Sport can play an important part in Sustainable Community
Strategies, and can be used as a tool to address local need and
contribute to achieving local priorities including Local Area
Agreements .
One of the key objectives of NAVCA's sports partnership
project, is to work to ensure that resource allocation and local
policy making (especially in the context of LAAs) is influenced by
improved partnership working between those involved in Delivery
System for Sport and local infrastructure organisations (LIOs),
especially at county and district levels.
County Sports Partnerships (CSPs) and
Community Sport
Networks (CSNs) are in a prime position to provide this link.
Increasingly sport and active recreation is being used as a tool to
reduce crime, promote health and wellbeing, and create community
cohesion. LIOs can provide links to non sport specific groups.
Search NAVCA's directory
for details of your nearest LIO.
Sport England has a very useful
resource section that outlines how sport is addressing local
needs and changing lives as part of local area agreements.
Sport England Resources
There are a number of key documents directly relating to LAAs
produced by Sport England:
Sport can support any of the LAA themes. Sport England highlight
several examples which include the following:
- Building
safe, strong and sustainable communities
Sport can strengthen community involvement, identity and civic
pride. Hasting Sports4U is a community sport outreach programme for
local young people and families in 5 priority wards. Sports
activities are provided free of charge to more than 1,500 young
people. Territorial issues have been addressed by bringing young
people together in sports tournaments.
-
Meeting the needs of children and young people
Sport helps children become fit and healthy. As part of the Wake n
Shake project in Salisbury, children get going for the school day
with 20 minutes physical activity. School staff are being trained
so that this can continue on a permanent basis.
- Healthier
communities
The role of sport in promoting physical and mental health is
increasingly recognised. Fit and Active Braunstone (FAB) focuses on
individuals with high blood pressure or obesity. Thirty people
every three months are referred the scheme for 12 weeks and
assigned a mentor who will accompany them. Discounts are provided
at leisure centres and support for travel costs or equipment
costs.
- Economic
vitality and workforce development
Sport can improve the economic vitality of a local area and its
residents. The Leisure Employability Scheme in Newcastle provides
work placement and training opportunities for people in
disadvantaged areas. Over 50 members of the community have taken
part.
Other resources
IDeA have announced a new toolkit - Improving
culture,
sport and tourism. It is a practical set of tools to help
councils assess and benchmark culture and sports services, get
constructive feedback from partners and engage in peer-led
improvement. The toolkit has already enabled pilot authorities to
strengthen relationships with partners, and will help position
culture and sports services within LSPs and LAAs.