Activity in schools, workplaces and the community
Poor access to affordable leisure and sporting facilities contributes to more sedentary patterns among lower income groups. Inequalities are clearly established in early life: children from deprived areas take less exercise on average than other children, and are less likely to participate in out-of-school activities [Health Education Authority 1991].
The National Heart Forum advocates a broad strategy to promote physical activity for all in schools, in the community and cautions against too narrow a focus on 'sporting excellence'.
See 'Tomorrow's young adults: 9-15 year-olds look at alcohol, drugs, exercise and smoking' Health Education Authority (1991).
Maximising the benefits of the London 2012 Olympics
The Local Government Association (LGA) has produced Getting on Track to highlight how local councils can maximise the benefits of the London 2012 Olympics across the UK. They say 'getting communities active, healthy and safer' is a potential benefit, along with 'creating a significant sporting legacy' and also 'partnerships with local businesses to enhance investment in sporting facilities'. The hope it will help tackle the obesity problem and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has set a demanding target to halt the year-on-year increase in obesity among children under 11 by 2010. They also highlight the need to maximise facilities available through the Schools for the Future programme and maximise access to schools sports facilities for the wider community.
The Local Government Association outline what can be done locally:
- Audit of facilities (Sport England Active Places) Are they in the right places? Do they meet national standards? Do they fit community need?
- Promote local facilities; think cross-boundaries.
- Councils to work with Primary Care Trusts and Community Sports Networks to promote healthy lifestyle programmes built on interest generated by the Olympics.
- Seek opportunities to open up facilities to the wider public / community.
- Work with local stakeholders to develop public awareness campaigns about the important of a physically active lifestyle.
One of the strategic aims of the Games to which the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has signed up will be to; "maximise the economic, social, health and environmental benefits of the Games for the UK". Policy makers acknowledge however, that the Olympics associated 'feel good' factor will be short lived, so communities need accessible local facilities to act on this new found enthusiasm for physical activity or their motivation will rapidly wane.
School age children
The government has set targets to increase participation in sport by 5 to 16 year olds. They hope that the percentage of schoolchildren in England who spend a minimum of two hours per week on PE and sport (within and beyond the curriculum) increases from 25% in 2002, to 75% by 2006, and to 85% by 2008.
They also hope to see through the County Sports Partnerships, by 2008 an increase of 3% who participate in sport at least 12 times per year, and a 3% increase in the number who engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity sport, at least three times per week.
'Goal 2012' for cycling and walking
Sustainable transport charity Sustrans unveiled its vision of 'Goal 2012' in early 2006. Sustrans wants a traffic-free network of cycling and walking routes across London built in the run-up to the 2012 Olympic Games. Sustrans say this would benefit public health and the environment for generations to come. Visit: www.sustrans.org.uk/
National policy and strategies
England
- Game Plan: A strategy for delivering government's sport and physical activity objectives.
In December 2002 the 'Number 10' strategy unit and Department for Culture, Media and Sport jointly published Game Plan - a strategy which aims to improve the nation's health by combating the 'couch potato' culture and to produce more success in the international sporting arena.
Scotland
- Sport 21 2003 - 2007: The National Strategy for Sport
Provides a vision for the development and delivery of Scottish sport. Implementation is coordinated by SportScotland.
Wales
- Climbing Higher The Welsh Assembly Government strategy for sport and physical activity in Wales.
An integrated strategy, launched in January 2005, giving the overarching policy direction for sport and physical activity over the next 20 years.
Northern Ireland
- Starting well, staying involved and striving for excellence: Strategy for the development of sport in Northern Ireland 1997-2005
The strategy provides the framework for improved co-ordination among relevant agencies, enhanced opportunities for participation, particularly by young people, and appropriate steps to develop higher standards of performance at national level. Implementation is coordinated by the Sports Council Northern Ireland.
'Everyday Sport' campaign
Sport England launched a major campaign designed to get people active in September 2005. The 'Everyday Sport' campaign encourages people to build physical activity and sport into their everyday lives. The campaign has the twin aims of getting England moving in the battle against obesity and in the countdown to London 2012.
Everyday Sport was launch on the back of ongoing evidence from the Department of Health, which reveals that 76% of women and 63% of men in England are not doing the recommended amount of activity for a healthy life (30 minutes, five times a week). Research conducted by YouGov and commissioned by Sport England uncovered the fact that 71% of us would like to do more sport and active recreation but "do not get round to it". The Everyday Sport campaign is all about small steps making a difference.
Sport England has been set a target by government of increasing participation in sport and physical activity by 3% in the next three years. Everyday Sport is the first major initiative in this long-term plan.
Published guidance
School sport and PE
Strategies to drive up standards of PE and sport in schools and encourage children's enjoyment and participation are a vital way of raising levels of physical activity.
Schools that have good records in PE and sport report higher achievement across the curriculum, better school attendance figures and improved pupil behaviour, according to a survey by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. The study, conducted as part of the post national curriculum review, targeted schools identified as being successful in PE and school sport.
Almost three quarters of the schools included in the survey meet the government's aspiration that schools should deliver a minimum of two hours PE and games a week, within and beyond the curriculum. The 'High quality PE and sport: making a difference to pupils and schools' survey findings are available here.
National Sports Foundation
The National Sports Foundation (NSF) opened for business in April 2006 to encourage the private sector to invest in local community sports projects across England. The NSF will match donations from commercial bodies and also contributions from individuals. The Government has invested £34.5m in the Foundation over the next two years to attract this new investment in three key priority areas:
- 2012 Kids - getting more children and young people playing sport
- Women into Sport - involving more women in playing sport
- Fit for Sport - investment in clubs, coaches and volunteers in local communities.
The Chancellor announced in the 2006 Budget that the government had allocated £34.5 million over the next two years to the NSF. The breakdown of funding is £14.5m in 2006-07 and £20m in 2007-08.
Public sports and recreation services
A 2006 Audit Commission report, Public Sports and Recreation Services: making them fit for the future, found that the strategic planning of local sport and recreation services is underdeveloped, with little robust assessment of current private and public leisure provision, community needs and future demand.
Strategic planning
Strategic partnerships between councils, the private sector and the voluntary sector provide potential to improve services, but however, such partnerships are rare.
Until the mid-1980s councils sports and recreation facilities were almost wholly managed in-house. But since then there has been shift towards management by private sector contractors.
Councils rarely engage in cross-boundary planning and rationaliation of sport and recreation facilities. Instead they stick with their historic in-house patterns of sport and reaction service provision. Councils rarely form strategic partnerships with each other, private leisure providers or other cross-sector partners such as health and education to develop facilities.
Successful strategic engagements between sport and reaction services, and the health and education sectors is not common. Engagement is weakest where there are two tiers of local government.
The large and increasing investment in school sports facilities is not being used effectively as it could be to provide fit-for-purpose community sport and recreation facilities.
Councils are not helped in making secure, long-term decision by complicated taxation laws and regulations.
The Audit Commission report recommends that:
- Councils assess current and future sport and recreation needs locally
- More partnership working to deliver better-planned and better value for money services
- Greater coherence of funding streams and initiatives from government departments
The Audit Commission is planning a guide to assist and assess councils' planning and procurement of sports and recreational services.
Who manages sports and recreation facilities?
There is a range of providers involved in managing public sports and recreation facilities. Just under half (47%) are managed by councils directly, or by councils that have contracted with a private sector contractor (10%) or trust (15%). But schools (16%) and the voluntary sector (4%) also play important roles in managing provision.
Source: The Audit Commission Public Sports and Recreation Services report (2006).
Useful links:
Local Government Association www.lga.gov.uk
London 2012 www.lonond2012.com/eu
Active Places www.activeplaces.com
UK Sport www.uksport.gov.uk
Sport England www.sportengland.org
Department for Culture, Media and Sport www.culture.gov.uk
National Sports Foundation www.nationalsportsfoundation.org/
Audit Commission www.auditcommission.gov.uk/