Removing barriers so kids can play sport

Joining a local sports team or club can be a life-changing experience for children. It sets them up with healthy habits from a young age.

But many are not getting that experience with declining participation rates and barriers that prevent young people from engaging in sports.

Christchurch east-based Tamai Sports is bucking that trend by improving access to sports alongside inclusive and culturally-centred opportunities.

Using sport as the vehicle for participation, the unique not-for-profit organisation adopts Māori and Pasifika values to nurture cultural identity and diversity in its programmes, building trusted relationships with whānau and the community.

Tamai supports tamariki aged 8-12 who are selected to participate from the Tamai learning cluster of seven schools: Te Waka Unua, Linwood Avenue, Whītau School, Tamariki, Te Aratai College, Ngutuawa School and Bromley.

Programme director Ben Hamilton said Tamai had been born out of community need.

“Through extensive research and our work with the community, we have identified four key barriers to participation that we are committed to removing. These include transport, uniforms and equipment, food, and access to coaches or positive mentors,” he said.

The programme is delivered on Tuesday afternoons, with children transported to Linfield Park where they are provided afternoon tea and take part in the cultural & hauora programme, delivered in partnership with He Waka Tapu. The programme’s focuses include waiata/kapa haka, cultural identity, wellbeing, goal planning, keeping your tinana well, healthy kai, mindfulness and mau rākau (Māori martial arts).

Following these sessions, tamariki receive a 45-minute sports coaching session in either rugby, football, touch, cricket or netball and share nutritious kai.

“Teams then compete in the relevant Saturday sports competitions against other clubs,” said Hamilton.

“Our goal is to see tamariki transition into Linwood Rugby Club or Coastal Spirit Football Club following their three years with Tamai Sports. We work closely with clubs to strengthen the pathway for tamariki and their whānau.”

A 2022 impact evaluation report from Ihi Research found Tamai has been able to effectively mitigate participation barriers in several ways, including; proactively addressing barriers to participation, providing excellent role models,  utilising sport as a vehicle for modelling and teaching life skills, and responding to the cultures of tamariki and whānau who attend. The research was conducted through a kaupapa Māori lens.

Ihi chief executive John Leonard said the response from whānau about the programme’s impact was overwhelmingly positive.

“Whānau interviewed for our evaluation were unanimously positive about the impact Tamai Sports has had on their tamariki.

“They spoke about increased confidence, enhanced mana and self-esteem, improved self-management skills, greater positivity, increased physical activity, and improved attitude and attendance at school.

“Whānau also conveyed their appreciation of the whānau-centred nature of Tamai Sports, noting they felt valued and included.”

During the 2022 winter season, more than 50 per cent of participants in the programme identified as Māori or Pasifika, with that number in 2023 now close to 62 per cent. Participation of boys and girls is relatively even, with the number of girls slightly higher (51.1 per cent) than that of boys (48.9 per cent).

This winter season, they had enough registrations for two rugby teams, two football teams and three netball teams, and the success of the programme has also allowed Tamai to grow its partnerships with other community organisations in the Tamai Learning Cluster.

He Waka Tapu chief operating officer Tanith Petersen said their partnership with Tamai aims to provide young people with skills and experiences to set them up for the future.

“He Waka Tapu is all about supporting tamariki through Tamai Sports, helping them embrace tikanga and nurture their cultural identity,” Petersern said.

Looking ahead, Tamai is expanding its nutrition programme, providing healthy meals to 80 tamariki following their sports training for the 16-week programme.

A cookbook for participating whānau is underway, and there are plans for a new ‘teach tamariki to cook’ initiative, which will see them help chefs prepare their weekly meals. 

South Island funder Rātā Foundation and other significant funders like Te Pūtahitanga have supported Tamai Sports for the last three years.   

Tamai’s work to strengthen the hauora of tamariki by removing barriers to accessing training or games and designing a programme that is accessible and culturally appropriate aligns with the Rātā funding focus priority to provide equitable access to participation opportunities in sport and active recreation in communities of need.

Rātā has provided $60,000 of funding since 2021, including capacity-building support to evaluate their mahi with Ihi Research.

Said Rātā Foundation chief executive Leighton Evans: “The real strength of Tamai Sports is their holistic approach to health, wellbeing and participation,

“Their programmes harness all of the great values of active participation in sport, allowing Tamai to connect with whānau, schools and community to support the wider hauora of tamariki.

“The growth of their programmes and reach shows their commitment to removing barriers to participation and collaborating with other community organisations to achieve the best results for tamariki in Christchurch east.”