Disability & Inclusion
Our strategic plan, Te Whai Oranga 2025–2030, highlights the importance of focusing on accessibility as part of our long-term goal, Te Whai Oranga o te Whenua - enhancing the wellbeing of people and communities through recreation: more New Zealanders enjoying and benefiting from a wider range of inclusive, culturally relevant recreation opportunities.
Supported by Sport NZ's Disability Inclusion Fund from 2022 to 2025, we worked to deliver a series of initiatives to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of recreation spaces, places and programmes for disabled people in Aotearoa.
From 2026 to 2028, Sport NZ’s Disability Inclusion Impact Fund is supporting the next phase of this work, which includes developing supporting case studies, templates, and training opportunities to continue supporting the recreation sector.
We are committed to developing and championing guidelines, advocating for greater accessibility and providing advice to the sector.
We'd love to hear your ideas about what resources or support would be most valuable. Contact Katie at katie@nzrecreation.org.nz
Outdoor Accessibility Design Guidelines
Alongside a national Accessible Outdoors Working Group, we developed Outdoors Accessibility Design Guidelines to help providers of outdoor spaces, trails and their associated infrastructure to develop more accessible outdoor spaces.
Outdoors Accessibility Design Guidelines
Accessibility and inclusion in outdoor education and recreation
A complementary resource has been developed in partnership with Education Outdoors New Zealand, Sport NZ and Recreation Aotearoa for outdoor providers and educators. This guide focuses on outdoor education and experiences.
New Zealand Mountain Bike Trail Design Guidelines
In 2025, we released updated New Zealand Mountain Bike Trail Design Guidelines, supported by a new, easy-to-use Trail Builders’ Handbook. These resources provide clear, practical advice for land managers, trail designers, builders and auditors. They incorporate guidance on inclusive trails as part of our Outdoor Accessibility Design Guidelines.
The updated guidelines were developed in partnership with the Department of Conservation (DOC), Ngā Haerenga New Zealand Cycle Trails, ACC, Sport NZ and the wider mountain bike community.
New Zealand Mountain Bike Trail Design Guidelines
Gates and barriers on trails
We often get questions about preventing motorbike and vehicle use on trails while ensuring accessibility for all users.
We’re collaborating with the University of Canterbury’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and our Accessible Outdoors Working Group to develop a barrier selection matrix for future barrier use on trails.
The short resource below provides an overview of barrier guidance published in 2023. For more detailed and up-to-date information, see the Outdoors Accessibility Design Guide (specifically Chapter 3: Inclusive Trails, Gates and Barriers at Access Points). The guide’s appendix also includes a barrier decision-making matrix.
Trail Barrier Remediation – Least Restrictive Access PDF (2023)
Aquatics
Our Aquatics Facility Guidelines have been updated to include more guidance relating to disability, inclusion and accessibility.
Creating accessible and welcoming spaces and places: Guidance for indoor sport, recreation and aquatics facilities provides detailed, practical advice for creating more welcoming, inclusive and accessible indoor sport, recreation and aquatics facilities, including community recreation centres, fitness facilities, indoor courts, swimming pools and associated amenities.
We've also developed a short resource that includes guidelines and tips to ensure aquatic facility websites and accessibility pages provide key information for people with disabilities and access needs.
Aquatic Facilities - Accessibility Information for Websites (PDF)
Aquatic Facilities - Accessibility Information for Websites (Word)