Developing Lifelong Participation

StreetGames

National Training Event

27th March 2012

Developing Lifelong Participation

Our ambition is for DSCs to:

•Encourage regular participation and retain young people within Doorstep Sport Clubs (DSC) activities

AND•Equip their members with skills, confidence and knowledge so that they are able to ‘make their own way’ into lifelong participation.

Reduce post-16 drop-off in sport

What do we mean?

•DSC members will develop the knowledge, skills, confidence and motivation to participate in sport/physical activities beyond the club activities.

•So, for example, it may be that they go on to independently:

Use a leisure centre - on their own or with friends

Join a gym

Jog or cycle

Join a mainstream sports club.

Issues to consider

• Many factors contribute to post 16 drop off:– Competing priorities

– Busy life-styles

– College/work

– Friends/relationships

– Hobbies/other interests

– Family/child care commitments

– Inappropriate playing offers

– Cost and transport difficulties.

• BUT also issues around knowledge, skills and confidence – ‘sporting capital’

Building sporting capital

“I don’t know how to get involved”

“I want to do the gym thing but I don’t know how to get the slips you need”

“I want to learn to ice skate…I would never go there because everyone is looking over the balcony and I can’t ice-skate so I don’t wanna go there for everyone to laugh at me”

“If you’re on your own you feel stupid doing stuff”

“I think people can be intimidated by those who are better at the activity”

Young people will need support to:

– Gain knowledge of how to access clubs/fitness centres

– Develop an awareness of cultural norms such as clothing, etiquette/customs

– Activity-specific skills – Create social connections -

feel involved and “sporty”

Developing Lifelong Participation through Doorstep

Sport ClubsDSCs need to build plans which seek to encourage lifelong participation.

So for example, this may involve:

•Taking part/gaining experience in a range of different activities

• Going to different places and meeting new people

• Developing activity specific skills

• Building leadership skills .

• Understanding the importance of regular activity

Range of activities

As move into later teens and adulthood:

• Individual activities such as going to the gym, jogging, swimming, cycling, and fitness classes become more popular – particularly for females

AND/OR

• Traditional teams sports in a more ‘informal’ form e.g. 5-a-side game with college/work mates

Encouraging independent activity

• Show participants where to go, how to find activities, where sport can be read about and watched

• Physical visits to sports and leisure centres

• NGB links - informal products such as Just Play, No Strings

Activity specific skills

• Fun-based skills/drills• Recognition/rewards• Skills and tricks • Opportunities to compete:• Internal round-robins• Challenges• Friendly games• Home and away matches• CVLs• Tournaments• Festivals

Friendly environment and social connections

• Supportive

• Motivating

• Caring

• Safe

• Personal development ethos

• Build cohesive groups

Leadership Skills

• Providing opportunities for young people to:

• Mature

• Develop leadership skills

• Confidence

• Through coaching, volunteering and involvement in decision making.

Case study - Tower Hamlets Cycling Club – Dev. of women's section

• ‘T’ joined the club - she'd never had the chance to cycle due to cultural & religious constraints

• ‘T’ learned how to cycle - is now a confident cyclist, volunteers, helps out at sessions & promote rides

• ‘T’ has lost weight gained confidence & is now learning to swim – making her own way to lifelong participation

• Hopes to cycle to college in the future.

"The Cycling Club has allowed me to learn to cycle after years of wanting to and has stopped my caring about the stereotypical view that Muslim women shouldn't be cycling. The Club has given me the chance to enjoy riding a bike - something most people take for granted and have the privilege to do all their lives without a second thought"

Next steps

– Development of a 3 hour training workshop

– Support materials