The Future of Sport and Recreation in New Zealand

The purpose of this paper is to encourage discussion among sport and recreation leaders in New Zealand about the need to engage futures thinking to adapt to a rapidly changing environment. The paper recognizes the generally risk adverse and conservative nature of the sport and recreation sector in New Zealand, the issue of 'presentism' and the paucity of international examples of futures thinking in sport and recreation, even though the landscape from within which it operates is rapidly evolving.Recognising the sport and recreation sector may not be fit for the future, the Government agency for Sport and Recreation commissioned a futures process, hosting workshops involving a diverse representation of the sport and recreation sector. The workshops explored drivers of change, assumptions, and alternative futures, including a preferred future and the actions needed to move toward it. Discussions reflected a desire to change, but a difficulty with knowing how to. Identification of alternative futures, assumption challenge and examining worldviews assisted with broadening thinking. Five characteristics of a preferred future emerged from discussions, representing choices and decisions about who New Zealanders are and want to be as a society.Working in partnership with Maori, empowering local decision-making, having a stronger relationship with the environment, building broader relationships, connections and networks, and building alignment around the preferred future were among the immediate actions the sport and recreation sector can take.