Questioning policy, youth participation and lifestyle sports

Abstract

Young people have been identified as a key target group for whom participation in sport and physical activity could have important benefits to health and well-being and consequently have been the focus of several government policies to increase participation in the UK. Lifestyle sports represent one such strategy for encouraging and sustaining new engagements in sport and physical activity in youth groups, however, there is at present a lack of understanding of the use of these activities within policy contexts. This paper presents findings from a government initiative which sought to increase participation in sport for young people through provision of facilities for mountain biking in a forest in south-east England. Findings from qualitative research with 40 young people who participated in mountain biking at the case study location highlight the importance of non-traditional sports as a means to experience the natural environments through forms of consumption which are healthy, active and appeal to their identities. In addition, however, the paper raises questions over the accessibility of schemes for some individuals and social groups, and the ability to incorporate sports which are inherently participant-led into state-managed schemes. Lifestyle sports such as mountain biking involve distinct forms of participation which present a challenge for policy-makers who seek to create and maintain sustainable communities of youth participants.

年轻人被确定为主要的运动参与人，运动对于他们的健康和幸福都有益处并且英国政府也持续的鼓励年轻人多参与体育运动。生活体育是鼓励和支持年轻人开始体育运动和身体活动的策略，但是，目前并缺乏政策背景下对这一策略的理解。本文研究了英格兰东南部政府通过提供山地自行车设施倡导年轻人运动的结果。本文对40个参与本案例山地自行车调查的年轻人的定性研究调查结果发现了非传统的体育运动的重要性， 这是一种健康的、积极的和展示自我的体验自然手段。此外，然而，本文针对个人和社会团体的可进入性， 把体育运动从跟随他人转到自我管理也提出了一些问题。生活体育如山地车涉及不同的参与者，对此，对于政策制定者如何来保持社区的发展提供了挑战。

Keywords:

• lifestyle sports
• youth
• policy
• countryside
• physical activity

关键词:

• 生活体育
• 年轻人
• 政策
• 乡村
• 身体活动

Notes

1. Freeriders were largely a ‘youth’ mountain biking group whose activities were concentrated in the freeride area which included dirt jumps and raised wooden features as opposed to standard trails.

2. Secret spots were often situated on private land and designed and built by the youth mountain biking community. These spaces were often removed by landowners or other users once found.

3. Snaking is an issue over the sharing of space and involves stealing another rider’s line and performing the same trick or cutting in as another rider is ‘dropping in’ for a jump.