NSC secures Play for Equity grant to expand inclusive sport opportunities
BY RICHARD MENANOPO
The National Sports Council (NSC) has secured funding from the Australian Government to support inclusive sporting activities that aim to increase participation for women, girls and people with disabilities in Solomon Islands.
Through the Team Up initiative, NSC has been awarded AUD15,000 under the Play for Equity grant to host inclusive open day events at its sporting facilities.
In a media release issued by NSC, the Council said it was “selected as a recipient of the Australian Government’s Play for Equity grant, a Pacific-wide initiative aimed at advancing gender and disability inclusion through sport and play.”
The Play for Equity fund forms part of Team Up’s wider programme supporting sport-for-development efforts across the Pacific.
Since having been launched in 2022, the grant scheme has supported more than 60 organisations and individuals across countries including Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Kiribati and Samoa.
NSC said the funding will allow them to work alongside disability organisations and community leaders to organise inclusive open day activities, with the possibility of extending the programme to provincial areas if resources allow.
“The initiative aims to create opportunities for people of all abilities to participate in sport, recreation and play within a welcoming and inclusive environment,” the Council stated.
According to NSC, the activities are also intended to provide a pathway for some participants to eventually pursue elite sport opportunities.
The Council further acknowledged that barriers faced by people with disabilities in accessing sport are not only physical but also social.
“Barrier faced by people with disabilities in accessing sport are not only physical but also social, including perceptions around participation and inclusion,” the statement said, adding that the programme seeks to help shift attitudes and promote equal sporting opportunities.
NSC also expressed appreciation to the Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) for supporting inclusive sport development in Solomon Islands.
Further details on the open day events are expected to be announced soon.
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