Psychological benefits for volunteers at the Watersports Inclusion Games.

Background: We wished to pilot a survey of volunteers at the annual Watersports Inclusion Games regarding benefits and barriers to participation. We collaborated with community partners regarding the impact of the event, which invites individuals across physical, sensory, intellectual and learning ability spectrums and those experiencing barriers accessing mainstream sport to participate in watersports.

Aims: The project aimed to assess the survey data in the context of current knowledge about volunteers in watersports inclusion.

A brief literature review of the psychological benefits of volunteerism in watersports inclusion.

The 2009 National Guidelines on Physical Activity for Ireland assert that 'all people with disabilities should be active'. Events such as the Watersports Inclusion Games invite individuals across the full spectrum of abilities to take part in physical activity in the form of adaptive watersports. This literature review aims to assess the value of inclusive watersport events such as this in the context of what is currently published on the motivation and benefits for volunteers in watersports inclusion.