Shared initiatives with Parafeds
One of three projects within the PNZ Strengthen & Adapt Plan, “Collectively Stronger Together” aims to drive national and regional collaboration to achieve organisational role clarity, strategic alignment, and capitalise on shared expertise to improve operating approaches and deliver on shared initiatives that strengthen, align and enhance community Para sport outcomes across New Zealand.
Building strategic partnership and areas of alignment between PNZ and Parafed organisations
- This is seen as integral to the success of this project. Working to co-design a shared vision and develop strategic alignments is a key component to achieving a stronger Para sport system.
- Service level agreements, and regular workshops to co-design shared, implement, measure and evaluate agreed community Para sport initiatives will underpin the outcome – Collectively Stronger Together.
- Facilitate PNZ and Parafed or similar organisations workshop to co-evaluate progress, further develop trusted relationships, and review strategic priorities.
What has been achieved so far?
Better understanding
- A nationwide view of Para sport programmes and opportunities delivered by a range of organisations for disabled New Zealanders of all ages have been captured. This involved building relationships and engaging with representatives Parafeds or similar organisations, NDSOs, NSOs, and RSTs across 13 regions.
- See Mapping the Para sport landscape.
More opportunities
- The first regional community Para sport pilot has taken place in partnership with Boccia New Zealand, Disability Sport & Recreation Hawke’s Bay, Parafed Manawatū, and Parafed Taranaki. The pilot partners established new equipment, designed a community Boccia resource manual, developed marketing content, recruited and upskilled 9 activators across 3 regions to deliver a 6-week programme named ‘Gotcha Boccia'(PDF, 2MB) which commenced in May 2023. A total of 38 people with physical, vision, or intellectual impairments experienced Gotcha Boccia across the three regions (over 60% of people were new to Boccia, and over 40% of people were new to Para sport). The programme has continued to operate post-pilot period in Hawke’s Bay and Manawatū – watch the impact here.
- The second regional community Para sport pilot has taken place in partnership with Athletics New Zealand, Parafed Gisborne, Athletics Hawke’s Bay Gisborne, Parafed Northland, Athletics Whangarei, Inclusive Activity Murihiku and Athletics Southland. The pilot partners leveraged learnings from the first pilot to established varying equipment and networking needs, designed a supplementary resource manual to an established Athletics New Zealand coaching resource and delivered an 8-week programmed named ‘Adaptive Run Jump Throw'(PDF, 2.2 MB). The partners also had the opportunity to review and enhance the operating approach in three unique environments. This included an improved collaboration between Parafeds and athletics clubs where 16 members of the athletics community embracing upskilling opportunities as activators. At least 4 disabled participants have progressed into other events on the athletics pathway – watch the impact here.
- The third regional community Para sport pilot in partnership with Table Tennis New Zealand, Disability Sport Auckland, Waitamatā Table Tennis, ParaFed Canterbury, Table Tennis Canterbury, Parafed Waikato and Waikato Table Tennis was staged in May 2024. An 8-week Serve, Spin, Smash! programme and resource manual was co-designed and developed by the pilot partners. The programme leveraged shared learnings and best practices from previous pilots to enhance the operating approach for Para table tennis. This resulted in significant engagement and increase in participation as people with physical, vision and intellectual impairments interacted together. A total of 68 disabled participants and 26 activators were involved in the pilot – watch the impact here.
Improving alignment
- PNZ Community Para Sport workshops have taken place in 2022 and 2023, bringing together over 20 representatives from 13 regions to identify new opportunities to work together each year.
- Workshops have included opportunities to share updates on PNZ’s work within Collectively Stronger Together, and share PNZ’s philosophy on community Para sport: “Thriving community Para sport environments that foster new beginnings, sense of belonging, opportunities for achievement and continuous pathways for disabled people”.
- Workshops have also included discussions about PNZ and Parafeds’ roles and responsibilities within community Para sport which led to the development of some Themes and Initiative Areas, with the forming of a working group suggested to shift some ideas into action. The group consisted of five governance and operations representatives from Parafeds and similar organisations who supported the development of suggested shared initiatives.
- In 2024, PNZ held individual dialogues with all 11 of PNZ’s Parafed members regarding future work with Parafeds on Shared Initiatives and held a joint discussion with the Parafed Network Steering Group to brainstorm the Shared Initiative further and determine potential next steps. The Shared Initiative was then defined as “PNZ invite Parafed, NSO and Associate members to work together with PNZ in developing and improving the visibility of Para sport opportunities and Para athlete experiences”. This was followed by 8 online working sessions with nine Parafeds or similar organisations along with Blind Sport NZ and Halberg Foundation which led to the identification of potential workstreams. Parafeds supported one workstream that resulted in the production of a sport action plan template to support Parafeds to share with RSTs and implement in planning session with RSOs/clubs/other organisations enable co-design and delivery of sport to disabled people in a mainstream setting.
