The ESDN addresses a need for a forum where sport development teachers and practitioners across Europe could share ideas, problems and solutions


possibilities of sport and policy aimed at using sport as an agent for change. The growing political and sporting


importance attached to Olympic legacy was also discussed, particularly the issues associated with tracking the impact of a ‘soft legacy’ from London 2012. Presentations focused on sporting


communities in East Cheshire and Man- chester highlighted the challenges that go hand in hand with the legacy concept and its potential impact. Early findings from other studies also indicated that little is being done to learn from the lessons of previous Olympic events and that the collective approach required to deliver the legacy goals will be difficult to achieve – given the structure and na- ture of sports institutions in the UK. It was suggested that the Comprehensive Spending Review announced in October, and the structural and organisational changes to UK Sport are likely to be high- ly significant in this regard. Perhaps the most localised theme to


those working in the UK was the chang- ing local political dynamics of sports development policy and practice. Here recent qualitative research into sport development officer identity and im- plications for practice were outlined via research data collected towards the end of Labour’s 13-year term of office. Furthermore, case studies from County Sport Partnerships’ research were pre- sented, in which it was considered just how dynamic and complex relationships are between centralised sport policy and sub-regional County Sport Partnerships. The Sports Industry Research Centre


(SIRC) from Sheffield Hallam University also presented some interesting moni- toring data from the Sport Unlimited


Issue 4 2010 © cybertrek 2010


It is through the growing network beyond the UK where there is the greatest potential for learning


programme, which indicated the issues involved in incorporating the ‘young person’s voice’ into local sport develop- ment programmes. This provoked debate as to whether more should be done to ask young people about what they want, when and how, and if they want tradi- tional club-based sport at all?


GOING FORWARD To conclude, Chris Mackintosh led a ses- sion on the future direction of the ESDN and the potential for greater collabo- ration between sports development academics and practitioners. The feed- back suggested that delegates were positive about the need for the network and for sharing research between in- stitutions, projects and agencies. Some academics also expressed an interest in a collaborative future funding bid focusing on sports development policy and prac- tice knowledge sharing. A key issue that emerged was the need


for the ESDN to work more closely with industry practitioners to feed into the already growing area of applied work it does, such as linking to evaluations of na- tional governing body programmes, local authority research exercises and provid- ing practitioners with a one-stop shop to the latest existing academic research. For example, some ESDN members now liaise closely with Street Games, national gov- erning bodies of sport and the Institute for Sport, Parks and Leisure (ISPAL) in an advisory and research sharing capacity.


The ESDN will continue to build on


this event to provide the opportunity to generate and share research that can enhance our collective knowledge, aid teaching and learning and enhance sports development policy and practice. Likewise the previous year’s symposium


attracted examples from sports practice in Finland, Japan and Germany. Interest has also come from organisations as di- verse as Nike, Indian charities and Iranian and Chinese academics. It is through this growing network of people beyond the UK where there is perhaps the greatest potential for learning to take place. The fact that it’s often not defined as ‘sports development’ is less relevant than the point that practitioners and academics in the UK must learn lessons from others and share knowledge with their Euro- pean partners and colleagues in order to generate more participants, deliver more medals or tackle the questions around crime prevention, healthier lifestyles or community cohesion. After all, this is and must continue to be the core business of sports development. ● For more information contact christo- pher.mackintosh@ntu.ac.uk or join the network at www.esdn.webs.com Chris Mackintosh is PE and sport research leader at Nottingham T


rent University,


Spencer Harris is senior lecturer in sports development at the University of Hert- fordshire and Chris Cutforth is senior lecturer in sports development at Sheffield Hallam University


. Read Sports Management online sportsmanagement.co.uk/digital 51


ALL PICS: WWW.STREETGAMES.ORG


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