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Abstract
Social inclusion remains high on the British government's agenda despite considerable evolution in conceptualizations of the term. This essay re-examines assumptions underpinning the linkage between increased opportunity and greater levels of social inclusion with a particular focus on the role of sports facilities and sporting opportunities. It explores the role of sport in the promotion of social inclusion, drawing on data from a UK-wide, six-year evaluation of the Big Lottery Fund's New Opportunities for PE and Sport programme (NOPES). The essay considers stakeholders' views about the perceived value of the sports facilities funded through the NOPES programme in providing increased opportunities for active citizens to engage in and explores some of the ways in which increased participation has been achieved through seeking to overcome barriers to participation. Ultimately, the essay questions the widely held assumption that social inclusion will follow directly from increased opportunity for participation through increased sporting opportunity.
Notes
1 CitationDriver and Martell, New Labour.
2 CitationSEU, National Strategy.
3 CitationSEU, National Strategy
4 Collins, Sport and Social Inclusion.
5 CitationEuropean Commission, Report on Social Inclusion, 3.
6 CitationSEU, Social Exclusion, 2.
7 CitationCoalter, ‘Sports Clubs’, 544.
8 See, for example, CitationDCMS, A Sporting Future; CitationDCMS, Game Plan; CitationSport England, Delivering Best Value; CitationThe Central Council of Physical Recreation, Everybody Wins.
9 CitationJarvie, Sport, Culture.
10 CitationSport England, Sport Playing its Part.
11 Coalter, ‘Sports Clubs’.
12 DCMS, Game Plan.
13 CitationSEU, Bringing Britain Together.
14 CitationDCMS, Policy Action Team 10.
15 CitationScrambler, Sport and Society.
16 CitationDCMS, Annual Report 2008; CitationDfES, Youth Matters; CitationEdwards, Franklin and Holland, Families and Social Capital.
17 DCMS, Policy Action Team 10.
18 Coalter, Allison and Taylor, The Role of Sport; CitationSport England, Sport and Regeneration.
19 CitationRichardson and Mumford, ‘Community, Neighbourhood’.
20 See, for example, DCMS, Policy Action Team 10; DCMS, A Sporting Future for All; DCMS, Game Plan.
21 CitationCoakley, Sports in Society.
22 CitationBig Lottery Fund, New Opportunities.
23 Education and Library Boards in Northern Ireland.
24 The research team returned three years post opening where this was possible given the time frame of the evaluation.
25 Richardson and Mumford, ‘Community, Neighbourhood’.
26 DCMS, Game Plan; Collins, Sport and Social Inclusion.
27 CitationSport England, The Framework for Sport.
28 Coalter, ‘Sports Clubs’; SEU, National Strategy.
29 Jarvie, Sport, Culture and Society.
30 Sarceno, ‘Social Exclusion’, 2.
31 Davis and Hill, ‘Introduction’.
32 Coalter, ‘Sports Clubs’.