British Canoeing to celebrate National Inclusion Week
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National Inclusion Week 2021 runs from 27 September to 3 October and aims to celebrate , share and inspire inclusion in society , something British Canoeing is proud to support .
Over the past year we have sought to share the stories and raise the voices of different communities within the paddling community to highlight a range of topics including female representation , paddleability , LGBTQ and inclusion of ethnic diversities .
It ’ s been fantastic to hear stories of clubs in the paddling community going above and beyond to invite new participants into the paddling community .
Falcon Canoe Club in Oxford have been working with their local communities to get more people active out on the water . The club have worked with a wide range of schools , special needs organisations and ethnic groups to share their love of life on the water .
In July the club volunteers welcomed a group from Oxfordshire Association for the Blind to experience open canoeing . Visually impaired young people were paired up with confident canoeists and were able to explore the canoes by touch to get a feel for size / orientation and stability . They were given lots of verbal explanations on how to hold the paddle and shouts between boats along the route provided a sense of distance and speed .
The club also arranged an eventt with local ethnically diverse communities inviting them to enjoy taster paddling sessions and good food which they hope will encourage people from the wider community to take up paddlesports and join the club .
At the end of June , British Canoeing announced the launch of a brand new Inclusion Advisory Group ( IAG ). Comprised of individuals from the paddling community and the wider sports sphere , the group will advise on topics of inclusion and anti-discrimination within paddlesport .
By working together , British Canoeing and the IAG hope that those participating , volunteering or watching paddlesports , will begin to reflect the diversity of the nation ’ s communities .
As we look ahead to how we can open the doors further to welcome people from all walks of life onto the water , we thought we ’ d share some resources we enjoyed diving into , to further our understanding of inclusion .
Read . Watch . Listen
READ : Eat , Sweat , Play : How Sport Can Change Our Lives by Anna Kessel
Society has led us to believe that women and sport don ’ t mix . But why ? What happens to the young girls who dare to climb trees and cartwheel across playgrounds ? In her exploration of major taboos , sports journalist Anna Kessel discovers how sport and exercise should play an integral role in every sphere of our modern lives ; from sex to the gender pay gap .
Available from all major book retailers .
WATCH : Rising Phoenix :
Elite athletes and insiders reflect on the Paralympic Games and examine how they impact a global understanding of disability , diversity and excellence . Available on Netflix .
LISTEN : Talking inclusion with … The Inclusive Employer ’ s Podcast
This podcast brought to you by Inclusive Employers covers a broad spectrum of inclusion topics , including LGBTQ +, race and social mobility , inclusion in sport , disability and wellbeing and mental health .
Available on Apple , Spotify and Google Podcasts .
Canoe Focus Late Summer 2021