Ramón Spaaij, Carla Luguetti, Fiona McLachlan & Brent McDonald
European Association for Sport Management (EASM) Conference
Ulster University
Belfast, Ireland
People with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds continue to experience under-representation and discrimination in community sport. This paper aims to examine the intended and unintended effects of Change Makers Melbourne’s West (CMMW), an action research program in Melbourne, Australia, which brings together local coalitions of sports club leaders/volunteers, change facilitators, researchers, and community partners, in a concerted effort to promote equitable social inclusion for CALD communities in sport. The program has trained, mentored, and supported more than 60 Change Makers over a two-year period to critically analyze their club climates and to design, implement, and evaluate strategies that address structural and cultural barriers.
The research question this paper addresses is twofold:
- What (if any) meaningful changes has CMMW affected within the clubs, organizations, and communities it serves?
- What are the primary mechanisms or conditions that supported these changes?
Ramón Spaaij 