Date of Award

5-2016

Document Type

Master Thesis

Degree Name

Masters of Science (Research)

Department

Health and Leisure

First Advisor

David Gaughran

Second Advisor

Gerry Gallagher

Abstract

The research on both the IT Tralee UNESCO Chair programmes as aligned to articles of the Charter on Physical Education, physical activity and sport (UNESCO, 2015) and MINEPS V Resolutions in Berlin 2013 (UNESCO, 2013), regarding the inclusion of people with disabilities in sports. Therefore, this project focuses on setting up best practices for the inclusion of people with disabilities in sports based programmes in developing countries through developed occupational standards. The aim is to address the lack of inclusion of people with disabilities in sports based programmes in the developing countries.

A qualitative approach is employed to generate data through documents analysis and interviews. The first phase comprises of collection and analysis of mission statements of ten NGOs and a training programme tailored to capacitate NGOs in two developing countries with skills and knowledge of including people with disabilities in sports programmes. This process resulted in the development of occupational standards. The occupational standards comprise of key purpose for existence of NGOs, their roles, skills and knowledge needed to function properly. The second phase generated data regarding the NGO’s perceptions of the developed occupational standards during a validation process through semi-structured interviews of nine participants from six NGOs administering sports programmes in the developing countries.

As a result, four key areas were identified from which key roles and functional units were developed. The results also revealed that changing perception, protection of human rights, facilitating inclusion and planning and implementation as the broader competency domains necessary for NGOs administering disability inclusion sports based programmes in developing countries. Thereafter, seven competencies with corresponding knowledge and skills were developed these competency domains.

The occupational standards are anticipated to change the perception and attitudes of the public towards people living with disabilities in developing countries and beyond. Similarly, practitioners in sports will build their capacity by working towards best practices which will influence organisations and public institutions to reflect on their strategies and policies. Also, the research outcomes shall become a new knowledge base for referral and familiarisation with best practices in sports inclusion programmes.

Access Level

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Coverage

August 2024

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