Strategies to Improve Participation

This lesson covers the strategies used to increase participation in sport and physical activity as required by the OCR GCSE PE specification (J587, Section 2.3). OCR expects you to understand the concepts of promotion, provision, and access, and to know the roles of key organisations including Sport England, National Governing Bodies (NGBs), and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). This is a frequently examined area of OCR Paper 2.

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The Three Key Strategies

1. Promotion

Definition: Raising awareness of sporting opportunities and encouraging people to take part.

Method	Example
Campaigns	Sport England's "This Girl Can" campaign encouraging women to be active regardless of ability or appearance
Social media	NGBs using Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter to reach younger audiences
School initiatives	The School Games programme offering competitive opportunities for young people
Taster sessions	Free introductory sessions at local clubs to attract new participants
Events	Community sports days, park runs, and charity events that lower the barrier to entry
Media coverage	Increased TV coverage of women's sport, disability sport, and minority sports

Why promotion matters:

• People cannot participate in activities they do not know about.
• Promotion challenges stereotypes by showing diverse participants.
• Campaigns can change attitudes and perceptions about who sport is "for."

2. Provision

Definition: Ensuring that sporting facilities, programmes, coaches, and competitions are available and of sufficient quality.

Method	Example
Building facilities	Local authority investment in swimming pools, leisure centres, and multi-use games areas (MUGAs)
Coaching programmes	Training more qualified coaches, particularly from under-represented groups
Competition pathways	Creating leagues, tournaments, and festivals at all levels — from beginner to elite
Adapted provision	Wheelchair basketball leagues, visually impaired cricket sessions, walking football for older adults
Funding	Government and lottery funding for sports clubs, facilities, and community programmes

Why provision matters:

• Without facilities, equipment, and coaches, promotion alone is meaningless — people need somewhere to go and something to do.
• Provision must match the needs of the local community (e.g. providing women-only swimming sessions in areas with large Muslim populations).

3. Access

Definition: Removing barriers so that everyone can reach and use sporting opportunities.

Barrier	Access Solution
Cost	Subsidised memberships, free sessions, equipment loan schemes
Transport	Community minibuses, facilities within walking distance, cycle routes
Physical access	Wheelchair ramps, lifts, adapted changing rooms, accessible parking
Information	Materials in multiple languages, easy-read formats, online booking
Timing	Evening and weekend sessions, flexible scheduling, drop-in sessions
Childcare	Creche facilities at leisure centres so parents can exercise

Why access matters:

• Even if facilities exist and are well-promoted, people will not participate if they cannot physically or financially access them.
• Access strategies must target the specific barriers faced by under-represented groups.

graph TD
    S["Strategies to<br>Improve Participation"] --> P["Promotion<br>(awareness)"]
    S --> PR["Provision<br>(facilities/programmes)"]
    S --> A["Access<br>(removing barriers)"]

    P --> P1["Campaigns<br>Social media<br>Events"]
    PR --> PR1["Facilities<br>Coaching<br>Competitions"]
    A --> A1["Cost reduction<br>Transport<br>Physical access"]

    style S fill:#8e44ad,color:#fff
    style P fill:#2980b9,color:#fff
    style PR fill:#27ae60,color:#fff
    style A fill:#e67e22,color:#fff

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Key Organisations

Sport England

Role: The government agency responsible for growing and sustaining grassroots participation in sport and physical activity in England.

Function	Detail
Funding	Distributes National Lottery and government funding to sports organisations, clubs, and community projects
Campaigns	Runs national campaigns such as "This Girl Can" and "We Are Undefeatable"
Research	Conducts the Active Lives Survey to monitor participation levels across the population
Strategy	Sets targets for increasing participation and reducing inactivity, particularly among under-represented groups
Supporting NGBs	Provides funding and guidance to National Governing Bodies to help them grow their sports

Exam Tip: Sport England focuses on grassroots participation — getting everyday people active — not elite performance. Do not confuse it with UK Sport, which focuses on elite athletes and Olympic/Paralympic medal success.

National Governing Bodies (NGBs)

Definition: The organisation responsible for managing and developing a specific sport within a country.

Example NGB	Sport
The Football Association (FA)	Football
England Netball	Netball
Swim England	Swimming
England Athletics	Athletics
The Rugby Football Union (RFU)	Rugby union
The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA)	Tennis

Functions of NGBs:

Function	Detail
Setting rules	Writing and updating the rules of the sport
Organising competitions	Running leagues, cups, and championships at all levels
Coach education	Training and certifying coaches
Participation programmes	Running initiatives to grow the sport (e.g. the FA's "Wildcats" programme for girls' football)
Talent pathways	Identifying and developing talented young performers
Safeguarding	Ensuring the welfare of participants, especially children and vulnerable adults
Facility development	Investing in and improving facilities for the sport

Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)

Role: The UK government department responsible for sport policy at the national level.

Function	Detail
Policy	Sets the government's sporting strategy and priorities
Funding allocation	Determines how much public money is allocated to sport
Oversight	Oversees Sport England and UK Sport
Major events	Supports bids to host international sporting events (e.g. Olympics, World Cups)
Legislation	Develops laws and regulations that affect sport (e.g. anti-doping legislation)

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How Organisations Work Together

graph TD
    DCMS["DCMS<br>(Government policy<br>and funding)"] --> SE["Sport England<br>(Grassroots<br>participation)"]
    DCMS --> UKS["UK Sport<br>(Elite performance)"]
    SE --> NGB["National Governing<br>Bodies<br>(Individual sports)"]
    NGB --> C["Clubs and<br>Communities"]
    C --> P["Participants"]

    style DCMS fill:#e74c3c,color:#fff
    style SE fill:#2980b9,color:#fff
    style UKS fill:#8e44ad,color:#fff
    style NGB fill:#27ae60,color:#fff
    style C fill:#f39c12,color:#fff
    style P fill:#3498db,color:#fff

1. DCMS sets the overall policy direction and allocates funding.
2. Sport England distributes funding and supports NGBs to grow grassroots participation.
3. NGBs develop their specific sports through coaching, competitions, and programmes.
4. Clubs deliver sport at the local level, directly engaging with participants.

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Applying Strategies to Specific Groups

Under-Represented Group	Relevant Strategy	Example
Women and girls	Promotion: "This Girl Can" campaign. Provision: women-only sessions. Access: affordable pricing.	The FA's Wildcats programme offers free girls-only football sessions across England
People with disabilities	Provision: adapted sessions and equipment. Access: wheelchair-accessible facilities. Promotion: showcasing Paralympic athletes.	Swim England offers disability swimming sessions with trained coaches
Older adults	Provision: low-impact activities (walking football, chair yoga). Access: daytime sessions, local venues. Promotion: targeting health benefits.	Walking football leagues for over-50s
Low-income families	Access: free or subsidised sessions. Provision: equipment loan schemes. Promotion: awareness of free local opportunities.	Parkrun is free to enter and requires no equipment other than trainers
Ethnic minorities	Promotion: role models from diverse backgrounds. Access: culturally sensitive provision (e.g. women-only swimming with female lifeguards). Provision: multilingual information.	The ECB's South Asian Action Plan to increase cricket participation

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Common Exam Mistakes