Help for grassroots sport needed to unleash equal access to its benefits
Levelling up the participation gap in sport to ensure everyone has equal access demands further investment, leading grassroots sport charity Sported has underlined.
Its research has found over 36 per cent of community clubs in Northern Ireland are reporting drops in participation among young people due to financial pressures with cost of fees, travel expenses and price of kit among the reasons indicated.
But government data shows that only 48 per cent in deprived areas of NI are not meeting targets of a minimum of 150 minutes of physical activity per week.
That compares to 55.5 per cent in England and 50 per cent in Scotland and Wales, with significant disparities in all four nations in comparison to least deprived areas.
The opportunity deficit must be closed, says Sarah Kaye, CEO of Sported, which is launching a Grassroots Sport Unleashed campaign to underline the value of local sports clubs and organisations in boosting communities and helping to transform lives.
With Sported also identifying a squeeze in volunteering, ensuring that sport’s role in addressing issues such as mental health, anti-social behaviour, isolation and educational attainment is fully recognised in tandem with getting the population active offers an incentive to invest – for everyone’s benefit.
“There is a risk currently at play where around half of adults in the most deprived areas of the country do not access sport and physical activity,” Kaye said. “And the figure among young people makes for even grimmer reading. It means thousands across Northern Ireland are missing out on all the life-changing benefits which sport unleashes.
“We all lose out because of that. Local clubs strengthen their communities by offering inspirational environments while doubling as hubs that bring people together. The economics of this ecosystem remains fragile and we must ensure that their contribution is recognised. And it’s vital that no-one is priced out of being a part of that.
“Because sport doesn’t just create superstars and champions. It transforms lives for the better. That’s a golden opportunity that so many take up.
“We’re currently supporting over 5,000 groups across the country with resources and support. Government at all levels and the corporate world are a big part of making that happen. But there is a real return from placing community sport at the heart of social initiatives, and a huge willingness from these organisations to use their reach for the common good.”
Jessica Coetzee from Rathgael Gymnastics and Tumbling Club in Co. Down underlined the challenge to keep delivering the impact that they have within their local community.
She said: “The challenge is that we are a charity, so we rely on our community and our people, and we want to give them the best, we want to give them everything they deserve.
“We've got all different types of people coming through our doors, and we really want to be able to accommodate them and give them the skills to grow in life. But we weren't able to do that originally because we didn't have the resources.
“Then getting in contact with Sported, they have now helped us through different ways of funding, putting us out there and giving us mentors, so now we can actually give these kids what they deserve.”
North Down Boxing Club’s founder and coach, Lesley McMillan, believes more funding would transform the lives of young people and offer extra opportunities that funding.
“There’s a lot of drugtaking and anti-social behaviour where we live too, and kids can be drawn into that life of doing stupid stuff that you shouldn’t be doing,” she said.
“If there’s any problems, anything wrong, they can come to us about anything. While it might say we are only open three nights a week, we’re actually in there five nights a week and then we’ll do a Sunday with the kids as well.
“If someone gave me a blank cheque right now, I could buy the building I’m in. We have a big open space and I could get a roof on it. I could get more equipment into it, like strength and conditioning equipment.”
Sported was initially established by Sir Keith Mills, one of the masterminds behind London 2012, to provide a legacy from that Olympic and Paralympic Games.
It has now distributed more than £10 million to grassroots sport clubs and community groups in grant and presently partners with Barclays on its award-winning Community Sport Fund and with Flutter UKI, on its Cash4Clubs programme, both of which target areas of deprivation and under-represented groups.
One in five young people have missed school or work in the last year due to their mental health, but in a recent survey, nine out of ten people who had participated in a sporting activity in that time claimed that sport can improve their mental health.
“We all see spiralling costs in providing adequate support across mental health in our society,” added Kaye. “Sport can take a lead role in reducing pressures on the NHS and others – if it remains accessible and affordable to all.”