Insport is a Disability Sport Wales accreditation programme which aims to support the physical activity, sport and leisure sectors to become more inclusive of disabled people. There are Ribbon, Bronze, Silver and Gold award levels for clubs, partnership organisations and National Governing Bodies.
The Outdoor Partnership was the first partnership organisation to achieve the Silver award, back in 2021, and we are currently working towards Insport Gold which is all about creating transformative change within the outdoor sector.
We believe that the outdoors should be a place accessible and welcome to all. This accreditation shows our commitment to inclusion of disabled people in all aspects of the outdoor sector, from participation to coaching and other forms of employment and representation.
It is also a way of demonstrating this commitment to other organisations and clubs, and in turn supporting them on their own journeys towards inclusion.
Insport Gold involves collating evidence demonstrating that inclusion forms the cornerstone of our organisation in three main areas :
- Workforce development
- Programme support
- Organisational structure.
In addition to these areas, at Gold level we are also asked to carry out a consultation with users of potential users of our service to find out if there is anything additional we could be doing as an organisation to support inclusion.
The additional aims are put to a professional panel to be assessed and, once approved, we then present our evidence against the three given areas, along with our additional aims to a second panel who also hold professional conversations with our board members, members of staff and beneficiaries to assess whether we have reached the Gold standard.
Insport Gold shows an extremely high standard of inclusion.
But for us, it is the start, rather than end of the journey. The aims and vision of The Outdoor Partnership’s commitment to inclusion will be constantly reviewed and re-examined to ensure that conversations are staying open and we continue to do all we can to strive towards active inclusion.
Insport Gold accreditation, along with other elements of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is a fundamental part of The Outdoor Partnership’s work and is one of the main priorities of The Outdoor Partnership’s EDI working group, led by Bethan Logan (Mid Wales Outdoor Activity Development Officer), and comprising of 9 other active members of staff, including CEO Tracey Evans.
We are also supported by Disability Sport Wales case officer Norman Greenhouse and The Outdoor Partnership’s EDI lead within the board of trustees, Jo Owen.
If you represent a Wales-based outdoor activity club, partnership or NGB and wish to embark on the Insport journey, here are some ideas of what you can do next:
- Visit the Disability Sport Wales website for more information
- Contact Beth Logan for an informal chat: 07706 734 285 or bethan.logan@outdoorpartnership.co.uk
- Contact your Outdoor Partnership regional development officer to find out more;
