The charity Made by Sport is urging British business to invest in community sport to tackle the challenges facing young people in modern society, reinforcing the Coalition’s key message that this is an 'open goal’ for Government and business alike.
Made by Sport, which is an official partner of the Coalition, has produced a report which demonstrates how investment into community sport has a significant benefit for young people and their communities. However it states that only 0.5% of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity at FTSE 100 firms target sport for good charities despite the higher 'social return on investment' (SROI) sport for good delivers.
SOLUTIONS
‘Sport for good’, or sport for development, is any sport and physical activity intervention which generates targeted social outcomes such as better mental health, improved life skills, or stronger communities. The 'State of Play' report aligns closely with the Coalition’s ‘Open Goal’ campaign which is set to launch on April 6th, the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, and seeks to provide solutions for the UK Government’s Levelling Up strategy.
The situation for young people in the UK is concerning, with 5.2million (50%) expected to be living in poverty in 2022 and 83% reporting their mental health has been affected by the pandemic. One in five young people (21%) have experienced suicidal thoughts, rising to 28% in those not in education, employment or training with almost half not feeling prepared to enter the workforce. Made by Sport reports that nine out of 10 people who have participated in a sporting activity think sport can play a role in improving their mental health and, like the 200-plus charities and organisations across the Coalition's UK-wide network, it believes there exists an exciting opportunity for different sectors to come together, support and supplement key policies such as the Levelling Up agenda and Sport England's new 10-year 'Uniting the Movement' strategy which aims to tackle inequalities across the regions.
The State of Play impacts and insights indicator report states the average SROI for ‘sport for good’ is £6 for every £1 spent, compared to £4 for every £1 spent on participation in sport.
Sophie Mason, Chief Executive of Made by Sport, says too often sport for development is overlooked as a solution to some of society’s biggest issues. She added: “It’s now time for British business to help society to address the significant challenges austerity and the pandemic have caused so that future generations can thrive and positively contribute to society.
COALITION
“At Made by Sport we have seen first hand the power that sport can have to change the course of young lives, providing life skills that help to build better and stronger futures through our work with a coalition of like-minded organisations who are dedicated to delivering authentic social responsibility.
“This is an open goal for British business where everyone benefits; from the young people themselves and their communities. Made by Sport has established large-scale partnerships that have made a real difference to distribute grants quickly and effectively at a national and local level and helped over 1500 clubs through the uncertainty of Covid-19.”
For more information, visit madebysport.com
