OUGD505 - SB02 - Research

OUGD505

SB02

Research

The issue - The post 16 gap in sport participation.

It is estimated that after young people leave education (when 16 year olds finish secondary school) over 60 percent of them will not take part in physical activity. 

While 64% of 11-15 year olds take part in sport and physical activity, measured as 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity on three days a week, only 25% of 16- to 24-year-olds participate.

The gap was first highlighted in the 1960's by The Central Committee for Physical Activity. It became known as the Wolfenden Gap. 

Sport England:
The Active People Survey shows that participation levels for 16-25 has declined in recent years. 
In order to increase participation rate, sport needs to be made more relevant to the target audience and reach the groups not traditionally served by community sport. 

Challenges faced by young people that may effect their participation in sport:
- Sport is perceived as becoming more serious (greater time demands, as life gets more serious too)
- Increasing awareness of ones own wellbeing. Young people give equal weighting to their mental wellbeing, academic prowess, career and physical fitness, in benchmarking their personal success. 
- Time restraints. sport needs to emphasise its benefits for the individual young person and its potential for providing social experiences for the group. Otherwise it will too easily be traded out of lives.

In secondary school sport is a passive choice, it is part of the curriculum and students must participate. As young people leave school, participation in sport becomes proactive. 

In a working environment, colleges are less of an influence on participation than friends. 

As young people grow up their motivations for being active shift from having fun to looking and feeling good. What they are seeking is often not a sporting outcome. Competing against others gives way to personal goals (particularly for older teens and girls). Being fit is more appealing than being sporty.

There are some negative perceptions of the more adult gym environment. However, the shift towards fitness-related activity begins in the mid-teen years, earlier than previously thought. Eight years ago traditional sports remained more popular than health and fitness ones until the age of 22. Fitness activities now come top for 18s and over.

There also seems to be appeal in activities with age barriers, such as mass participation races, particularly marathons and “adventure races” like Tough Mudder. The rise of fitness sports is in part driven by their relevance to the wider aspirations of looking and feeling good. But they can lead to shorter bursts of activity to achieve particular goals – Alternative activities that have an adventurous element, such as parkour, are offering something different to many traditional sports.

Young people are seeking meaningful experiences – Festivals, holidays, events where they can socialise, make memories together, indulge in their own interests and have fun, are all popular for young people. 


Participation by Ethnic Groups (16 - 25 year olds) 

Results show that males are more likely to take part than females. Mixed race males are most active. Asian women are the least active. 

Participation levels decrease across the age group as some get the choice to drop out and others find it hard to fit sport into their lives.

Ethnicity plays a greater role in participation by young women than men. A growth in the young Asian population between 2001 and 2011 coupled with the low participation rates of Asian females has influenced the overall rate of participation by young women.

Post school drivers for positive experience and continued participation:
Sporting is organised by the friendship group • Strong peer passion for sporting events and activities • Sport is part of who they are. Sport provides adrenaline or relaxation • Sporting environment seen as welcoming and inclusive • Sport is part of a routine • Sport is play

Post school drivers for negative experience and drop out:
No-one in friendship circle organises sport so its left to individuals which can be isolating • Prefer social events • Self-image defined by other activities. See sport as physically painful or stressful • Sporting environment seen as unpleasant or intimidating • Don’t feel fit enough • Friends and family take precedence over other activities.

Reasons for sport drop out amongst 16 - 19 year old girl.
In all sports, almost half as many 16 – 24 year old women take part in sport as men of the same age.

What woman enjoy about sport:
- safety and escape
- Friends and socialising 
- Challenges and achievement
- Enjoyment
- Fitness and opportunities

Barriers to sport
- time restraint - relationships/part time jobs/ 
- more pressured educational environment
- pressure to be socially accepted 
- less direct parental involvement / support
- Increased body conscousness

Personal reasons
- embarresing, lazy, unfit, not good at sport

Lifestyle reasons
- work, school, money, relationships, parental support, friends

Sporting reasons
- unfriendly team/club, no potential career, lack of players, too competitive, jump to senior league, transport, conveniece, no school links with clubs, lack of coaches, risk of getting hurt, no role models, lack of publicity, lack of support from schools. 


Secondary Research Conclusion.
There is a significant drop in sport participation at the age of 16. It is more prevalent in girls, in particularly Asian women.




Used Sites:
https://www.easm.net/download/2010/052de101bf137be2a6761c0a4d00714c.pdf
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=dIGKcPSE27sC&pg=PA143&lpg=PA143&dq=the+post+16+gap+in+sport&source=bl&ots=rgmm_LbJyx&sig=zoSYAXEAMN1BEU8J3iHTnJ1tbpI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiwis291trYAhVEYVAKHZGZAcIQ6AEILTAB#v=onepage&q=the%20post%2016%20gap%20in%20sport&f=false 
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2005/aug/30/health.olympics2012
https://www.sportengland.org/media/10113/youth-insight-pack.pdf