On the eve of the Rugby League World Cup, Sport for Development Coalition member Access Sport has announced it is working with the RFL to increase participation in the sport among disabled people and young people, and those with long-term health conditions. ‘Tryz RL’ is a fun and inclusive way to explore the game which will be delivered in partnership with the charity across England. In this article, Arif Islam speaks to five other charities partnering with NGBs (national governing bodies) to engage with under-represented groups and help tackle inequalities, and highlights how they are supporting the Coalition's #OpenGoal framework.
The Changing Room
Delivered in partnership with the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH), the Scottish Professional Football League Trust and SPFL clubs. The project, which is funded by the is funded by the Movember Foundation, supports middle-aged men through a 12-week programme which uses the power of football to tackle poor mental health. SPFL clubs delivering The Changing Room include Aberdeen, Albion Rovers, Alloa, Annan Athletic, Clyde, Cowdenbeath, Dundee, Dunfermline, East Fife, Falkirk, Heart of Midlothian, Hibernian, Livingston, Montrose, Morton, Motherwell, Peterhead, Queen’s Park, Rangers, Ross Country and St Mirren. Such has been the success of the project that earlier this year the Scottish Government announced four community trusts will deliver an extended version of the programme ‘The Changing Room – Extra Time’.
Nicky Reid, Chief Executive of the SPFL Trust, told the Coalition: "We're proud to work with our partners SAMH, football clubs and their associated community trusts across Scotland to deliver The Changing Room. It's a really important project that uses the power of football, and its unique ability to connect people to start conversations about mental health. In Scotland, we know that suicide is the biggest killer of men in their middle years, and that men are three times more likely to die by suicide than women. This is why it's so important to reach this group, and make sure they know that it's okay to open up. The Changing Room creates a space for these men, and since the project began, we've seen first hand what a positive impact it has had."
#OpenGoal outcomes: Improved health and wellbeing.
Muslim Girls Fence
A project which began in schools in 2015 before spreading to communities across the country, Muslim Girls Fence is a collaboration between British Fencing and Maslaha, the charity which seeks to challenge and change the conditions that create inequalities in Muslim communities. It aims to improve the levels of fitness and wellbeing while challenging perceptions of Muslim women in mainstream media. Creating safe spaces for Muslim and non-Muslim women and girls alike to express themselves both physically and creatively is particularly important in the UK. Muslim women are disproportionately excluded from sport and almost 50% of Muslim families in the UK live in the top 10% most deprived areas.
Sahra Mohamed, Head of Delivery at Maslaha, explained: “In terms of the Muslim community, fencing just ticks a lot of boxes. For example, the dress code means (women and girls) don't have to worry about what they have to wear. Also it really changes the culture across the school because the project isn't just aimed at Muslim girls, it's open to non-Muslim girls as well. Having those conversations, with the teachers involved, starts conversations about racism, discrimination and Islamophobia which perhaps, if you are not Muslim, you wouldn't be privy to.” Virginia Bailey, Participation Director at British Fencing, added: “As soon as the girls start, we ask them to write on a piece of paper what words would you associated with fencing? You get words like ‘rich’ and ‘posh’, or for white middle class men. We ask them to do it the end and we get words like ‘fun’, ‘engaging’, ‘exciting’ and ‘powerful’. You don’t just see changing perceptions of the sport, but also their expression of it because fencing is creative.”
#OpenGoal outcomes: Stronger communities and social cohesion.
Flyerz hockey
Flyerz hockey is another collaborative project from Coalition member Access Sport, which partnered with Waltham Forest Hockey Club in 2011 to create the first fully inclusive hockey sessions in England, named ‘Forest Flyerz’ which later inspired ‘Flyerz’ hockey overall. There are now more than 50 Flyerz sessions across England, Wales, and Scotland, and the charity continue to work with national governing bodies to support hockey clubs in starting their own Flyerz sessions, providing them with the tools and resources they need to become inclusive of disabled individuals. Access Sport provide funding, upskill volunteers through their Disability Inclusion Course and connect new clubs with Flyerz specialists across the country who provide expert advice.
Adam Bone, Changing Sports Manager for Access Sport, explained: “We believe it is fundamental that no-one should be excluded from the transformational benefits of community sport. The benefits are to physical and mental health and wellbeing, personal development, a sense of belonging and community engagement. Currently, people are excluded from those things, so it is not enough to simply be passive or just assume that you are being inclusive through your regular activities.” Adam added: “The injection of support and resource from funders like Spirit of 2012 and England Hockey themselves really helped us to scale up, share learnings and create resources that can be shared among the clubs. I think the best way to create lasting systemic change is to pair that bottom-up grassroots club delivery with top-down national governing body support and endorsement and then you can see the whole picture. It is very tough at grassroots level because you can only affect what you can control, and we recognise that there is a gap within the provision and support of grassroots sport for disabled people. We are very deliberate about working directly with clubs, as they are the best placed people to offer this opportunity. They are experts at what they do, and they are amazing. They are the lifeblood that drives it, and it is up to us and others to support them.”
#OpenGoal outcomes: Improved health and wellbeing.
RFL and Community Integrated Care
Since 2016, the Rugby Football League has partnered with Community Integrated Care, which is one of the UK’s largest social care charities. It supports more than 3,000 people with learning disabilities, autism, mental health concerns and dementia. Community Integrated Care has developed numerous innovative programmes with the sport at both local and national levels. This includes the creation of the world-first Community Integrated Care Learning Disability Super League and the Rugby League World Cup Inclusive Volunteering programmes. The Super League has given more than 300 people with learning disabilities or autism the chance to play for the clubs they love through an adapted form of rugby league, while the volunteering programme has supported more than 350 people to access mentoring, support and opportunities.
Chris Godfrey, Social and Inclusion Manager at Community Integrated Care, explained: “Rugby league offers teamwork and resilience within the Learning Disability Super League. At its core rugby league is a hard sport not because it's macho and tough, but because the stresses and strains that it puts on you. The resilience you require to continue to participate, whether that be amateur or professional, is massive.” He added: “They get to feel like they're representing not only a team, but the professional team from their region. Many are lifelong fans of that club, so it is very impactful. The clubs also treat the participants as though they are an extension of the first-team squad. Testimony to that is the participant pool - we've got so many of them interacting, whether in employment part-time, full-time or voluntary. But more than anything, how those individuals can reduce costs whether that be in healthcare, supported living or unemployment is what we are seeking to impact through playing a sport for fun.”
#OpenGoal outcomes: Stronger communities and social cohesion.
Mind and EFL
Between 2018 and 2022, the national mental health charity Mind partnered with the English Football League (EFL) to raise awareness of mental health. The campaign was supported by clubs, players, staff and fans who contributed to sustained culture change. It reached 18million people and has seen a significant increase in the awareness of mental health among football fans. Many fans have come forward to speak to Mind about their own mental health and how the partnership has given them permission to either seek help and support or to talk to other people. In addition, around 2,600 members of staff have been trained in mental health awareness. To coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week in May, a joint exhibition celebrated the four years of collaboration at the National Football Museum in Manchester.
Hayley Jarvis, Head of Physical Activity for Mind, told the Coalition: “We really wanted to use the platform of football to raise awareness of mental health, with fans and the wider public. To raise money for Mind to deliver our lifechanging services, but also to really improve the approach to mental health in the EFL and in the clubs themselves. Recognising the power that football has in bringing people together and to tackle stigma. A quarter of people are inspired to go out and get their own help for their mental health struggles upon hearing a celebrity or sports person speaking out.” Hayley added: “For Mind it was about leaving a footprint in local communities. The EFL has 72 football clubs, and 72 Community Club Organisations, meaning we were able to match together local Mind branches and the CCO to deliver meaningful services. I think it’s helped to really normalise the conversations about mental health. We saw conversations around the women’s Euros talking about mental health very openly. I don't think a day goes by where there is not a mental health conversation in elite sport.”
#OpenGoal outcomes: Impoved health and wellbeing.
