Developing workreadiness; a Glasgow housing association sports-based intervention

ABSTRACT

The contribution of sport-based interventions to individual, societal and cultural development has been debated extensively since 2007. Community organisations increasingly employ these programmes to develop participant aspirations and employment choices. Housing Associations are one of the agencies to utilise this approach and there is a growing academic acknowledgement of the value of sport and physical activity to this work. This article examines a Glasgow Housing Association project using rugby to promote the personal development of unemployed individuals, combining employability and behaviour change approaches. Consisting of end of programme focus groups and interviews of four cohorts of the programme, the article investigates potential improvements in work readiness. The Housing Association plays a unique role in driving forward the intervention. Participants perceived an increased sense of belonging, autonomy, relatedness and competencies required for future employment. The programme provides a key step towards work readiness, benefitting individuals and the Housing Association community investment activities.

KEYWORDS:

• Social inclusion
• sport development
• employability
• Housing Associations
• worklessness

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

ORCID

Catherine Mary Walker http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9450-3191