Important issues when designing strategies to increase participation of minority ethnic groups in PA (United Kingdom)
After the second world war, the United Kingdom witnessed a large immigration influx for multiple purposes where the majority of immigrants came from the CommonWealth countries leading to an expansion of non-white communities and to ultimately a formation of ethnic minorities across the UK (Messina, 2001). This phenomenon triggered concerns about the social cohesion as racial disrcimnation was permeated resulting in tensions among individuals. Therefore, the government established in response a link between sport and its policies as a tool for integration in order to overcome these social perturbations. Some evidence such as the promotion of the Equality Standard and the foundation of Sporting Equals in 1998 demonstrated positive attempts to curb inequality, which remained proportionally efficient (Long et al, 2009). Thus, a structural change was indispensable to increase participation of all minorities ethnic groups in sport and physical activity through precise designed strategies. The aim of this essay is to discuss and analyse the issues needed to be in consideration when forging a strategy to target higher participation rates among these groups.
Primarily, when designing strategies and sports policies, the outcomes must be crystal clear and broadly shared across the sector. This will comprehensively urge sports governing bodies and organisations to achieve the targeted goals (HM Government, 2015). A strategy to increase participation in sport and physical activity for all minority ethnic is forged to produce all types of positive social impacts, such as curbing historical anti-social behaviours, reducing ethnic tensions and enhancing community development, involvement and connectedness (Taylor et al, 2015). It is imperative to plan the outputs and actions for these outcomes’ accomplishment. Accordingly, tackling inactivity of minority ethnic is still required despite the slow progress where recent figures from Adult Active Lives surveys for the period of November 2017 to November 2018 showed that Black, South Asian and other ethnic minority groups registered low rates of physical activity compared to others. Volunteers from these groups represented only 11% with 84% volunteers from British white groups and 4% from white other ethnic groups (Sport England, 2020). The historical barriers are a key factor for the underrepresentation of all ethnic minorities and significantly led to a negative participation experience compared with more than a double in comparison to white ethnic groups as Sport and Recreation Alliance (2018) found. The analysis of these figures emphasises on the existence of misunderstanding towards these communities expectations and needs from physical activity. it is more utilitarian to deeply challenge the causes of racial exclusion of all minorities ethnic when attempting to increase their participation (Hylton et al, 2015).The idea of targeting deeper understanding is fundamental and should be based on gaining more knowledge and information on an individual basis as these groups are not homogenous. Considering each community’s cultural, socio-economic or demographic profile is important to facilitate access and encourage participation (Inclusive Boards Ltd, 2019). As a result, challenging the underlying causes and barriers of participation will be more efficient. A deep understanding will lead to a better optimisation of the available resources, stimulating ultimately the commitment of national, local and regional agencies for an appropriate delivery of the strategy with higher levels of transparency (Sporting Equals, 2005). Additionally, despite being represented in collective sport activities the absence of minority ethnic in managerial and leading positions such as coaches, administrators and managers is apparent (CS, p.1). Ensuring the inclusion of members from all ethnic minority groups at board levels, in sports governance and decision making is a significant factor to help in representing and addressing their needs and priorities (Inclusive Boards Ltd, 2019). For example, In 2018 only 5% are identified in managerial positions from Black and minorities ethnic within UK Sport and Sport England funded organisations in addition to 5% who are declared disabled and to a remarkable gender gap (IBID). This process is effective to achieve structural changes and eradicate some forms of institutional racism which allows some stakeholders and policy makers to keep reluctant to the inclusion of ethnic minorities. The recreational sport’s response to the unequal participation was generally positive over the last decades, however more efficiency is needed. Relying on volunteering with encouraging diversity in all its types is dramatically crucial to urge all minority ethnic communities to engage in sports and physical activity. This will create more opportunities for them to enable, inspire and support others to become involved. Sport England for instance used volunteering with the contribution of all the sector’s NGBs and organisations as a tool to achieve its strategy’s outcomes (Sport England, 2016). Likewise, taking sports to the mass market will create more practical solutions for underrepresented ethnic groups. A combined investment of sports organisations’ effort is critically important to stimulate more changes rendering participation easier and more attractive (IBID). The “Achieving Racial Equality: A standard for sport” published by the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) demonstrated an emphasis on considering actions’ implementation and their evidence rather than mentioning the need for equality. The verified, recorded and analysed evidence for the purpose of assessing the impacts of the envisaged strategies are essential requirements to the sports organisations and governing bodies.
Knowing whether actions are working or not and understanding the sources of inabilities to alter social attitudes is a significant issue to increase all minority ethnic participation (Sporting Equals, 2000). Additionally, the Preliminary, Intermediate and Advanced Levels included in the standard are all forms of measuring the outcomes of the sports governance and policies. This point is essential to create positive consequences such as strengthening the commitment to racial equality and improving strategies’ efficiency (IBID). Furthermore, the analysis of “Sporting Future: A New Strategy for an Active Nation” emphasised on the importance of considering accurate measurement in strategies. Developing Active Lives Surveys for instance strengthened the efficiency in identifying limitations, barriers and improvements areas (HM Government, 2015). Besides that, The Code for Sports Governance Illustrated mandatory requirements and thresholds for NGBs and sports organisations to obtain investments. The reliance of benchmarking approaches is important to insist on the increasing participation. The introducedTier 3 requirements for example included a minimum 30% of each gender involvement on its board and a greater diversity at boards levels for Black, Asian, minority ethnic (BAME) and disability (Sport England, 2016).This process has a significant role in urging sports’ organisations and NGBs to diminish participation’s barriers and embrace inclusivity.
To Conclude, when designing strategies to increase the participation of all minority ethnic groups in sports and physical activity, it is dramatically essential to establish a framework for their execution. Putting outcomes at the forefront is a key factor to shift NGBs and sports organisations’ work towards achieving them. Hence, the policies to increase participation must be built depending on deeply understanding the experiences of all underrepresented ethnic minority groups and addressing their needs and priorities. All factors from socio-economic, cultural, and demographical must be taken into account when attempting to tackle the causes of these racialised discriminations and exclusions. This process has shown certain limitations despite a slow progress over the recent decades due lack of diversity in sports at board levels and the reluctance of some stakeholders. However, targeting inclusion of all minorities ethnic in decision making and sports policies setting is practical as it provides deeper understanding of participation’s barrier and higher representations of these groups. This will lead to a constructional change improving the institutional commitment of national, regional and local agencies in collaboration with sports governing bodies, clubs and organisations towards achieving equality. Therefore, to ensure the efficiency of these procedures, it is critical to accurately consider measurement’s approaches and evaluation systems in order to continuously identify areas of inefficiency and improvements through understanding the impacts against the outcomes of the strategy.
References:
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