The Impact of Indigenous Community Sports Programs: The Case of Surfing: Research Report

The objective of this research project was to consider the social impact of sport and physical activity on the lives of Indigenous Australians and their communities. There has been strong research interest in the links between sport and recreation programs and various health and social outcomes and a well-established body of literature exists on the use of sport to address social issues in mainstream society. The consensus is that physical activity is an important contributor to health for all people. While there is strong research interest, what remains unclear is the value and impact of sport and physical activity on Indigenous communities. Indigenous groups cannot be considered to be homogenous as there is much diversity between and within groups. It is therefore important this report is not viewed as taking an essentialist view of who Indigenous people are and how they develop. Rather, this paper attempts to describe and discuss the experiences of some individuals and their communities in site-specific surfing programs.