Belgravia Leisure recently partnered with Aquatics & Recreation Victoria (ARV) to develop a first of its kind access and inclusion guide for the leisure industry.
ARV unveiled the outcomes of the initiative at ‘Future-Proofing our Industry – Bouncing back from COVID-19’ an industry breakfast forum held at the newly opened Danny Frawley Centre, managed by Belgravia Leisure in Moorabbin, Victoria.
As one of a range of projects undertaken as part of ARV’s Victorian Aquatics and Recreation Working for Victoria Initiative, a team from Belgravia Leisure created the guide with the aim of increasing participation by underrepresented communities in aquatics and recreation. Entitled ‘Inclusive aquatics and recreation’, the guide is now online and available to all.
Nick Cox, CEO of Belgravia Leisure said, “We’re honoured to have been involved in supporting access and inclusion as part of this great new initiative from ARV. We know that some sections of our community are still not equally represented as participants in aquatics and recreation, so Belgravia Leisure is immensely proud of our team for creating a body of work that will help to deliver positive change in our industry and the communities we serve.”
Inclusive aquatics and recreation: a guide to increasing participation by underrepresented communities
The guide is designed to assist aquatics and recreation organisations to improve access and create new opportunities for participation for those who often miss out. The guide consists of two sections: one is aimed at leaders of leisure and recreation centres looking for organisation-wide approaches to building inclusion; while the second provides a range of resources for local champions who would like to implement initiatives in their venues or regions. It includes best-practice approaches to inclusion, helpful resource links, and case studies highlighting excellence across the sector.
The ARV’s Victorian Aquatics and Recreation Working for Victoria Initiative consisted of nine projects that responded to key industry issues emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic:
- COVID-19 Impacts & Recovery
- Facility Management
- Industry Profile
- Access & Inclusion
- Environmental Sustainability
- Swim Teacher Recruitment and Retention
- COVID Safe Management
- Digital Analytics
Emma Lowe, Belgravia Leisure’s National Access and Inclusion Coordinator said, “We are honoured to have been involved in supporting access and inclusion as part of this great new initiative from ARV. We know that some sections of our community are still not equally represented as participants in aquatics and recreation, so Belgravia Leisure is immensely proud of our team for creating a body of work that will help to deliver positive change in our industry.”
Belgravia Foundation has committed to maintaining the guide’s content to ensure it remains contemporary and includes case study examples of excellence across the industry.
