How can we increase the number of active adults? by Mark Lawrie

Mark Lawrie is Deputy Chief Executive of StreetGames UK, an organisation that has driven more sporting opportunities for people across Wales.

Here, he details how sport in Wales needs to match motivations and lifestyle if it is to continue to increase participation and engage more people.

In many ways the pace and variety of modern life mitigates against increasing the number of adults who take part in sport and physical activity. Long working hours, busy family lives and a huge diversity of leisure opportunities now mean that sport needs to fight for time and attention to become an activity of choice.

Street Games' Us Girls programme is seeing success

For a proportion of the population these challenges are further exacerbated by their economic situation or background. Increasing participation by those who live in poverty, come from Black Asian or Minority Ethnic backgrounds or have a disability often requires a different approach to how sport is traditionally provided. Sport has to specifically address the range of practical and perceived barriers that exist for these potential players.

There is, however, light at the end of this particular tunnel. Providers of sport are increasingly aware that to compete for the precious time of potential new participants they need to provide opportunities that better match their needs and motivations. Some of the big success stories of recent years have found often simple but effective ways to do this. Parkrun is an oft quoted example of a new form of participation. The simple provision of an open access 5k run at 9.30 a.m. every Saturday morning may not appear to be a revolution but consider what it offers for those that take part:

Parkruns are by their very nature local, they happen near where people live which reduces the barrier of travel. They are flexible – you don’t have to turn up every week, you don’t need to pay a membership fee, you are not ‘letting your team down’ if you cannot make it. They allow different generations within families to participate together (and pets in some instances!). They offer a sporting experience which is tailored to a range of motivations, from those that want to improve their personal best, to those who want to improve or maintain their health. Most importantly, they are very often based adjacent to a coffee shop or café, so that runners, joggers and walkers can reward themselves with a cup of tea and sociable chat afterwards! Other sports, including cycling, have already employed a similar approach to providing their sport in a way that better meets the needs of their potential participants. Is there a lesson for all of us that work in sport?

Street Games initiatives are taking place across Wales 

At StreetGames we have developed our Us Girls programme, supported by Sport Wales and targeted at disadvantaged young women (aged 16-25) playing sport and getting physically active. With the tagline ‘Fun, Fitness and Friends’ it does not immediately scream ‘Sport!’ and very often the route into taking part in sporting activity is indirect. Often, young women initially form a social group through a variety of healthy lifestyle activities before building their individual and collective confidence to participate in sport and fitness. This is sport for the ‘naturally less sporty’ which meets their needs and motivations.

The sports industry has historically worked hard to improve the structures and experience of those who are often naturally drawn to sport and consider it to be a part of their identity. The rightful investment in coaching, clubs and talent structures has secured a good percentage of the population playing sport. To secure a sporting future for all, perhaps everyone in sport needs to consider what the right sporting offer needs to look like to meet the lifestyle, needs and motivations of the future generation of active adults.