Disabled people Sport and physical activity Young people
My Sport, My Voice!
Nationwide
StreetGames
This project is now complete
Bringing the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2014 to local disadvantaged areas for young people through pop-up sports clubs
The project in numbers
£185,362
Project spend
April 2014 – October 2014
Project duration
Visit Street Games website
For further information
Just two years after London 2012, and less than a year after Spirit of 2012 was founded, the UK was playing host to a second sporting megaevent – the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. As Spirit developed our theory of change and long-term strategy for our endowment, we knew we wanted to put inspiring young people at the heart of our endowment.
We approached StreetGames to see how we might support their plans around Glasgow 2014, soliciting an application for Pop Up Games around the country, and Camp Glasgow. The project built on StreetGames’ successful Give & Go legacy programme from London 2012.
Project aims
- Support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to attend the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, combining tickets with an outdoor residential
- To deliver 200 Commonwealth Games Pop Up Clubs in disadvantaged areas across the UK to inspire and reinforce participation in sport by between 5,000 and 10,000 disadvantaged young people.
- To create a legacy of youth volunteering in sport with over 150 disadvantaged young people being supported to volunteer in the delivery of the Commonwealth Games visit and residential and the Commonwealth Games Pop Up Clubs.
At the Spirit of 2012 Trust we want to ensure that neighbourhoods across the country get to feel the excitement of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. StreetGames has the network to reach all corners of the UK and the experience to make sport fun and accessible to all. I am proud that this partnership is part of Spirit’s first major investment.
Debbie Lye
Former Chief Executive, Spirit of 2012
Impact
Camp Glasgow reached 521 young campers, from 63 locations. A further 12000 took part in the Pop Up Games supported by 281 young volunteers.
Camp Glasgow was an important part of a broader set of activities to widen access to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. (Check out Casting On for another example – this time about opening up volunteering opportunities to low income residents). Attendance at major events can be out of reach for many people, and we need to ensure participation is more reflective of the whole of the UK. Young attendees, 61% of who had never been to a major event before, also benefited from the wide range of additional activities as well as 1099 Commonwealth Games tickets. The event allowed young people from all parts of the UK to meet and make friends with one another. Feedback included, ‘Each and every second was an unforgettable experience that I will be telling my children and hopefully their children to come – bring on the next adventure” and ‘Every aspect of this trip was amazing – loads of memories to take back to South Wales with me.”
The logistical challenges in bringing young people to Glasgow were significant. StreetGames had originally planned to reach 1000 young people for the Camps, so the 521 campers plus 91 local attendees was some way short of this initial target. However, those who did stay, tending to stay longer than planned (3 rather than 2 days).
StreetGames was also able to offer a rich volunteering experience for 17 Young Advisors who supported throughout the camps, many of whom gained formal qualifications and have plans to work in the sports sector in the future.
Alongside the Camp, which brought young people from across the UK to Glasgow, were the Pop Up Clubs which brought the Commonwealth Games to different parts of the UK. Projects such as this are similar to the Baton and Torch relays of the Commonwealth and Olympic Games, allowing other parts of the UK to capitalise on the inspiration of a major event by attending local activities. There were 1441 sessions and more than 3000 hours’ worth of physical activity across 200 locations. Pop Up locations received kit bags, with resources for five different sports that could be used by the community projects over the long term.
Check back soon for learning, evaluation reports and toolkits.