Objective 9: Support lifestyle choices, recreation and culture for disabled people.

Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC) plans to increase participation and strengthen the physical recreation sector, with several initiatives aimed at ensuring disabled people have the same opportunities to participate as other New Zealanders.

SPARC’s key strategy, the No Exceptions policy envisages all people participating in the physical recreation and sport activities of their choice. To help achieve this vision, SPARC is:

• encouraging National Sports Organisations, and National Recreation Organisations to include disability issues within their strategic and operational plans
• developing the No Exceptions training kit to go live on the internet by July 2007, and be delivered to a wide range of environments, including schools, sport and recreation agencies, and local authorities
• introducing the Inclusive Fitness Initiative to New Zealand –SPARC will pilot this in the Auckland region where positive interest has already been expressed by local authorities, the YMCA, the Sport, Fitness and Recreation Industry Training Organisation and the CEO of Fitness New Zealand
• developing the Wellington and Hutt Valley No Exceptions District Initiative – a scoping exercise has been funded.