Concurrent Sessions
Session 1 - Wednesday 16 November 11.25am - 12.10pm
The Dunedin Example: Stretching for Gold in the provision of Sports Facilities & their use.
Authors
Graeme Hall
Dr Selwyn Maister
Abstract
Dunedin has over the last 15 years developed a suite of sports venues and facilities that rate highly against other Australasian cities. Dunedin infrastructure and urban size enables travel to any part within 10 minutes. The Medical School and University enables close contact and partnerships between sport and research.
Sport has a history in the Dunedin lifestyle and its residents are highly supportive and involved in the enhancement/development of sport facilities, activities and achievements.
Graeme Hall and Selwyn Maister have leadership roles in the sports partnership between Dunedin City Council and NZ Academy of Sport. The development of sports facilities in Dunedin and the relationship with agencies in the provision of sports development has many lessons and successes. This talk explains what is unfolding in Dunedin.
From this presentation of a real life example (Dunedin) participants will take away ideas and understandings of the joined up nature that needs to be developed between facility provision and sports use promoters.
Biographies
Graeme Hall
Graeme is the General Manager Community Life at the Dunedin City Council, with responsibilities for Community and Recreation, Aquatic Services, Libraries, Art Galleries and Museums. He has held this position since 2000. Prior to this he held a similar position with the Waitaki District Council.
Graeme is a Fellow of the NZ Recreation association and a Member of the NZ Society of Local Government. He holds a Rotary Paul Harris Fellowship award.
In 2002 he was awarded the SOLGM Management UK Exchange Award, where he spent a month in the UK with a local government CEO. Graeme holds a degree in strategic Management (Otago Polytechnic) and a Diploma in Business Studies (Massey).
Dr Selwyn Maister
Dr Maister is currently Acting Chief Executive Officer of NZ Academy South Island, and holds a position on its Board. Dr Maister also serves on the board of Paralympics NZ. He is President of the NZ Olympians Club and a Trustee of the Dr Tom Anderson Trust which funds sports medicine initiatives in the Canterbury region.
Dr Maister represented New Zealand at hockey for 15 years, including three Olympic Games and the inaugural World Cup in 1973. He won an Olympic gold medal in 1976.
Dr Maister, who has a PhD in organic chemistry, has studied at Oxford University on a Rhodes Scholarship. He was the Dean of the Faculty of Health and Sciences at Christchurch Polytechnic, and was Chief Executive Officer of the Canterbury West Coast Sports Trust from 2001 to 2007.
Spring in2 it! Leading by example
Authors
Megan Gibbons, Jocelyn O'Connor, Terry Buckingham, Adain Summerfield, Chris Morland
Abstract
Purpose:
To assess an innovative web based self monitored workplace wellness strategy.
Methods:
Staff members from a medium sized workplace were approached to participate in a 10 week wellness challenge.
The challenge required people to complete a health screening and measurements prior to starting. Any significant issues were referred for medical assistance. Staff were required to record online their daily water intake, daily number of fruit and vegetables servings and daily minutes of exercise. At the end of 10 weeks they completed the same health screening and measurements. Voluntary education and activity sessions were scheduled throughout the challenge.
Results::
84 participants completed the 10 week challenge. Over the 10 weeks the average exercise was 29min per day, fruit and vegetable intake was 3 servings per day and water intake was 1 litres per day. Over this time there was a significant decrease in total cholesterol (5.37mmol/Lpre, 5.17mmol/Lpost p=0.018), systolic (142mmHgpre, 139mmHgpost p=0.024) and diastolic (86mmHgpre, 81mmHgpost (p<0.001)) blood pressure, weight (79.3kgpre, 78.4kgpost (p<0.001)), girth (95cmpre, 94cmpost (p=0.008)), fat mass (27.6kgpre, 27.05kgpost (p=0.019)) and BMI (28.6kg/m2pre, 28.1kg/m2post (p<0.001)).
Conclusions::
These findings suggest that a workplace wellness programme can have a positive effect on indicators of health status, particularly cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. The levels of exercise, fruit and vegetable intake and water intake were below the recommended levels as advised by the health authorities, and suggest that any change can be a good change.
BIography
Megan is a Senior Lecturer at Otago Polytechnic where she is the Programme Manager for the new degree in Physical Activity, Health and Wellness.
She has a Masters in Nutritional Science from Massey University, and has almost completed her PhD at Auckland University. Her research interests include workplace health and wellness, paediatric and micronutrient nutrition.
Evaluation of Active Massey: A locality based sport and active recreation initiative
Author
Dr Pauline Dickinson
Abstract
Active Massey is a collaborative initiative focusing on physical activity within a local community (Massey, in west Auckland). Led by Sport Waitakere, in partnership with the former Waitakere City Council and the YMCA, the initiative comprised 36 existing and newly planned activities. In this presentation the initiative and evaluation approach will be described and the evaluation findings discussed in relation to quality and success of three components of the initiative: Community Leaders, Inclusiveness in Sport and Active Recreation, and Fundamental Movement Skills as a prerequisite for engagement in sport and active recreation.
Evaluation findings indicated the three components were well-designed and well-implemented. Successes identified were: increased fundamental movement skills for children and positive changes in their confidence, participation, concentration, listening and preschool attendance; increased confidence of community leaders to work with a wider range of diverse needs and groups in the community; and the establishment of an inclusive sport and active recreation environment in Massey.
Biography
Dr Pauline Dickinson is a senior evaluation researcher and is the Evaluation Team Leader at the SHORE and Whariki Research Centre, School of Public Health, Massey University. Pauline has responsibilities for planning and conducting evaluation in a range of sectors and community settings. Her research interests centre on public health approaches to mental health promotion and the relationship between communities and the ways in which they promote and support the wellbeing of individuals and groups. Pauline has worked in both the education and health sectors for many years and has academic qualifications in public health, counselling and teaching. Pauline was involved in conducting a three year evaluation of Active Massey, a locality based sport and active recreation initiative implemented in the Massey region of west Auckland.
Do We Know Where We Are Going? Would We Know If We Got There?
Author
Annie Dignan
Abstract
Funders are asking for evidence of what outcomes will be achieved, our current Government demands the ability to account for results and at a personal level many of us are driven by the desire to make a difference. Considering this political and social context the future of the recreation industry relies upon organisations abilities to be able to articulate and map their outcomes at project and organisational levels.
Traditionally the recreational sector, like many others, has been prone to making some big claims about what we can achieve. Examples of these claims could include physical and mental wellbeing, community cohesion, connection with the natural environment and the list could go on. However how many recreational organisations actually go through the process of defining what outcomes they are working towards and tracking their progress towards these outcomes?
In 2010 the New Zealand Mountain Safety Council, with the assistance of LGB funding, went through a transformational process of developing an outcomes model and evaluation plan. This presentation will outline; the process of developing a visual outcomes model , the challenges of bringing staff, executive, volunteers and other sector players on board and the value it has bought to projects, the organisation and the recreational sector.
A vision for the future of the recreation sector would be that we would be able to state where we are going, know the process to get there and be able to know when we have reached our respective destination. This information sharing presentation is relevant for all involved in the recreational sector and uses a case study approach to explore research and evaluation methods. This presentation aims to motivate and resource people to be able to articulate and track their outcomes at a project, programme or organisational level.
Biography
Annie Dignan has had a long and varied involvement in outdoor recreation and outdoor education within New Zealand and overseas. This involvement has included programme delivery, management and governance within outdoor centres, commercial adventure activity providers, national bodies and the tertiary education sector. Annie now works for the New Zealand Mountain Safety Council and manages their research and evaluation programme while continuing to play a part within other outdoor sector organisations.
Session 2 - Wednesday 16 November 1.45pm - 2.30pm
Are We Obsessed with Trying to Make People Healthy?
Author
Professor Bevan C Grant
Abstract
The early years of the "fitness boom", in the 1970s, hundreds of people of all ages entered mass participation events such as fun runs and took up the challenge of aerobic classes. Was this the turning point for an increasingly sedentary society? George Sheehan argued this would not be so because the way most people exercised made it like (hard) work and if the experience lacks a playful component it soon loses its appeal. In recent times this notion has been more fully explored and suggests to be of real value and long lasting, exercising on a regular basis has to be an embodied activity, one that goes beyond focusing solely on health and fitness outcomes. In spite of this position, the rhetoric and images aligned with the promotion of physically active lifestyles still emphasise 'making you healthy'. This raises the question as to whether or not many of our actions are inadvertently obsessed with trying to make people healthy? During this presentation I will;
(i) share a few thoughts about this phenomenon, and
(ii) consider why the wealth of knowledge on physical activity and 'good' health has not resulted in a vastly more physically active population.
Biography
Bevan C Grant is a Professor in the Department of Sport and Leisure Studies at the University of Waikato. His prime interest is exploring the role and meaning of active leisure and recreation with regards to quality of life in the later years. This involves studying the interaction between policy, community initiatives and the day-to-day experiences of the older population. Bevan is on the Board of Age Concern Hamilton and Sport Waikato, actively involved in the NZ Gerontology Association, a Life Member of Physical Education NZ, and a member of the NZRA Accreditation panel.
Methods to assess river and lake recreation: A scoping study.
Authors
Dr Kay Booth
Andrea Farminer
Abstract
This presentation reports on research undertaken during 2011 to develop a research framework for the measurement of New Zealand river and lake recreation. The framework matches the sector's priority information needs with appropriate methods (conceived as a matrix of priority information needs x methods).
This study was funded by a SPARC research grant in response to an identified need for ways to collect information about river and lake recreation. The intention is to scope the research method/s that could be used to measure recreational use values, in order to assist the sector to advocate for these values.
The study includes a literature review (to identify what is already known, highlight information gaps and critique potential methods) and a stakeholder workshop (to determine priority information needs and end uses of data).
This paper will discuss the issues associated with developing such a framework, including identifying the information needs of the sector and evaluating relevant research tools.
Biographies
Dr Kay Booth
Director, Lindis Consulting, kay@lindis.co.nz
Kay has 25 years experience in recreation research and planning – as a consultant, an academic (Parks, Recreation and Tourism at Lincoln University), and a social scientist in government (Department of Conservation). She now heads up Lindis Consulting, which specialises in research and planning for recreation and tourism in natural places.
Kay has held multiple executive positions on New Zealand recreation and conservation NGOs and statutory bodies including ministerial appointments on the New Zealand Conservation Authority (chairperson), the New Zealand Walking Access Commission and the New Zealand Geographic Board. She helped establish the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Recreation Council and is a member of the New Zealand Recreation Association Professional Accreditation Board and the World Commission on Protected Areas (World Conservation Union/IUCN). Kay is a Research Associate with Lincoln University, a certified RMA Hearings Commissioner and holds Accredited Recreation Professional status.
Andrea Farminer
PhD Candidate, Department of Tourism, University of Otago, andrea.farminer@otago.ac.nz
Andrea is a PhD candidate in the Department of Tourism, University of Otago focussing on river recreation in New Zealand, and specifically exploring the interrelationships between river recreational experiences and the creation of values and meanings for rivers as places of intersection and change. The working title of her PhD thesis is People and Rivers: A fluid relationship. Previously, Andrea spent over sixteen years working as an archaeologist and then heritage consultant in the UK for a number of specialist engineering and conservation practices specialising in the research, evaluation and management of cultural heritage sites, historic buildings and landscapes. In 2009 Andrea enrolled in an Adventure Tourism Diploma course at Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NZ) where she learnt the arts of river and sea kayaking and rafting. Her current research interests include: river recreation; recreation research methods and cultural heritage tourism.
Session 3 - Wednesday 16 November 2.35pm - 3.20pm
Breathing life into tired public space and unlocking potential recreation benefits.
Aurthor
Peter Kensington
Abstract
The retrofit of Massey Park in Papakura, showcases best practice, sports park landscape design. Under construction in 2011, the outcome will be a park that is multifunctional, meeting the needs of the community and is a safe environment for all to enjoy. The Massey Park upgrade project began in early 2008 with the Papakura District Council's (now Auckland Council) decision to make significant improvements to the park.
Their vision was to provide the community with a premier sports ground and physical activity hub. Early on a high level Development Plan was produced by the Council. The intention was to create a sports and recreation hub to support community participation in physical activity; provide a facility for events and charge games at a community level; and, manage and operate the site as a single facility (rather than a number of disparate parts). High on the agenda was the need for quality design and improvements to make the park safe and attractive, improve visibility through the park and to encourage more positive, pro-social use. The construction phase of the project is scheduled to be completed in time for the October 2011 Rugby World Cup and is on-track to meet the deadline.
Biography
With training in both landscape architecture and regional planning, Peter has a range of complementary design and resource management skills. He is experienced with community consultation, lodgement and assessment of applications for resource consent and conceptual landscape design. Peter is also called upon to prepare expert landscape and visual effects evidence for Councils and the Environment Court.
Using Logic Models And Evaluation In Your Recreation Practice
Authors
Dr Jeffrey Adams
Dr Pauline Dickinson
Abstract
Many recreation practitioners and funders struggle with the question of evaluation. Is the project, programme or policy well-designed? Will it make a difference? How will we know? Is it the best use of scarce resources? What is the quality and value of the programme, project or policy and who decides. While many organisations are interested in answering questions such as these, there is typically little evaluation capacity within the organisation to undertake this work.
In this hands-on workshop participants will learn about a very useful evaluation tool – the logic model. Logic models are used to describe the important components of a project, programme or policy, make visible a theory of change and link activities with the intended outcomes. Logic models are useful to those responsible for planning, delivering and funding projects, programmes and polices across all areas of recreation, leisure all aspects of recreation, leisure, parks, open space management, aquatic, conservation and sport delivery.
The workshop will commence with a very brief presentation about logic models. Participants will then work in small groups to build a logic model for a marae-based exercise and nutrition programme. The session will conclude with a brief presentation on using the logic model as the basis for evaluation.
At the end of the session participants will have enjoyed a non-threatening introduction to developing logic models and will have developed sufficient skills to construct a simple evaluation model for their own project or programme. Opportunities for on-going support after the conference will also be discussed.
Biographies
Dr Jeffery Adams is a researcher and evaluator at SHORE and Whariki Research Centre, School of Public Health, Massey University. He has graduate qualifications in recreation administration (Victoria) and in health psychology (Auckland), and experience working as a recreation advisor in local government and as a researcher on a project reviewing government funding of the recreation sport sector. He has over 10 years experience teaching evaluation skills to the community, social service and public health workforce. He was recently an advisor on a large recreation focused evaluation project for a regional sports trust. Jeff's publications are mainly in the area of health psychology, but he has published in the areas of evaluation and recreation. He is the editor of a forthcoming special edition of the Annals of Leisure Research.
Dr Pauline Dickinson is a senior evaluation researcher and is the Evaluation Team Leader at the SHORE and Whariki Research Centre, School of Public Health, Massey University. Pauline has responsibilities for planning and conducting evaluation in a range of sectors and community settings. Her research interests centre on public health approaches to mental health promotion and the relationship between communities and the ways in which they promote and support the wellbeing of individuals and groups. Pauline has worked in both the education and health sectors for many years and has academic qualifications in public health, counselling and teaching. Pauline was involved in conducting a three year evaluation of Active Massey, a locality based sport and active recreation initiative implemented in the Massey region of west Auckland.
Session 1 - Thursday 17 November 10.40am - 11.25am
Sparc's approach to recreation – a practical perspective
Author
Deb Hurdle
Abstract
Deb will translate the philosophical underpinning of SPARC's support of sport and recreation that was presented by John Reid into the practical, by providing a number of examples of SPARC's support mechanism for the sector and how you can link into them.
These examples will be of particular relevance to local government, regional sports trusts and recreation organisations and will demonstrate to the sector how SPARC 'has it covered' whether it be distinctively recreation, sport or something in the middle. These will cover:
Biography
Deb hurdle has been working in the sector for 16 years having started out as Manager New Zealand Outdoors with the Hillary Commission in 1995. During her time with the Hillary Commission and now SPARC, Deb has worked across local government, regional sports trust and recreation organisations to promote and support the delivery of and participation in recreation.
Now Manager Recreation, Deb is charged with the task of integrating recreation across the work of SPARC through the implementation of the Outdoor Recreation Strategy and Recreation Plan.
While having competed in rowing, athletics and triathlon in her younger days, Deb now focuses her attention on walking / running her two very active dogs.
How landscape analysis can assist with the acquisition process and the changing needs within our community?
Authors
Claire Walker
Carol Stewart
Abstract
The need to provide our communities with quality multipurpose recreational open space that is both adaptable to a range of uses and flexible over time is a critical challenge for local authorities throughout New Zealand. How we collectively select and acquire this land is important. But what role does large scale landscape analysis or assessment have in this process? How wide should we go with this analysis? Can this high level analysis and testing ensure we select and purchase land that is strategically located and adaptable moving forward?
We should not answer the question, "How many sports fields can we fit into this space?" But instead ask "What is the collective value of this acquisition to the open space network?"
Should we be investigating these opportunities before we select land for acquisition to ensure we are selecting land which is the most functional and flexible?
If large scale landscape analysis formed part of the due diligence process we will ensure future open space is responsive and adaptive to change.
In outlining best practice outcomes we want from our new open space, the outcomes are often different from the aspirations. There are a number of contributing factors through the acquisition and development process that can impact on the delivery of open space.
Biographies
Claire Walker is a Principal and Registered Landscape Architect at Boffa Miskell. She has worked on a wide range of landscape projects but has a specific interest in Active Recreation projects.
Dr Carol Stewart is a Principal Policy Analyst with Auckland Council. She has extensive experience in open space planning including acquisitions and designations for sports fields.
Combined Session - Thursday 17 November 10.40am - 12.15pm
"Bouncing On"
Authors
Graeme Bain
Trisha Ventom
Abstract
An Approach to Implementing a Successful Inclusive Basketball Programme
Canterbury has delivered a very successful Special Olympics accessible basketball programme committed to providing opportunities at all levels for its participants. This session will help participants understand the difference between an inclusion model and an inclusion process and why it is so important to achieve the correct balance.
Special Olympics Canterbury has offered a comprehensive basketball programme since 1990. This session will present an overview of the journey and practices that have taken place to develop ideas and implement a successful programme. Particular reference will be made to the challenges and lessons learnt along the way to the making of a very successful accessible basketball programme. Partnerships with key service providers and mainstream basketball networks have helped create change and pathways to raise the level of commitment to the delivery of the sport. Special Olympics Canterbury Basketball continues to be proactive in terms of providing an opportunity to increase physical activity and participation levels along the continuum of inclusion.
Biographies
Graeme Bain is the Regional Sports Coordinator, Special Olympics New Zealand for the top half of the South Island. Graeme has been in his current position since 2005. Graeme started as a volunteer basketball coach in the mid 1990s which then led to Graeme's employment with New Zealand Special Olympics. Graeme has been instrumental in the development of basketball in the Canterbury region and represented New Zealand at the World Special Olympics Games in 1999.
Trisha Ventom has worked in the field of inclusion for many years and has played a pivotal part in the development of the Special Olympics Basketball Programme in Canterbury. Trisha has been a volunteer with Canterbury Special Olympics for 20 years and has represented New Zealand at 3 World Special Olympics Games in 1995, 2003 and 2007.
Diversity – how can the recreation sector respond?
Author: Sarah van der Hayden
Abstract
New Zealand's population is becoming increasingly diverse. Given this trend, it is vital to ensure people from diverse ethnic backgrounds are both connected with, and participating in, their local communities. Sport is a well-recognised tool for doing just that. Sport transcends boundaries and unifies people from diverse backgrounds. It provides a break from stress associated with adapting to a foreign environment and provides the chance to mix with a cross-section of New Zealand society.
Despite these benefits, many new migrants to New Zealand do not participate in sport. Findings from the Auckland Council's Community Sport Diversity Pilot show that diverse communities experience a range of unique barriers that affect their participation, particularly with mainstream sport opportunities.
The recently launched Connecting with Diversity Toolkit provides information, tools and support to assist sport and facility providers to engage with diverse communities. Developed by partner organisations Auckland Council, Sport Auckland, SPARC, and with significant support from Auckland Regional Physical Activity and Sport Trust, the toolkit is the first of its kind in New Zealand.
The Community Sport for Diverse Communities project aims to build capability within Auckland Football and Auckland Badminton to effectively engage with diverse communities. It is a three-year partnership project between Auckland council, SPARC, Sport Auckland, Auckland Football Federation and Auckland Badminton Association.
This presentation will cover: