In this paper we examine a community development approach to including people with disability in a sport context within beach precincts for a project called Beach for All Abilities. The aim of this research is to investigate innovative and transformative solutions that enable inclusion. The research design used multiple methods and data sources across 30 projects and three geographically diverse precincts. The theoretical framework brought together community development and the social relational model of disability to inform the research. The findings show how the funded organisation working in partnership with not-for-profit, commercial and government programs, facilitated processes and practices enabling greater access and inclusion for people with disability in the beach precincts. These included solutions to constraints in the built, outdoor and natural environments across mobility, vision, hearing, intellectual and mental health disability from low to very high support needs. Yet, the overall program had a major shortcoming in establishing ongoing beach-related activities for people with disability. The paper concludes with implications for longevity, limitations, and future research.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	people with disability, social inclusion, community development, beach precinct
Research Division:	Human Society
Research Group:	Sociology
Research Field:	Social change
Objective Division:	Health
Objective Group:	Public health (excl. specific population health)
Objective Field:	Disability and functional capacity
UTAS Author:	Maxwell, H (Dr Hazel Maxwell)
ID Code:	153112
Year Published:	2022
Web of Science® Times Cited:	10
Deposited By:	Health Sciences
Deposited On:	2022-09-06
Last Modified:	2022-11-25
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