Partnerships announced to build movement around tackling inequalities

Sport England are changing their investment strategy to give organisations longer-term stability as they work with them to help the whole of the nation to be active.

Sport England have announced the first group of 43 partners they are working with to deliver system-wide change against their ambitious 10-year strategy to level up access to sport and physical activity across the country.

In a revolution to their previous investment model, the partners – who have all committed to tackling inequalities – will receive a total of £193 million of National Lottery and government funding between them, with each partner investment lasting up to five years.

Partners include the youth charity StreetGames, disability charity Activity Alliance, talented young athletes’ charity SportsAid, and sports’ national governing bodies from England Boxing to British Wheelchair Basketball, plus Active Partnerships working across England – from County Durham to Devon.

This change in approach will provide longer term, upfront certainty of funding as organisations recover and reinvent from the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

The new investment model recognises the partners’ important role in implementing Sport England’s Uniting the Movement strategy .

It’s the first step on a journey to revolutionise their approach to long-term partnerships that will also see Sport England build new relationships with innovative organisations, as well with existing partners, local partners and delivery partners – part of their work to build a wider movement that are working towards the same goals to transform lives and communities through sport and physical activity.

Chief executive Tim Hollingsworth says the 43 partners all have a foundational role in the sport and physical activity sector, which is why collaborating with them is vital to helping reach those most in need.

“Uniting the Movement aims to help everyone play sport and get active – no matter who they are, where they live, or what their background is,” said Tim.

“But right now, the opportunities to get involved in sport and activity depend too much on background, gender, bank balance and postcode. Certain groups are more likely to be inactive and need targeted and innovative support.

“We can only tackle these inequalities with collective action, and a focus on long-term change. That’s why our new longer-term funding model should have transformative impact.

“The 43 partners we’ve announced today all play a foundational role in the sport and physical activity sector; they are uniquely placed to create the conditions for change and co-deliver Uniting the Movement in partnership with us.”

Further partnership announcements will be made in the coming weeks, and the first 43 can be viewed here

These partners play a connecting, influencing or governing role within the sport and physical activity sector and are therefore well placed to create the conditions for positive change to help more people engage and reap the benefits of getting active.

Working collaboratively with organisations both in and outside of the sector, they’ve committed to tackling the inequalities that currently exist and will help more people from underrepresented groups – including women, people from ethnically diverse communities, people from lower socio-economic groups and people with long-term health conditions – to take part. The pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities too, meaning that the work to get inactive groups engaging with physical activity is more challenging.

Part of the process to decide the partnerships saw organisations demonstrate their commitment to tackling inequalities and how they’ll take meaningful action to address long-standing and deep-rooted inequalities to ensure the investment is supporting those who need it most.

The partners will work with Sport England to deliver on Uniting the Movement, recognising that together we’re stronger.

They’ll focus on having strong governance and integrity, diversity of leadership and workforces, and creating inclusive and safe cultures within sport and physical activity.

Each partner has large networks of influence, as well as the ability to work with other innovative organisations that can play a part in helping those with the greatest need to engage with sport and physical activity.

Sport England will encourage and support these partners to work in local places in collaborative ways that ensure a good blend of national and local working, and to build more capacity and resource for everyone working towards the same goals.

Any organisations that are looking to innovate and help more people play sport and get active are encouraged to look at Sport England’s funding pages to see how they may be able to help you.

And organisations are also encouraged to share what they’re doing to help tackle inequalities and the impact that it’s having by using #UnitingTheMovement on social media.