent of Tongan women are overweight or obese, giving them a heightened risk of developing diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
Women in Tonga are considerably more sedentary than men for a variety of social and cultural reasons, one of which is that sporting activities are often designed for and dominated by men. Traditional gender roles and concepts of femininity shape and constrain women’s participation in sport.
The project seeks to redress these issues by making physical activity an acceptable, accessible and exciting option for women and girls. This has resulted in greater community acceptance of women and girls participating in physical activity, especially in netball.
Nauru
The Australian Sports Outreach Program in Nauru is an Australian government programme that is helping to kick-start the health and wellbeing of Nauruans, as well as the nation’s social development, by building healthy, inclusive and cohesive communities through sport.
Through Nauru’s Ministry of Sports, funding is provided to increase leadership opportunities and the engagement of Nauruans in community activities and to increase participation in physical activities that will improve their health. Sport is well placed to help combat non-communicable diseases such as diabetes by getting people more active more often and by providing opportunities to deliver messages on other risk factors including diet, tobacco and alcohol.
By encouraging people to participate in sport, the project is helping Nauru’s government save lives by reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases, and promoting opportunities for all by improving the quality of life for women, young people and those with disability.
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