Hampshire and Isle of Wight Sports Partnership - Draft Strategy

2 June 2004

Contact: Julie Amies 01962 846029, [email protected]

Introduction

This is a draft strategy for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Sports Partnership. It provides a framework for the development of sport and physical activity and physical education for its community between 2004-2010.

Whilst the strategy sets out specific initiatives necessary to achieve the vision, it is understood that each partner, will have autonomy to develop their own annual plan, linked to their respective organisation's corporate, service specific and/or community strategies to determine what their priorities will be and what resources they have available to deliver the priorities.

This strategy therefore aims to:

_ Set shared, clear goals for the development of sport and physical activity within the Hampshire and Isle of Wight area

_ Set appropriate targets to which all partners can make a contribution

Why we need a strategy for sport in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight?

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Sports Partnership was established in 2000. The Partnership has worked with a range of partners to improve sports provision for its young people. Some significant results have been achieved already.

When Hampshire County Council's strategy for sport needed to be renewed, partners were consulted on the most appropriate way forward for the area. It was recognised that more could be achieved through collective effort and consequently, a strategy for the partnership area was requested.

The Partnership recognises the important strategic role it can play in bringing about real change, particularly in the areas of young people, encouraging active participation and supporting performance development through to excellence.

To succeed though, a shared vision is needed.

Underpinning values

Values

Values are the accepted standards that each partner signs up to. Partners agreed that for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, these should be:

Access - Ensuring that all our facilities and services are accessible to all our community

Integrity - Partners maintaining an honest and supportive environment

Commitment to continuous improvement - Partners to undertake the vital research and development to ensure that the services they provide are constantly improved for its community

Innovation - Partners to be creative when meeting the needs of its community

Fun - Sport and physical activity should be about fun so that it is enjoyed by all. Partners to create and maintain an environment where fun is an essential ingredient of our services.

Child centred - each and every young person's needs should be put at the centre of the sports development process

How has the strategy been prepared?

So far, this strategy has been developed over 15 months, between December 2002 and March 2004. Extensive consultation has taken place with:

Chief Leisure Officers Association

Sports Development Officers Forum

Local Education Authorities, School Sports Partnership development managers and Directors of Sport

National and local governing bodies of sport

Sport England

Residents of Hampshire and Isle of Wight via the media and Hampshire Now

Further consultation will take place with local providers and other potential partners.

In addition, extensive research carried out during the preparation of sports plans for Active Sports and other projects has informed the content of the strategy.

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Sports Partnership

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Sports Partnership was formally established in 2000. However, the area has long had strategic alliances and partnerships between governing bodies of sport, local authorities and others. This spirit of co-operation and partnership working provided a strong basis upon which a formal partnership could be built.

The Hampshire & Isle of Wight Sports Partnership is one of the largest Partnership areas in the country, stretching from Basingstoke on the Berkshire boundary in the north of the Partnership, to Havant in the south on the Sussex boundary, across the water to the Isle of Wight, and west to the New Forest on the Dorset border (see Appendix 1).

There are 14 Local Authorities within the Partnership, all of which have signed the Memorandum of Understanding. Three of these authorities, Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight are Unitary Authorities. In addition, Hampshire County Council is the host authority.

National Governing Bodies of Sport, together with their respective county associations and clubs, Sport England, Sports Coach UK, English Federation of Disability Sport, Youth Sports Trust, Education are also members of the partnership.

The area is diverse and although much of it is rural in nature, it also includes the cities of Portsmouth and Southampton, the Isle of Wight, and the boroughs of Gosport and Havant, which are all currently receiving Single Regeneration Budget funding, to tackle issues surrounding social inclusion. The rural nature of the Partnership area creates many issues regarding transport, though in terms of the major population areas, the M3 and M27 run through the heart of the Partnership.

The total number of jobs in Hampshire (IOW figures not available) amounts to 725,000. The overall economic activity rate is about the same as the national average, but Hampshire's unemployment rate is substantially lower than the average for Great Britain as a whole.

Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have a population of approximately 1.7 million. The Partnership is 90% rural, with Basingstoke and Deane, Portsmouth City and Southampton City being the three largest urban areas with populations of 156,681, 190,695, and 210,388 respectively. Hampshire has a population of 144,900 young people in the 10-16 age group, representing approximately 8.76 % of the total Hampshire population. The Southampton area, with 18,215, has the largest population within the 10-16 age group and Rushmoor, with 7,431, the smallest. The Isle of Wight has 7,795 (6.2 %) of young people in the 10 - 14 age group.

The Partnership has a number of Local Authority Wards designated as Lottery Sports Fund Priority areas, specifically five in Southampton: Bargate, Bitterne, Millbrook, Redbridge, and Woolston (6,816 population of 10 - 16 year olds), two in Portsmouth: Charles Dickens and Paulsgrove (2,954 total population of 10 - 16 year olds), four in Havant: Barncroft, Warren Park, Battins and Bondfields (3,212 total population of 10 - 16 year olds), and one in Rushmoor: Heron Wood (434 total population of 10 - 16 year olds). 15 wards on the Isle of Wight are designated as a Lottery Sports Fund Priority Area, with a total population of 2,820 young people aged 10 - 16 yrs. 16,236 young people aged 10 - 16 years live in these priority areas, which is 10.6% of the total 10 - 16 years population of the Partnership.

The Partnership has a relatively small population of Black, Asian & Other Ethnic Minorities, (2.9% based on 10-16 year olds school roll, 2000, and 2% for adults based on census data) the largest populations of which, are situated within Priority Wards in Portsmouth and Southampton. The wards with the largest populations of Black, Asian and other Ethnic Minorities are Bargate with 2,236 people (19.59 %) and St Lukes with 1,871 (17.53%) in Southampton, and Charles Dickens with 492 (3.62%) in Portsmouth.

The Partnership is continually evolving and new alliances are and will continue to be formed where there is a shared commitment to the development of sport and physical activity for the area.

Target Sports

The Partnership currently works with 9 core sports, girls football, tennis, swimming, netball, basketball, rugby union, athletics, hockey and cricket. This will continue in the future as the work carried out over the last 4 years has begun to put a sustainable structure in place that can be built upon and which will of great benefit to emerging school sports partnerships and other partners.

Gymnastics will be added to this list of core sports given its importance to Long Term Athlete Development (see section X on Long Term Athlete Development), the national and extended curriculum and the school/club link element of the PE and School Club Links (PESSCL) strategy.

Other sports are being and will be supported as determined by the needs of the Sports Partnership.

National, Regional and Local Context

It is important to acknowledge that this strategy has not been developed in isolation. It has been carefully linked to a range of relevant national, regional and local strategies in order to identify and address the needs of the Partnership's partners.

A context is set out below.

The Game Plan

In 2002, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Government's strategy unit, published the Game Plan. The Strategy aims to:

· Increase participation in sport and physical activity by 50% of the population by 2020 (participation will be defined as 30 mins of moderate exercise five times a week)

· Improve success in international competition with British and English teams and individuals sustaining rankings in the top 5

Whilst the Government are seeking to improve participation levels across the whole population, interventions will focus upon the economically disadvantaged groups, young people, older people and women.

Regional Sports Strategy

The South East Regional Sports Board launched the South East Plan for Sport Mission: Possible 2004-2008 in May 2004. The aim is to make the South East an active and successful sporting region. The board are focused on "delivery, tangible and measurable outputs and developing partnerships with everyone who has a role to play in order to secure investment to make the greatest impact in local communities". To realise this ambition, the Board have set 7 outcomes:

1. An increase in participation in sport and active recreation

2. An improvement in levels of performance

3. A widening of access

4. An improvement of health and well-being

5. A creation of stronger and safer communities

6. An improvement in education achievement

7. A benefit to the economy

Many of these outcomes are shared amongst partners involved in the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Sports Partnership. The Partnership will continue therefore to build upon its existing partnership with the South East Sports Board and aim to support the delivery of Mission: Possible.

Long Term Athlete Development

"Scientific research has concluded that it takes eight to twelve years of training for a talented athlete to reach elite levels" (Bloom, 1985; Ericsson et al., 1993; Ericsson and Charness, 1994).

It is argued that the present system of sports development in England is organised in a way that does not allow properly for the development of the athlete. Long term Athlete Development places the child at the centre of learning. A summary of the model can be found at appendix .

By using this model, the partnership can ensure that it becomes child centred, thereby focusing on the essential stages of development for both early and late specialization sports. Essentially, the partnership will promote the model to ensure that the fundamental movement skills are practiced and mastered before sport-specific skills are introduced. In this way, the partnership can provide the best environment for both learning and life long participation in sport.

Local Authority Plans

There is a mixed approach to planning for sport within all the Partnership area's local authorities. Some local authorities have Sport and Recreation Plans and some have cultural strategies. Many sports development issues are shared across local authorities and some are very specific to the local area.

Planning for sport therefore has to be undertaken at many levels. For example, planning can take place locally within the local authorities boundaries and some will, of necessity need to take place at a wider geographical level because local authorities will not be able to deliver all required services locally, particularly in the areas of performance and excellence or facility planning.

It is important therefore that this partnership strategy has the flexibility to accommodate the differing needs as well as addressing the shared needs.

Community Plans will also become extremely important to local planning in the future and it is therefore important that sports development ensures that:

1. it contributes to the Local Strategic Partnerships in their respective area

2. it ensures that sports development is firmly embedded in the community plan

A vision for sport in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight

To improve the quality of life of the community through sport and physical activity.

This will be achieved through a concentration on 3 main themes:

· Young people - a key priority of government, regional bodies, local authorities and governing bodies of sport.

· Sport and Physical Activity for all - a key priority of government, regional bodies, local authorities and governing bodies of sport

· Performance sport - a key priority for national, regional and county bodies as well as governing bodies of sport.

Targets

In order to achieve the long term vision, the following targets have been identified and will be shared by the sports partnership. Partners will add value to each others work by adopting a collaborative approach to the planning and delivery of sport.

STRUCTURES FOR SPORT AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN THE

HAMPSHIRE AND ISLE OF WIGHT SPORTS PARTNERSHIP

1. To review the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Sports Partnership core staff structure to ensure that it is fit for purpose to support the delivery of this strategy and the range of services required by its partners.

EDUCATION

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Sports Partnership will support the roll out of the national Physical Education and School Club Links Programme (PESSCL) across the partnership area. This will involve partners within the respective Local Education Authority (LEA) areas working towards:

1. The establishment of 15 school sports co-ordinator partnerships within the Hampshire and Isle of Wight area to include all primary, secondary and special schools by 2006.

2. The establishment of 13 Specialist Sports Colleges within the Hampshire and the Isle of Wight area by 2006.

3. The enhancement of the take-up of sporting opportunities by 5-16 year olds by increasing to 75% the percentage of school children spending at least 2 hours a week on high quality PE and school sport, within and beyond the curriculum by 2006.

4. The support of the development of teaching, coaching and learning expertise across a range of physical education and sport activities in order to improve the quality of physical education and school sport and to communicate this to other potential providers to avoid duplication.

5. The development and implementation of PE and school sport strategies, as part of school development plans, supported by a range of organisations and providers in the area.


6. The collaboration between families of schools and the dissemination of good practice.

7. The provision of new and enhanced out of hours opportunities for all young people in the School Sports Partnership, including out of hours learning, non-competitive participation and competition.

8. Increasing participation in community sport through creating and strengthening links with sports clubs, leisure facilities and community providers.

9. The provision of training, support and development opportunities in leadership, coaching and officiating for senior pupils, Adults other than Teachers (AOTT's).


10. The demonstration that increased participation in sport can lead to improved standards in all aspects of school life, including health and lifestyle improvements.

11. Work with the higher and further education sectors to develop research support.

12. Work with the higher and further education sector to support the development of students who are `fir for purpose' in the leisure industry by encouraging involvement in related work experience.

HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

1. To commission benchmark research to measure levels of participation by April 2005 with a follow up survey in 2010.

2. To increase participation in sport and physical activity by 2010 focusing on women, young people, disabled and older people and economically disadvantaged groups for health benefits.

3. To support the implementation of the Regional Physical Activity Strategy.

4. To work with large employers to promote workplace sport and physical activity amongst its workforce.

5. To work with the Healthy Schools programme to promote sport and physical activity especially amongst under represented groups.

COACHING, LEADERSHIP AND VOLUNTEERING

1. To produce a Coaching Strategy by Dec 2004.

2. To increase the number of qualified coaches, who are or will be active in those sports linked to the partnership's coaches database.

3. To provide annual training and development programmes for coaches and volunteers across the partnership area in at least nine sports, leading to the retention of at least 90% of the coaches registered on the Partnership's database.

4. To work with appropriate national organisations to develop and implement a `multi-skills' coaching qualification linked to the delivery of the FUNdamentals element of LTAD.

5. To increase the number of accredited volunteers working within the Sports Partnership.

6. To co-ordinate and implement the Community Sports Coaches Scheme in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

7. All partners to contribute to the continued improvement, sharing and use of the Sports Partnership's database of approved coaches and volunteers able to work in schools, clubs and other sport environments to ensure that all coaches are registered by 2010.

8. To promote and celebrate the success of volunteers in sport through a range of recognition and support opportunities.

CLUB DEVELOPMENT

1. To increase the number of accredited clubs (either sports specific, e.g. Rugby Seal of Approval or generic, i.e. Clubmark) in each of the 10 target sports in each year of the strategy to 2010 to ensure that they are Safe, Effective and Child friendly Clubs.

2. To promote and develop two multi-sports club (i.e. a club where a number of sports work collaboratively to increase participation in sport and physical activity utilising the principles of LTAD) for each year of the strategy to 2010.

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

1. To achieve at least 2 partners a year to be appropriately accredited via a recognised model, e.g. QUEST, the Excellence model, EFQM by 2010.

2. For partners to ensure that a system of planning, implementing, monitoring, evaluating and reviewing is in place in their respective work programmes.

FACILITIES

1. To develop a partnership facility summary, linked to club (especially multi sports clubs, i.e. clubs where a number of sports work collaboratively to increase participation in sport and physical activity utilising the principles of LTAD) and talent development and NGB plans.

2. To produce a database of facilities, utilising GIS software and linked to the Partnership website.

3. To develop a pricing policy that rewards accredited sports clubs across the partnership.

4. To develop a uniformed approach to discretionary rate relief across the partnership.

5. To continue to promote access to school sports facilities.

6. To encourage all swimming facilities that provide a learn to swim programme to implement the ASA national teaching plan

WIDENING ACCESS

1. Where appropriate, partners to achieve the Racial equality standard or the equality standard for sport by 2010.

2. To utilise positive role models in our work in order to increase participation in both activity and volunteering amongst under represented groups.

3. To provide new opportunities for under represented groups.

4. To increase the numbers participating in over 50's programmes.

5. To provide new opportunities for people over 50 years.

6. To promote free activities , for example, walking, cycling and other activities to increase participation especially amongst under represented groups.

7. Where appropriate, provide a differential pricing policy for under represented groups in facilities and services.

8. To develop a directory of good practice sports opportunities for people with disabilities.

9. To widen participation in sport through increased provision in rural areas.

10. To improve access to participation in sports and physical activity via public and targeted transport links.

PERFORMANCE AND EXCELLENCE

1. To work with schools, coaches and Governing Bodies of Sport to assist with the implementation of talent identification and development programmes, using the principles of the Long Term Athlete Development Model (LTAD), initially in football, tennis, netball, cricket, swimming and rugby (these being the sports who have a national framework for LTAD).

2. To provide a range of appropriate generic services, e.g. 4SM to support the development of talented athletes in the partnership area.

3. To provide sports bursaries to support the development of talented individuals.

4. To continue to provide the Free Access to National Sportspeople (FANS) scheme across Hampshire.

MARKETING

1. To produce a partnership marketing plan by 2005.

2. To promote the benefits of sport and active recreation on the partnership website and in the partnership newsletter.

3. To disseminate examples of good sports development practice through national, regional and local publications.

4. To promote major sports events with a view to increasing awareness of sport in each year of the strategy. e.g. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Youth Games, Mini Youth Games and Parallel Games.

5. To support the delivery of the regional events strategy for sport upon its completion.

6. To involve professional sports clubs in the promotion of sport across the partnership.

7. To ensure that information (leaflets, websites etc.) is continually relevant and up-to-date as well as attractive and imaginative.

8. All local authorities to comply with e.government target.

9. To ensure that sports development is addressed in all major local and county plans.

10. To provide a robust annual report for partners informing them of performance.

11. To promote the social and health benefits of sport in order to break down barriers to participation.

MONITORING AND EVALUATION

1. To establish a set of key performance indicators in order to monitor and evaluate the expected outcomes of the strategy.

Outcomes

The partnership will measure the following outcomes in order to assess its achievements.

1. The development of a strong partnership that is built upon a common aim, shared objectives and strong values (measured via qualitative research programme and participation in an approved accreditation model e.g. EFQM, QUEST etc).

2. The strategic co-ordination of sporting opportunities across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to prevent duplication of effort and to make the best use of available resources (measured via qualitative research programme).

3. A growth in numbers participating in sport and physical activity (quantitative monitoring data and participation questionnaire).

4. The establishment of a strong education infrastructure for sport and physical activity that facilitates the enhancement of take up amongst 5-16 year olds and therefore improves educational performance (measured via school surveys).

5. The improvement of the quality of physical education and school sport (measured via school sport partnerships and specialist sports college monitoring systems).

6. The development of a network of accredited clubs and volunteers to support increased participation (measured through partner and Sports Partnership monitoring programmes)

7. An increased recognition of the benefits of a physically active lifestyle (measured via appropriate surveys).

8. A healthier population (measured via the national health service and participation survey).

9. A network of good quality, affordable sports and recreation facilities to provide for participation.

10. More young people with appropriate skills to access National Governing Body Performance Programmes and therefore able to perform on the World Stage.

11. Wider representation in sport and physical activity programmes amongst target groups, e.g. girls and women, people with disabilities, economically disadvantaged, black and ethnic minorities (measured through partner monitoring programmes).

12. Stronger and safer communities (monitored via projects in targeted areas).