Scottish Government

Development Department Research Programme Research Findings No. 86The Role of Sport in Regenerating Deprived Urban Areas

Fred Coalter with Mary Allison and John Taylor
Centre for Leisure Research, University of Edinburgh

The Scottish Executive Development Department in collaboration with sportscotland commissioned the Centre for Leisure Research of the University of Edinburgh to undertake a study to explore the role which sport has played in the regeneration of urban areas in Scotland and to explore wider evidence for the assumption that sport can contribute positively to aspects of urban regeneration and social inclusion. The research, via an extensive literature review and ten case studies, examined sport's potential contribution to the improvement of health, the reduction of youth crime, education, employment and volunteering and community development (including issues relating to members of minority ethnic groups).

Main Findings

For a number of reasons sport has not fully realised its potential contribution to a range of social issues. To maximise sport's contribution the following issues need to be addressed.

• There is an urgent need to address issues of outcome evaluation. This could be assisted by production of a 'best practice' manual.
• There is a need to understand better the rationale for provision and provide clearer statements of the strategies for achieving the desired outcomes.
• Projects should be based on more precise understandings of the factors underlying the various social issues to be addressed (crime, health, the needs of the long term unemployed).
• Physical education and sporting opportunities for primary schools in deprived urban areas should be a policy priority as early intervention is more effective than later intervention.
• Sports' contributions to issues of social deprivation and social exclusion are most effective when they are an integrated part of wider ranging programmes and not short-term, ad hoc, schemes.
• Traditional, facility-based, approaches may not be appropriate to address many of the issues. There is a need to adopt a need-based, outreach approach, using local facilities and recruiting local staff.
• The development of volunteers from among the long-term unemployed requires a more systematic approach to their recruitment, training and support.

The key findings from the literature review and the case studies are outlined in the following sections.

Sport and health

• Among the least active groups, the promotion of a more active lifestyle may be a more useful strategy than only offering traditional sports.
• The traditional product-led 'sports development' approach needs reviewed, with more emphasis on changing individual behaviour.
• The frequency of activity required to achieve and sustain physical health benefits is difficult for many to achieve in sport.
• The greatest gains from activity programmes often relate to psychological health and increased feelings of well-being.
• Factors underpinning the success of activity provision include local facilities; recognising the importance of friendship groups and emphasising the intrinsic value of activity.
• There was an absence of male participants in health-oriented physical activity initiatives.

Sport and crime

• Large scale diversionary projects tend to have vague rationales, overly-ambitious objectives and a relatively unsophisticated understanding of the complex causes of criminality. Short-term funding means that such projects rarely last long enough to achieve any meaningful impacts.
• Traditional facility-based programmes have a limited impact. Outreach, 'bottom-up' approaches, credible leadership and local provision have the best chance of success with the most at-risk groups.
• Sport is most effective when combined with programmes addressing wider issues of personal and social development.

Sport, young people and education

• Research on causal relationships between physical activity and academic performance is inconclusive.
• The salience of sport can be used to attract under-achieving pupils to educational programmes (although outcomes depend on the quality of the learning environment).
• There are mutually beneficial opportunities to involve professional football (and other) clubs in the development of integrated sport/ education programmes.

Sport, unemployment and regeneration

• There is little research on the regenerative potential of investment in sport, or the long-term benefits to local communities.
• Although training opportunities for basic sports leadership awards contribute to the development of self-esteem and self-confidence, without additional qualifications their vocational value is limited.
• Because sessional work is the main employment opportunity for most sports coaches, there is some doubt about such an employment strategy.
• The value of sports-orientated employment programmes may lie less in their vocational effectiveness, but in their appeal to certain groups of long-term unemployed and the reduction in social exclusion through access to 'employment networks'.
• The personal and educational development needs of many long-term unemployed on sports-orientated employment schemes require parallel supporting programmes.

Community development and volunteering in sport

• In many projects the development of volunteers is a strategic aim. This combines a philosophy of 'empowerment' and 'ownership' with short term funding requiring the work of volunteers to ensure sustainability.
• Barriers to the development of volunteers include resistance to 'top down' initiatives, 'initiative fatigue' and scepticism about agencies' motives, the lack of confidence associated with long term unemployment and the cost and difficulty of some leadership and coaching awards.
• 'bottom-up' approaches, which build on and assist existing (or emerging) programmes provide a greater sense of involvement and ownership.
• Sports projects which contribute to wider aspects of the community are more likely to be sustainable.
• There is a need for a more systematic approach to the recruitment, training and support of volunteers, based on an appreciation of the personal and professional development needs of the long-term unemployed.
• It is unrealistic to expect all such programmes to be self-sustaining. There is a need for ongoing support from skilled professional workers.

Sport and minority ethnic groups

• There is limited data about minority ethnic groups and participation in sport and physical activity in Scotland.
• Although some barriers to participation are common, there are specific issues relating to cultural/religious beliefs and perceived racist attitudes.
• Several factors reduce the opportunities for casual participation, the variety of sports which can be accessed and limit facility access for clubs at premium times.
• There is a lack of understanding of inter- and intra-minority group differences, often compounded by 'ghettoising' policy and practice. The dangers of 'false universalism' must be recognised and awareness training provided at all levels.
• 'bottom-up' initiatives which build on traditions, seek to address issues wider than sport and use workers recruited from the relevant communities are those most likely to succeed.
• There is a need for greater clarity about the desired outcomes for such provision, agreed in consultation with the relevant communities.

The environmental value of sports

• Sports facilities make an important contribution to local physical infrastructures, providing a social focus and affecting people's perception of their neighbourhood.
• The maintenance of under-used local facilities and recreation-related environmental improvements can play a significant role in the development of the quality of life of communities.

Recommendations

• All funding organisations should insist, as a condition of funding, that output evaluation is improved and outcomes are defined and measured.
• The Scottish Executive and sportscotland should fund the production and dissemination of a best practice manual.
• All providers should critically evaluate current programmes and the extent to which they are addressing all aspects of social exclusion. sportscotland and sportscotland Lottery fund should promote and support new ways of working.
• The Scottish Executive should convene the National Physical Activity Taskforce. All SIPs and local authorities should explore the potential for integrating sports programmes into wider social programmes.
• sportscotland, in association with the SQA and SPRITO, should evaluate the relevance of current SVQs as a preparation for developing communities through sport.
• sportscotland should work in collaboration with the Scottish Association of Local Sports Councils, the Scottish Sports Association and the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations to develop training and support programmes for volunteers.
• All involved in the provision of sport for young people should, as a matter of priority, ensure that resources are targeted to areas of greatest need.

The Report

The report examines the role which sports have played in the regeneration of urban areas in Scotland and the research evidence relating to the potential of sports to contribute positively to aspects of urban regeneration. It presents information from a review of published and unpublished literature on the social, economic and physical impacts of sports projects and from ten case studies chosen to reflect a wide range of issues, concentrating on issues of health, crime, education and employment and volunteering and community development (including issues relating to members of minority ethnic groups). The case studies were as follows:

• A scheme providing employment opportunities in play and sport.
• A general health-awareness programme offering free programmes.
• A project (based on co-operation between a health board and a local authority recreation department) to encourage people to be physically active and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
• A SIP funded sports development team with a wide ranging remit to contribute to the strategic aims of the SIP in the areas of crime reduction, health, employment and so on.
• A sports facility managed by a community trust and aimed at community regeneration.
• A community based, SIP funded, drugs/crime diversionary programme based on play and sports development.
• A small scale hillwalking programme for women in a peripheral housing scheme
• A large scale SIP funded, multi-agency, youth sport development programme with wide ranging aims and objectives
• An urban programme funded four year programme with a broad community sports development approach, placing emphasis on school-aged children.
• A sport development programme for members of minority ethnic groups.

Information was collected via the analysis of relevant documents (eg grant aid applications, strategies, annual reports) and in-depth face-to-face interviews with relevant personnel from the various projects. In addition, group discussions and individual interviews were conducted with participants in most of the projects and a telephone survey of those in possession of a free swim ticket was undertaken.

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