IMPROVING THE EVIDENCE BASE

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IMPROVING THE EVIDENCE BASE
Critical success factors in developing and
implementing community sport policy

• Paul Donnelly
• Policy, Planning Research Manager
• Sport Northern Ireland
• 4 March 2008

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Overview of Presentation

• Background and Rationale
• Quantitative Research
• Qualitative Research
• Case Study
• Key Challenges
• Critical Success Factors

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Questions to Consider

• Creating or Confirming Model Citizens?
• Evaluating Success or Failure?

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1. Background Rationale (1)
We know of no single intervention with greater
promise than physical exercise to reduce the risk
of virtually all chronic diseases
simultaneously Booth et al (2000) Journal of
Applied Physiology 88 747-787
There are few public health initiatives that
have greater potential for improving health and
well-being than increasing activity
levels Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief
Medical Officer, DoH
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1. Background Rationale (2)

• Declining Levels of Participation
• Women, Older People, Ethnic Minorities, People
  with Disabilities, People in disadvantaged areas
• Armchair Fans
• Obesity
• Less Active at Work/Longer working hours
• Children less active during and after-school
• Volunteering
• Base shrinking
• Lack knowledge, skills and understanding
• Employment
• Few full time Sports Development professionals

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1. Background Rationale (3)

• Strategic Business Case
• Part Successful
• Pilot Community Sport Programme
• 600,000
• Scoping Exercise
• 6 Projects Identified
• Moyle, Derry, Ballymena, Newtownabbey, East
  Belfast Disability Sport NI

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1. Background Rationale (4)

• NICSP Aims
• To improve health and well being of individuals
  and to help build community cohesion through the
  increased and sustained participation of
  children, young people and adults in sport and
  physical activity in areas of high social need
  and groups traditionally marginalised in sport
  and physical activity

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2. Quantitative Research (1)

• Longitudinal design
• Phase I
• Baseline data gathered in Phase I from 777
  respondents to questionnaire survey.
• Physiological testing of 244 individuals on the
  CSP.
• Phase II
• 'Re-test' of the Phase I survey respondents, and
  those who undertook physiological testing.
• Aim to compare the Phase I and Phase II results
  to identify any behavioural or physiological
  changes.

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2. Quantitative Research (2)
Nature of the Sample
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2. Quantitative Research (3)

• Programme Evaluation
• Levels of physical activity
• Self perceptions of activity and health
• Alcohol and smoking levels
• Fruit and vegetable consumption
• Involvement in local community
• Self esteem ratings

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2. Quantitative Research (4)
Expected v Actual Findings
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3. Qualitative Research (1)

• Final Evaluation Why more research?
• Dissemination of survey findings to stakeholders
• 'Broad brush' standardised survey design didn't
  reflect all successes
• - enhanced infrastructure
• - building trust
• - greater community cohesion
• - partnership working
• - feel good factor
• - life changing impact but on small scale

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3. Qualitative Research (2)

• Bespoke intervention-specific research
• Qualitative methods
• The research was a three-part process
• 1. A review of all project specific information
• 2. A comprehensive stakeholder survey (using
  semi-structured telephone interviews focus
  groups)
• 3. Two in-depth case studies

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4. Case Studies

• Small, but important steps
• Moyle CSP
• Small rural area - Armoy
• Local activity programme for women
• Co-ordinator's chance engagement with two obese
  women
• Basic health check
• Embarrassment
• Trust and confidence
• Actively involved

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5. Key Challenges

• Timescale too short - funding for a 3 year period
  but in reality CSDOs had only 2 years to make a
  difference.
• Funding scaled down from 5million over 5 year
  period to 600,000 over 3 year period (in reality
  2yrs!!) but project aims not scaled down
  accordingly.
• Quality v Quantity what should be the focus?
• Expectations unrealistic what can be achieved?
• Lack of ownership / empowerment
• Lack of partnerships / holistic approach
• Lack of foundation / poor infrastructure

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6. Critical Success Factors

• Charismatic leadership
• A bespoke approach
• Realistic and focused targets
• Finding the right approach
• Increasing the duration of funding
• Effective monitoring and evaluation
• Community focused approach
• CSDO capacity
• Strong partnerships / integrated approach

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More details

• Available
• www.sportni.net
• outside
• Thanks!!!

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• Paul Donnelly
• Sport Northern Ireland
• Tel [phone]
• pauldonnelly_at_sportni.net
• Maxine Barlow, Darryl Wilson, Richard Coleman
  Simon Shibli
• Sport Industry Research Centre
• Sheffield Hallam University
• Tel [phone]
• E-mail sirc_at_shu.ac.uk