No images? Click here Your weekly physical activity bulletin12 March 2024 We are working towards improving the health and wellbeing of the nation through sport, exercise and physical activity. For more information on our work visit our website or follow us on X @NCSEM_PAnews Study reveals how sports programmes for young children can combat future youth violenceA study conducted by Loughborough University has examined how sporting interventions aimed at young children can reduce youth crime and violence in London. The research explored and analysed programmes specifically aimed at early years children aged 3-7 in the capital and was led by Loughborough London’s Dr Holly Collison-Randall and Professor Aaron Smith and commissioned by the London Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) in partnership with the Greater London Authority (GLA). Previous research in the sector has consistently shown the power of leveraging sports as a tool for crime prevention and violence reduction. However, little research has examined interventions targeted at children in an early years settings. Making Live Sport Matter: UK Sport's new major event strategic frameworkUK Sport has published its new major event hosting target list for the coming decade. The list, which is accompanied by Making Live Sport Matter, a new major event strategic framework for the UK, targets 70 events in 32 sports and 18 World Championships. Making Live Sport Matter reflects the UK’s ambition to maintain its reputation as a world-leading host nation through securing a programme of events including the most impactful international events in women’s sport, whilst continuing to pioneer the integration of men’s and women’s events and the integration of Olympic and Paralympic sports. 'Ask for Angela' trialled in gyms and leisure centresThe This Girl Can campaign has worked with ukactive, Safer Business Network, the Metropolitan Police Service and the Mayor of London to launch a pilot of the ‘Ask for Angela’ initiative across 11 fitness and leisure centres in south-west London. Lampton Leisure and Anytime Fitness have signed up some of their sites for an eight-week trial of the nationally recognised safety campaign, which was originally designed for licensed hospitality venues. ‘Ask for Angela’ allows people who feel like they are in an unsafe or vulnerable situation to ask staff for help by using the code word ’Angela’. This phrase will indicate to staff that they require discreet help with their situation and a trained member of staff will then look to support and assist them. The campaign aims to help promote safety and wellbeing for anyone who feels vulnerable or who finds themself in an uncomfortable situation, and the organisations behind it want to explore its use in other public settings, starting with the fitness and leisure sector. Aquatic participation amongst ethnic minorities has decreasedAccording to the Black Swimming Association (BSA) rates of participation in aquatic activities have declined since the pandemic and the cost of living crisis. The latest Active Lives data reveals that in England 97% of Black adults and 96% of Asian adults (excluding those who identify as Chinese) do not participate in swimming activities regularly. The new figures show a decline from 2020, which stood at 95% and 93% respectively. In a continued effort to tackle the issue, the BSA has announced the launch of a second entity, Inclusive Aquatics C.I.C. (IA), setup to work in tandem with the award-winning charity, under one umbrella known as The BSA Group. The group aims to work towards a future in aquatics where those from ethnically diverse communities have equitable access to water safety and drowning prevention. Health barriers for girls and women in sportUK women’s sport is experiencing a surge in media coverage and public interest. Breakthrough events such as the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 football championships and the FIFA Women’s World Cup last year are translating into a sustained increase in the profile of women’s sport, not only in football, but across a range of sports, including cricket’s Ashes series and The Hundred and Six Nations rugby. This increased attention has brought into the spotlight the inequality of support for, and lack of understanding of, the health and physiological needs of women and girls across sport. Scrutiny of the ongoing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee injury issue in women’s football has shown that there is systemic gender inequality in sports and exercise research, which is still overwhelmingly conducted by men, looking at issues affecting men. Community of practice members sought for new physical activity for health pathways projectThe partners working on a new project to help create pathways for physical activity in health and care systems are seeking members for five Communities of Practice (CoP) that are currently being set up. The project, which has been created so that a physical activity for health pathways framework and toolkit can be co-designed, is being led by Move Consulting and the Active Partnerships National Organisation. It has been funded by Sport England. It is hoped that the communities of practice will attract applications from people with experience of working for a whole range of organisations including local voluntary sector bodies, public health teams, leisure operators and community activity providers, primary care and other health networks, and Active Partnerships from across the nationwide network. The closing date for expressions of interest is Friday 15 March at 11:45 pm. The weekly physical activity bulletin in a summary of news stories that appear across the physical activity sector. The National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine is not responsible for the content of external sites. You are receiving this email because you signed up to receive it either via the SSEHS Active website or the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine (East Midlands) website. Read our privacy policy. |