MAKING ACTIVITIES ACCESSIBLE

Jack Shakespeare, Director of Strategic Projects at 4Global, explains why the school holidays are a missed opportunity for children’s health

Figures published over the summer indicate that summer holiday clubs now cost parents an average of £1,076 per child. For the sport and play sector, the ever-increasing costs are an opportunity to highlight the number of low-cost, safe and fun activities and programmes it offers. This is particularly true if the sector focuses not on putting on more activities, but making activities more accessible.

Activities and holiday clubs are simply unaffordable for many, particularly those in lower-income households. We know those in lower IMD (Index of Multiple Deprivation) groups are less likely to participate in structured activity, even though facilities often exist nearby.

Insights from the Moving Communities Community Survey and the Consumer Insight Panel put it plainly - cost is the number one barrier preventing children and young people from being active, with 37% of respondents ranking it as the biggest factor. The latest Active Lives Children and Young People survey showed those from the least affluent families are the least likely to be active, with only 45% meeting the Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines, compared to 57% of those from the most affluent families.

Too often, we assume that putting on a programme is enough, but as an industry, I’m sure we can all point to lots of local examples of activities happening over the summer. So perhaps we don’t need more opportunities, but smarter delivery to improve accessibility. This means tackling access barriers such as:

Cost and transport

Raising awareness of what’s available locally Operating timings that fit around working parents and carers Confidence, both in parents and children, to engage Inclusive and enjoyable participation environments

As decision-makers in the industry, considering large strategic challenges, it is also easy to overlook the most important part in all of this – fun. We know enjoyment is the single biggest factor in improving a child’s relationship with sport and physical activity, in turn increasing activity levels and sustained participation. This means we need a focus on the quality and inclusivity of the experience, ensuring the fun doesn’t get lost whilst trying to create a packed schedule of activities. Another insight highlighted by the Moving Communities data is the vital role parents and carers play in helping children to be active. Children are significantly more likely to be active if their parents are, despite more than half of parents (55%) not seeing themselves as role models for physical activity. Regardless of how they view their role, parents have a powerful influence. They act as key enablers by paying for activities, arranging transport, and building their child’s confidence. However, for parents to fulfil this role effectively, activities must be accessible through reducing the barriers we’ve already highlighted.

Moreover, we can’t just think in terms of activity schedules and timetables, we need to think about how and where we communicate. Families from lower IMD groups may not be plugged into the traditional leisure centre networks or local authority bulletins. Messaging needs to go beyond websites and newsletters, reaching into the heart of communities, through systems and services that families consistently engage with like schools, community groups and youth services.

The good news is that we now have the tools to do all of this better. Moving Communities data enables operators, local authorities and delivery partners to map who is and isn’t using services, understand why, and target support where it’s needed most. From postcode-level participation data to consumer insight panels, we have more visibility than ever into where the gaps are. Now we need to act on it.

What is Moving Communities?

Moving Communities is a platform designed to provide active partnerships, local authorities, delivery partners (including national governing bodies, system partners and local organisations) and key stakeholders with intelligence and actionable insights on quantifiable data.

A partnership between Sport England and 4Global, it tracks participation at public leisure facilities and provides new evidence of the sector’s performance, sustainability and social value. Bringing together disparate data sets into dashboards and maps, it assists stakeholders to make informed decisions to get communities moving.