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Place

We are seeking to create the conditions that make it easier for those less active to be physically active in the spaces and places they live.

Our Place Work

By ‘place’ we mean an area within a defined geographic boundary e.g. a borough, ward, an estate.

The term ‘space’ relates to somewhere that can be used for the purpose of being active and includes informal space such as parks, rivers and public realm (e.g. high streets) or built facilities such as leisure centres and community centres – these create local or hyper-local places within which the work focuses.

Whatever the location, we are working within the system of that place across multiple sectors.

We use the Sport England model (right) which is based on the health sector’s person-centric system model.

It recognises that for sustainable change to occur we have to consider the individual at the core, and then consider the layers of the world around them that impact on their decisions and actions.

As each layer moves further away from the individual the influence that layer exacts becomes less direct but potentially no less powerful.

For each place, the situation context and the needs of the individuals within that community are unique. Therefore, the specifics and focus of the system change ‘effort’ will vary between them.

Through the work we do in places across London we are seeking to not only improve that place but to also understand the conditions that have made that system work more likely to achieve not only our ambition of a more active London. We seek to understand how physical activity is effective as a tool to achieving the outcomes of individuals and the system around them. We seek to:

  • Gain a deeper understanding of the audience and their experiences within their place.
  • Improve processes and policies through analysis to create the conditions for increased activity levels to occur.
  • Test adaptions and interventions designed to increase activity levels to create recommendations on what, where and how resource within the system is used to best effect.

Understanding and sharing the how and why of the work will help ensure the whole of London is able to benefit and develop to tackle the persistent inequalities of access and opportunity to lead an active life. We call this ‘blueprint’ for how London can work Model Borough.

Our Areas of Work:

Our Place work encompasses our efforts within defined spaces and places of London.  The over-arching impact we are seeking is to create the conditions that make it easier for those who are less active to be physically active.

To do this, we have five areas of strategic focus:

Place Updates

BLOG: Relationship Manager Jolyon Whaymand has been delving through Sport England’s Putting It Into Practice toolkit, the tools it contains to support tackling inactivity, and how it links with London Sport’s own efforts. Read his blog here.

CASE STUDY: This 10 minute video from Croydon Voluntary Action showcases the work of community organisations across Croydon in supporting women through the This Girl Can Croydon programme delivered through 2019-2020 and navigating the changing restrictions of the pandemic to reach 465 women across 25 activities.

NEWS: The cross-departmental working project with Enfield and Harrow councils has entered the narratives building phase of the framework, with London Sport build the case for physical activity connected to the existing strategies of the non-sport sector directorates within each local authority.

REPORT: The end of project evaluation for the This Girl Can Croydon programme is now available. This place-based project led by Croydon Voluntary Action has worked with community organisations and groups across three target areas of the borough to reach women not already accessing activity. Throughout the last 12 months the project has adapted to the conditions enforced by the pandemic to positive effect.

NEWS: London Sport have begun working with Enfield and Harrow councils on cross-departmental working using a newly developed framework. The next six months will apply a test and learn approach to increase the relationships between sport and physical activity, and health, parks and social care in the two boroughs. 

REPORT: The findings from the London Sport and Audience Net research into the influencing factors behind activity levels of women in East London has been released alongside resources exploring participant journeys, and the role of partner agencies. See the full report and resources here.

REPORT: A new report from the Mayor’s Major Sports Engagement Fund programme have shown that the return of elite sport to the capital will, in time, bring with it meaningful benefits for communities of Londoners in every part of the city.

Despite major disruption due to the pandemic, the wider impacts of the Mayor’s Major Sports Engagement Fund have been captured in a new project review, available here.

NEWS: London Sport are linking up with research agency AudienceNet to learn how physical activity and sport is perceived, delivered and led by women in some of the most ethnically diverse areas in East London. Read more.

CASE STUDY: We’ve completed work, commissioned by Haringey and Enfield Councils, to explore rates of participation in physical activity among Turkish and Kurdish residents across the two north London boroughs. Read our full case study.

Resources and Learnings

Learnings

 

Read our end of project evaluation for the This Girl Can Croydon programme.

This place-based project led by Croydon Voluntary Action has worked with community organisations and groups across three target areas of the borough to reach women not already accessing activity.

Check out our video covering the project outcomes (right).

Resources

More information and contact details:

For more information on Place, please contact us.