case study19

B e s t P r a c t i c e F a c t s f o r D o o r s t e p S p o r t

Background

StreetGames is working together with Badminton England

to provide a series of pilot interventions aimed at

attracting participants aged 16-19 years from

disadvantaged areas.

What has happened?

The initial 10 week pilot projects were run through a

number of existing StreetGames projects including

Stoke-on-Trent, East Birmingham and Harrow.

The interventions provided new weekly badminton

sessions within a doorstep sport setting in a partnership

between Badminton England, StreetGames, accredited

Badminton clubs, and local StreetGames projects.

Badminton England helped to provide the funding required

to run the sessions (facilities/coaches), equipment where

required and assistance in sourcing coaches for the

sessions.

The key focus of the sessions was to provide

opportunities for teenagers within disadvantaged areas

to learn new skills and have fun playing badminton with

friends; with sessions delivered by qualified coaches who

were chosen because of their interest and empathy with

the target youth market.

The pilot projects were able to attract participants who

are traditionally hard to engage (including NEETs and

referrals from NACRO) and local feedback has been

positive.

Report Subject: Badminton England

Title: Developing Badminton in disadvantaged communities

B a c k g r o u n d F a c t s f o r D o o r s t e p S p o r t

In addition, StreetGames monitoring data highlighted that

the pilot projects helped contribute to a significant

increase in badminton attendances. Increasing from just

225 during year 3 to over 2,000 badminton attendances

during year 4 (October 2009- September 2010).

The facilities used for both the Birmingham and Harrow

pilot projects have become part of the ‘No Strings

Badminton’ network thus offering a sustainable exit route

for participants from the coached sessions and elsewhere.

The ‘No Strings’ programme provides participants with an

opportunity to play in an informal environment, with no

joining fee, no membership fee and no partner required –

so that participants can simply turn up and play. For more

information visit www.nostringsbadminton.co.uk.

In Stoke-on-Trent, it is proposed that badminton will

become a regular feature on the StreetGames programme

either via badminton specific or within multi-sports

sessions.

Furthermore, the pilot projects also helped to develop

new links between local StreetGames projects and

Badminton England staff.

Key Success Factors and Lessons

Learnt

The Pilot projects highlighted the importance of the

following factors:

• The need for community based promotion and outreach

work to engage participants.

• The need for investment/development within the local

infrastructure to enable sessions to be sustainable

long-term and the importance of providing the ‘right’

coaches to run sessions.

• That delivery staff needed to be equipped with ‘right’

skills and a flexible approach to appeal to those attending.

To ensure a balance of coaching and gameplay pitched at

an appropriate level, together with opportunities for the

group to make friends and have fun.

• The importance of using local community venues to

host sessions, that are easily accessible on foot.

• The importance of providing sessions at a time of day

which most suits participants to avoid ‘clashes’ with

child/home care responsibilities.

• The value of support and partnership work with

relevant local organisations (such as NACRO) who were

able to proactively promote the activity and encourage

participation.

• The value of using incentives/rewards to encourage

regular attendance. In Harrow for example, a membership

incentive scheme was set up, with participants who attend

regularly being offered a free session.

• The need to provide access to relevant equipment for

participants to use.

B a c k g r o u n d F a c t s f o r D o o r s t e p S p o r t

StreetGamesStreetGames is a national partner of Sport England and a centre of expertise for developing doorstep sport in disadvantaged communities.

The charity supports community based sports projects that deliver sport and volunteering opportunities to young people living in the 20%

most deprived wards in the UK.

StreetGames works with National Governing Bodies of Sport to establish and develop links between community and mainstream sport.

Recognised by the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games Inspire Mark, StreetGames is creating a lasting legacy of doorstep sport in

the UK.