At the heart of the Sporting Future: A New Strategy for an Active Nation sit five fundamental outcomes that will shape how the government funds sport and sporting projects over the next decade.
The five outcomes are:
• Physical Health
• Mental Health
• Individual Development
• Social and Community Development
• Economic Development
The move will see Sport England’s remit changed from investing in sport for those aged 14 and over to supporting people from five years old right through to pensioners, in a bid to create a more active nation.
Investment will be targeted at sport projects that have a meaningful, measurable impact on how they are improving people’s lives – from helping young people gain skills to get into work, to tackling social inclusion and improving physical and mental health.
Funding will also be targeted at groups who have low participation rates to encourage those who do not take part in sport and physical activity to get involved. As part of this, Sport England will set up a new fund in 2016 to get inactive people physically active and will support and measure participation in a wider context than has been previously been used in its Active People Survey.
Also included in the strategy is the commitment that UK Sport and Sport England, along with the other Home Nation Sports Councils, will agree a new UK wide sports governance code by September 2016. The strategy document says the code will be mandatory for all sports bodies that want to receive public funding from 2017.
Commenting upon the strategy, Emma Boggis, Chief Executive of the Sport and Recreation Alliance, said, "The strategy is an important and welcome step forward on a number of fronts. We particularly welcome the emphasis on the social value of sport which all of our members deliver week in week out from the grassroots game to elite performance. Ministers and the sports sector agree that the good work which is already going on needs to be measured more effectively and that the government can work in a more joined-up way to support it."
"The strategy shows that ministers have been listening to the sector and reflecting on some of the wider activity which the Alliance and its members have been engaged in. It is good to see the Strategy reflects the benefits of outdoor recreation, the importance of good Governance, and the contribution made by the Voluntary Code on Broadcasting. Building on the success of the Get Your Kit on Campaign, it is clear that the sector has been successful in making its case heard and in ensuring that it is fit for the future."
"The outcome of the Spending Review and the content of the strategy are both good news for the sector. Sport England's new strategy will tell us more about how the goals will be met. We want our members to be at the heart of those plans."
Sports Minister Tracey Crouch said, "Sport has an incredible power to do social good and that is what our new strategy is all about. We will invest in sport and physical activity that shows how it can have a positive impact on people’s lives, how it brings communities together while ensuring it continues to make a significant contribution to the economy too."
Download the full strategy document here.
