On March 14th, 2024, the Ottawa Sport Council launched The Belonging Playbook: Ottawa’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Resource Hub for Sport. This toolkit was designed to help community sport organizations in their efforts to remove barriers to participation and create a more welcoming and inclusive sport environment.
The Ottawa Sport Council believes that there should only be positive experiences in sport. Understanding the importance of an inclusive sport environment can help sport organizations reduce barriers to participation, which can increase the number of people who experience sport in a positive way.
“Inclusion in sport really is just making sure everyone has a place where they feel comfortable playing. There may be amazing athletes and amazing people, and they don’t even know that they could bring different aspects of themselves to sport, really enjoy it, and maybe find a sense of community that they didn’t know they needed.” – Kat Ferguson, Founder, Ottawa Pride Hockey
Development of The Belonging Playbook started with discussions among attendees at the 2022 Ottawa Sport Summit. The event used a facilitated workshop format to allow participants to discuss how their programming could have barriers to participation in their sport organization. The discussions at this event were a first step in creating this resource. In partnership with INclusion INcorporated, Canadian Tire Jumpstart, and the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association, the Ottawa Sport Council moved forward with the development of The Belonging Playbook.
The playbook is comprised of ten distinct tools that are crafted to establish a more welcoming and inclusive environment for individuals to authentically express themselves and experience sport in a more positive way. It has been organized into sections that are designed to help community sport organizations with three key activities: promote diversity, foster inclusion, and remove barriers to participation. Tools have been developed in both video and downloadable pictorial format to ensure ease of use and learning. Tools include:
1. Building Meaningful Partnerships
2. Mentorship Programs to Foster Diversity
3. How to Run Inclusive Parent/Guardian Meetings
4. Inclusive Language Guide
5. Inclusive Language Process
6. Cultural Calendar & Observations
7. Physical Accessibility Evaluations
8. Accessing Funding to Remove Barriers
9. Reducing Equipment Barriers
10. Translation Services
This toolkit also provides access to a library of equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging resources from The Canadian Sport sector which complement the tools which were custom designed for Ottawa community sport organizations. These resources help to advance knowledge and awareness and promote a safe sport environment, and cover topics including accessibility for athletes with a disability, Indigenous inclusion in sport, gender and sexuality inclusion in sport, and more.
The Ottawa Sport Council is pleased to share The Belonging Playbook with community sport organizations looking to improve access to sport participation and foster a more inclusive sport environment for all.