For many Canberrans, meeting the daily physical activity recommendations can be a challenge. Between work, school, family and everyday responsibilities, there may be multiple barriers and just as many excuses for why we’re not putting our health and wellness needs first. Lack of time, cost of participation, location for access, cultural barriers or family commitments are well documented. However, it may be also that many people just make a choice to not participate because they just don’t like what’s on offer.
Sport and Recreation is committed to helping sport and active recreation organisations deliver services that align to the needs of current and future participants. By building a strong knowledge base, organisations and clubs can design services and experiences that attract and retain more participants.
The ACT Government’s sport and recreation strategy for 2023-2028, CBR Next Move, emphasises the importance of welcoming and inclusive environments in supporting people to participate in sport and recreation. How people feel about their sporting experience, or how they expect to feel, is important in shaping their decision to engage, be it as a first-time participant or as someone considering changing or returning to a sport or activity they have done before.
We want our sporting clubs, associations and facilities to be welcoming places for all Canberrans, delivering a high quality, safe and inclusive participation experience. Across the life of CBR Next Move, the ACT Government and the sector will be focused on this outcome, and importantly we need to be able to assess our progress. Understanding how our community currently feel about sport and recreation, both as participants and non-participants, will provide us with a benchmark against which we can seek to measure our success.The ACT Government conducted the 2023 ACT Sport Survey to deliver this initial benchmark, with an intent that the study will be repeated at intervals across the life of CBR Next Move.
(2023) ACT Sport Survey PDF 817KB
As part of a broader focus on improving health outcomes for ACT residents, Sport and Recreation commissioned ORIMA Research to examine barriers to sports participation among lower income households in Canberra, and to better understand what could be done to assist them to overcome these barriers and be more active, and ultimately healthier.
The research points to a number of opportunities for change across the whole sports and activity sector as well as providing practical ways to improve experience of sport and activity for lower income households.
- Overview of Key Findings PDF 5131KB
- Executive Summary and Full Report PDF 691KB
Key take outs from the research
- Lower income households are likely to be physically active – just not in ways that are readily picked up in participation metrics.
- They are less likely to be familiar with or interested in traditional organised sport or physical activity. More likely using free or low-cost activities/facilities.
- They are less aware of ways to be active or involved, or how to progress in sport – and have less informal exposure through social networks.
- Lower income households exhibit high levels of physical, social and psychological impairments, which are barriers to participation.
What are some of the ways clubs can improve experiences of sport?
- Create a second-hand uniform/equipment market with options to hire, buy or re-sell
- Provide (a lot of) information and guidance for new starters
- Offer separate programs for new starters and re-entrants
- Provide a variety of experience for people who want different things (competition, new skills, relaxation, social interaction)
- Take activities to local communities - parklands, green areas, community centres
- Provide casual or intermittent participation options
Sport Australia provide AusPlay Survey data regarding National and State participation in sport and active recreation. The AusPlay data is released two times per year (April and October) to allow comparisons between consecutive Calendar and/or Financial years.
To avoid confusion, Sport and Recreation has selected one consistent data point to report annual trends. Sport and Recreation reports participation in sport and active recreation by Financial year. Trends for annual adult participation in sport and recreation are listed below.
Participation at least three times per week (15 years and above) between July 2022 and June 2023
| ACT | National | Variance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participation 3 times per week (total - adult) | 67.9% | 60.4% | +7.5% |
| Participation 3 times per week (total - female) | 72.2% | 61.4% | +10.8% |
| Participation 3 times per week (total - male | 63.6% | 59.4% | +4.2% |
2022/23 Financial year AusPlay data highlighted that a number of groups participated less regularly in sport and active recreation (defined as three times per week) than the general adult population in ACT including:
- People speaking a language at home other than English (-20.6%)
- People with a disability /physical condition (-4.4%)
The data also highlighted that ACT participation by activity (top 10) is predominantly self-directed, active recreation and exercise activities:
- Walking (Recreational)
- Fitness/Gym
- Athletics, track and field (includes jogging and running)
- Simming
- Cycling
- Bush walking
- Football/soccer
- Virtual based physical activity
- Pilates
- Yoga
Participation at least three times per week (15 years and above) between July 2021 and June 2022
| ACT | National | Variance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participation 3 times per week (total - adult) | 69.7% | 62.6% | +7.1% |
| Participation 3 times per week (total - female) | 72.6% | 64.9% | +7.7% |
| Participation 3 times per week (total - male | 66.6% | 60.3% | +6.3% |
2021/22 Financial year AusPlay data highlighted that a number of groups participated less regularly in sport and active recreation (defined as three times per week) than the general adult population in ACT including:
- People speaking a language at home other than English (-13.8%)
- People with a disability /physical condition (-16.6%)
The data also highlighted that ACT participation by activity (top 10) is predominantly self-directed, active recreation and exercise activities:
- Walking (Recreational)
- Fitness/Gym
- Athletics, track and field (includes jogging and running)
- Cycling
- Swimming
- Bush walking
- Yoga
- Football/soccer
- Mountain Biking
- Tennis