STREETGAMES LEGACY
JANE ASHWORTH CEO, STREETGAMES Affordability of sports was highlighted
as a key factor by the report The StreetGames model is based on ‘doorstep sports’ in urban areas
communities more active. The project in- volved more than partners working in 47 disadvantaged areas across England. Our research was collected during the
course of the initiative and was used to inform training and the development of resources for practitioners including the development of a series of ‘how to’ guides, a three-hour training workshop and web-based resources. One of the challenges of the Us Girls
programme was gaining understanding of the ‘right time, right price, right place and right style’ for the diverse groups involved in the initiative, including students, young mums, women in full time employment, Muslim women, and NEETs. Successful times for ses- sions varied considerably by both day of week and time of day and had to be tailored to the community. There was also no right activity and so the projects offered a varied menu of activities
Do you agree with the report’s finding that affordability is vital for engaging young people in sport? In disadvantaged areas it’s absolutely essential to ensure that sports sessions are affordable. However, providing free or low cost sport sessions alone will not guarantee success. It’s essential for sporting of- fers to be provided ‘at the right time, right place, in the right style and at the right price’ if they are to attract disadvantaged young people. It’s also crucial to have the ‘right’
coach delivering sessions – typically one with a blend of inter-personal, youth work and sports-specific knowledge. This can be achieved through the engagement and up-skilling of local volunteers and working in partnerships with other agencies such as schools, youth service, national governing bodies of sport and housing associations
How are you implement- ing the findings? We’ve used the report to inform the content of our training workshops
including dance, exercise and team sports. One of the key successes of the initiative was its capacity to address the needs of women who had little confi- dence in their sporting abilities and who were anxious about getting involved in sport. The Us Girls strapline ‘Fun, Fitness, Friends: Get Together With the Girls’ was deemed to be a successful marketing tool which seemed to reassure some women that the sessions would be different from more formal school and sport environments. Although a wide range of marketing strategies were used, more personalised recruiting through friends, in- tact groups and taster sessions were particularly successful. Incentives bearing the Us Girls logo were also success- ful in attracting participants, encouraging attendance and engendering a sense of belonging to a national initiative. As in the legacy
te 42 Read Sports Management online
sportsmanagement.co.uk/digital
– ensuring that the content of the workshops is grounded in research and real life examples of what works. Many of the local Doorstep Sport Club projects which were covered in the report, were able to sustain their participants in a variety of ways.
How proud are you that the report could influence the way organisa- tions think about getting young people active? It is a source of pride to everyone at StreetGames that we were involved in this study. It illustrates how we try to work, in terms of develop- ing doorstep sport projects locally – ensuring that we gather and learn from delivery and then sharing the learning to lobby and advocate support for a doorstep sport ap- proach.
Will you expand ? We’re always looking to expand and welcome organisations which are keen to engage disadvantaged young people in sport. Details:
streetgames.org
project, many participants highlighted the importance of the coach for their enjoyment, motivation and attendance. Us Girls’ ‘style’ was characterised by a relaxed atmosphere which allowed women to have fun, be social, and engage in high levels of activity in a non- judgmental environment.
A STREETGAMES LEGACY The StreetGames legacy has been its capacity to support local organisa- tions and address barriers which lead to socially disadvantaged young people’s exclusion from sport and volunteering. As a researcher, one of the rewarding aspects of working with StreetGames is its desire to learn what works and to learn from mistakes as well as successes. StreetGames’ has demonstrated
how a national charity, dedicated to developing sport, can manage rap- id growth, attract funding, engage in partnerships and deliver effective programmes. This may be some of the most important elements of its legacy.
Issue 3 2013 © cybertrek 2013
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