Count Me In: A sports participation intervention for refugee and migrant background young people

The problem

Participation in organised sport improves physical and mental health, social connectedness, and fosters social inclusion. Refugee and migrant background children, have low participation rates in mainstream sport clubs. Known barriers such as costs and transport are often compounded by a lack of knowledge of the local sport system, low numbers of welcoming programs and accommodation of specific cultural requirements.

The research

Bicultural community support coordinators recruited families to trial and join sports clubs. Families were supported to register their children in local partner sport clubs, provided cost subsidies, assistance with transport and advocacy associated with cultural values and norms (i.e. girls only programs and halal food options). Pre and post surveys, process data and qualitative research was conducted to capture the impact of the intervention.

The impact

Count Me In successfully supported 298 children and young people to begin participating in mainstream sports across the Victorian LGA Moreland and Hume. The project was effective in increasing young people’s physical activity, social connections and resilience. CMI formed partnerships with 30 organisations which included 22 local sporting clubs. In response to community demand, a badminton club exclusively for women and girls was formed, which continues to this day.

Count Me In was  awarded the 2017 VicHealth Award for Building Health through Sports and  were a finalist for the 2019 Victorian Public Healthcare Awards: Chief Health Officer's Award.

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