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Sport England to use extra £24m to help young people get more active Sport England to use extra £24m to help young people get more active
(6 months later)
Sport England, the government quango that invests £100m a year in grass-roots sport, is to pour an extra £24m into a programme designed to get teenagers and young adults involved in new sports.Sport England, the government quango that invests £100m a year in grass-roots sport, is to pour an extra £24m into a programme designed to get teenagers and young adults involved in new sports.
The Sportivate scheme, part of a wider attempt to deliver on promises to use the £9.3bn invested in hosting the London Olympics to inspire more people to become more active, is designed to help teenagers and young people find a sport that is right for them.The Sportivate scheme, part of a wider attempt to deliver on promises to use the £9.3bn invested in hosting the London Olympics to inspire more people to become more active, is designed to help teenagers and young people find a sport that is right for them.
The additional investment, which comes from the National Lottery, will allow Sport England to top up the £8m already announced over the next two years to £10m per year and extend the scheme for a further two years to 2017.The additional investment, which comes from the National Lottery, will allow Sport England to top up the £8m already announced over the next two years to £10m per year and extend the scheme for a further two years to 2017.
It said that 190,000 14- to 25-year-olds had already benefited from free or discounted six- to eight-week sports courses in a wide range of activities, including more unusual activities such as wakeboarding and parkour. Of those, 156,547 have successfully completed their courses and the majority had continued to play the sport three months later.It said that 190,000 14- to 25-year-olds had already benefited from free or discounted six- to eight-week sports courses in a wide range of activities, including more unusual activities such as wakeboarding and parkour. Of those, 156,547 have successfully completed their courses and the majority had continued to play the sport three months later.
The government claims Sport England's strategy, and recent figures showing an uplift in the number of adults playing sport at least once a week, demonstrate that its investment is paying off. But there are fears that widespread local authority cuts added to the pressure felt by local clubs staffed by overburdened volunteers could undermine progress made by Sport England.The government claims Sport England's strategy, and recent figures showing an uplift in the number of adults playing sport at least once a week, demonstrate that its investment is paying off. But there are fears that widespread local authority cuts added to the pressure felt by local clubs staffed by overburdened volunteers could undermine progress made by Sport England.
"The number of people playing sport is on the rise, which is really good news. We are determined to leave a lasting legacy from London's Games, and Sportivate is playing a key part in that," said Sport England's chief executive, Jennie Price. "It's really important we keep the momentum going and help even more young people develop a sporting habit for life.""The number of people playing sport is on the rise, which is really good news. We are determined to leave a lasting legacy from London's Games, and Sportivate is playing a key part in that," said Sport England's chief executive, Jennie Price. "It's really important we keep the momentum going and help even more young people develop a sporting habit for life."
Sport England will invest around £100m in grass-roots sport this year as changes to the way Lottery money is distributed deliver more cash. The quango is due to announce a new chairman, expected to be the former Paralympic athlete Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, imminently.Sport England will invest around £100m in grass-roots sport this year as changes to the way Lottery money is distributed deliver more cash. The quango is due to announce a new chairman, expected to be the former Paralympic athlete Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, imminently.
Under a new strategy it is supposed to target two-thirds of its investment at 14- to 25-year-olds, attempting to address a serious drop off in sporting activity when young people leave school and to build better links between clubs, schools and the wider community.Under a new strategy it is supposed to target two-thirds of its investment at 14- to 25-year-olds, attempting to address a serious drop off in sporting activity when young people leave school and to build better links between clubs, schools and the wider community.
The cyclist Joanna Rowsell, who will attend an event with the culture secretary Maria Miller at a wakeboarding park in Essex to mark the announcement, said: "It's fantastic that Sportivate is helping so many young people to discover a new sport. I only started cycling when I was 15 and it changed my life. Sport can be amazing if you find the one that's right for you. Whether you want to get serious about it or concentrate on the fun of taking part, Sportivate can help you to get involved."The cyclist Joanna Rowsell, who will attend an event with the culture secretary Maria Miller at a wakeboarding park in Essex to mark the announcement, said: "It's fantastic that Sportivate is helping so many young people to discover a new sport. I only started cycling when I was 15 and it changed my life. Sport can be amazing if you find the one that's right for you. Whether you want to get serious about it or concentrate on the fun of taking part, Sportivate can help you to get involved."
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