IRISH SPORTS COUNCIL

1. Presentation to CUSAI Networking Event 26 May 2011 IRISH SPORTS COUNCIL

2. “Engaging the Inactive: The key elements of a sustainable physical activity programme” • Overview of ISC’s Investment on Participation • Core Elements of Successful Programmes • Examples of Best Practice • Conclusion

3. ISC’s Investment in Participation

4. ISC’s Participation Programmes • Local Sports Partnerships • Women in Sport • Sports Inclusion Disability Programme • Main Field Sports – Underage Participation • Go for Life – Sport for Older People • Sli na Slainte – partnership with IHF • An Post Cycle Series • Buntús pre-school and primary school programmes

5. ISC Investment in Participation • Investment in 2011 for Participation programmes exceeds €15.5m • Investment in Main Field Sports in 2011 is over €9m • Local Sports Partnership in 2010 represented an investment of over €13m (over 50% generated locally) • Over €10m invested in Women in Sport between 2005 and 2010

6. Participation Trends – Irish Sports Monitor • Levels of physical activity are increasing (30.8% to 33.5%) • Walking is the most popular activity (57.5% to 60.5%) • Levels of sedentarism are falling (18.2% to 15.5%) • Older women, the middle aged and rural dwellers are most likely to be sedentary.

7. Core Elements of Successful Programmes

8. Review of Existing Projects • Local Sports Partnerships: • Annual SPEAK Report for national network • 2010: over 135,000 took part in LSP programmes and over 18,000 females took part in WIS programmes • Critical factors: partnership working, mass participation events, targeting hard to reach groups, communication • Women in Sport: • Success factors: partnership, promotion, focus on women’s needs, social element • SIDO Review – out to tender

9. Critical Success Factors • Partnership • Consultation • Resources • Sustainability • Exit Strategy • Monitoring & Evaluation

10. Critical Success Factors • Partnership Need to link with other organisations/groups that have access to participants, resources, facilities, etc. Capacity to support delivery and add value to the programme • Consultation “Nothing about us without us” – engage with target group Assess their level of commitment and interest Use social media options

11. Critical Success Factors • Resources Human, Financial, Space, Time – know what you need Invest in right people – paid or voluntary • Sustainability Participant’s ability to pay if you are subsidising Cohesiveness of the group – new volunteers Monitor attendance rates over duration

12. Critical Success Factors • Exit Strategy Know this at the beginning – how to remove yourself Assess support available from local clubs, NGB’s and others Make it clear from the start that your involvement has an end • Monitoring & Evaluation You must establish a baseline – show the impact you are making Only ask for information that you know you are going to use – keep in mind needs of partners Keep on communicating with participants

13. Examples of Best Practice

14. Fit 4 Life • Simple, effective programme of road running leagues for women built up from existing running clubs affiliated to AAI • Number of Meet & Train groups grew from 12 in 2006 to 79 in 2010. • Core elements: social interaction, common goals, level of commitment of individuals, support of leaders, branded “rewards” • Approx 5,000 women currently involved across the country • Very successful examples in Donegal LSP and Sligo AC • Has generated spin off programmes such as Meet & Spin for cycling

15. Link2BActive • South Dublin County Sports Partnership consulted with partner agencies working locally with the unemployed. Identified the benefits of physical activity for this group. • Programme devised to overcome barriers of cost and access to sports facilities which charge membership or entry. • Link2BActive provides access to these facilities at a reduced rate and provides induction. Facilities include gyms, leisure centres, all weather pitches, swimming pools, pitch & putt clubs, etc. • Programme promoted directly to target group through partner networks. • Westpark Fitness facility now has 518 participants and has a retention rate of 90%. • Programme showed response to a need and value of consultation and partnership • Programme has now been rolled out as a national programme through the LSP network

16. Conclusion • The most successful programmes respond to a latent need – consultation and working in partnership will help identify this. • Before you start you need to know how you will work yourself out – programmes should be proofed for sustainability and your exit strategy should be flagged well in advance • Programmes need people but they don’t have to be paid. Make sure you get the right people on board particularly as volunteers • Resources are scarce so programmes must be cost effective. The two programme examples cost less than €50,000 per annum for the entire country. • You’ll need to prove you’ve made a difference so make sure you record and evaluate what you are doing.

17. ISC Presentation 26 May 2011 Thanks for your attention. Questions?