In Uniting the Movement, we set out five big issues to join forces around, and five catalysts for change that represent the biggest opportunities to build a more active and equal nation.
We’ve now worked with partners and stakeholders to look at the collective action and outcomes that are most needed in the next three years to make progress in these areas.
These are ambitions we can all work towards and they give us a common picture of the 2025 we want to be part of creating, as a milestone on the 10-year journey of Uniting the Movement.
More investment and resources for communities with the greatest need
The communities that need the most support to be active will be receiving significantly more investment and resource.
Local networks of partners will be supported to develop skills and capacity in order to create high quality spaces and places for sport and physical activity, and activate them with great experiences that are designed with communities.
This collective effort will see the public, private and third sectors and services working better together at a local level to help people be active through a wide range of lenses such as sport, leisure, health, social care, transport and education.
Inclusive, safe and accessible experiences as standard
Equipped with a deeper and richer understanding of the inequalities that people face in being active, we’ll be working every day to break these down.
Thanks to research and continuous shared learning, all of us – sport and physical activity providers, operators, national governing bodies, coaches and volunteers – will know how to deliver experiences designed around the needs of adults and children and young people.
Experiences will be truly inclusive and accessible, people will feel psychologically and physically safe, and their expectations will be met.
Supporting, recognising and celebrating success
The people and organisations providing under-represented groups with great experiences and opportunities to be active will be better recognised and supported, with the positive things they’re doing being used to inspire and support others.
Adapting to people’s changing needs and expectations
We’ll be taking a human-centred approach to the design of sport and physical activity offerings and meeting people’s rapidly-changing demands – innovation and digital will be used to update opportunities to be active, for example, providing more online and hybrid experiences and hyper-local opportunities.
We’ll have made it easier for us all to share the data, technology and resources that will enable us to provide people with choice in their community and the ability to easily find opportunities online or via other methods, and we’ll be offering them great experiences when they do take part.
Listening to, and involving, people less likely to be active
We’ll all be actively seeking out, and listening to, people of all ages who are least likely to be getting active.
They’ll be involved in decisions and helping co-create new ways of doing things to increase the opportunities to get active.
A diverse network of leaders, volunteers and professionals
There’ll be a broader diversity of leaders, volunteers and professionals across sport and in key related sectors that ‘think physical activity’ in all that they do.
Connected through networks, they’ll exchange information and learning, work on shared challenges, and develop the skills they need to champion inclusive sport and physical activity in their networks and beyond.
Access to networks and professional development will be encouraged in order to bring through new and more diverse leaders.
Positive experiences for children and young people and supporting talented athletes
Those who provide sport and physical activity opportunities for children and young people – both in and out of school – will be increasingly designing them around fun, inclusive and safe experiences and working to offer a greater choice of sport and physical activity opportunities. We’ll be listening to and engaging with young people in the design and delivery of activities.
There’ll be a recognition of the benefits of movement on children’s mental wellbeing, their social connectivity and academic achievement, together with an increased emphasis on physical literacy: giving children the best start in life by helping them to develop the ability to move with competence and confidence in a wide variety of physical activities, as well as enjoyment, knowledge and understanding.
To support talented young people from every background to have a chance to make it to the top, there’ll be examples of cutting-edge talent pathways that are more inclusive and connected to the groups and settings in the communities these talented athletes live in.
The pathways will be person-centric, safe and supportive of athletes’ mental and physical needs.
Collaborating with the health, education and transport sectors
Organisations in the health, education, transport and fitness and leisure sectors will be collaborating at all levels with the sport and physical activity sector to break down the barriers that exist for people in taking part.
Using health as an example, physical activity advice and support will be becoming a more routine part of the health and care system offer.
Collaboration between health, care and sport and physical activity providers will be enabling a more positive and supported journey through to a local opportunity, where the workforce feels confident to support that person’s needs.
We’ll be better demonstrating the return on investment for sport and physical activity and other sectors, resulting in further collaborations.
Contribution to net zero embedded in everyday thinking
We’ll all be acting on our contribution to net zero in our everyday operations, whether that’s through the sustainable planning and design of the nation’s sport and leisure facilities, or optimising environments for walking and cycling so they’re convenient, safe and cost effective.
Active travel policies will be seen as a vital part of contributing to a net zero goal, and the potential for our sector to make a positive impact on climate targets will have been fully assessed, with solutions which reduce carbon emissions and encourage environmental sustainability tested.