Get Out and Get Active in 2016

Rob Parton, Trusts and Lottery Fundraising Manager 

Don’t worry; this isn’t going to be another preachy blog leaping on the bandwagon of Dry January and (all too quickly dropped) New Year’s Resolutions to go to the gym more. We’re not going to tell you how to do that, but rather we want to shine a spotlight on (and be part of) an initiative that’s really going to change lives long term. We are delighted to be involved in a consortium led by English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) to deliver Get Out and Get Active (GOGA) – a £4.5 million initiative funded by the Spirit of 2012 Trust.

Working in eighteen locations across the UK, this three year programme is going to reach some of the most inactive people in society – getting them out and active in their communities.

The programme will fully launch in the late summer, on the back of the Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games, to help more people participate in sport and physical activity. Importantly GOGA will be supported by a UK wide volunteering programme that builds on the great energy and spirit that we saw during London 2012.

Through our experience of working with and engaging communities all over the UK we recognise that many people face barriers to getting active – not just their willpower! Every day we continue to see the important role that volunteering has in building more healthy and active lives, and how people can be encouraged to get more active in their community through the engagement of their peers. 

EFDS have an excellent tracking record in reaching inactive disabled people, and they have brought together a range of experienced partners (see below) to ensure that activities extend to all inactive groups. These will include disabled and non-disabled people, older people, young people and families. For the most inactive groups, simply participating in low level exercise could have a tremendous impact on physical, mental and social wellbeing.

With volunteering at the heart of this initiative, Volunteering Matters will help to build on and support every partner’s volunteering practices. Working across the UK we will bring together and share good practice across the consortium, develop a GOGA volunteering toolkit, and deliver training and support to ensure volunteers are having the best possible impact – on themselves and their communities.

There will be opportunities for volunteers to participate in mentoring, marketing and engagement, and coordination and development of activities. In return, volunteers will have the chance to learn and develop new skills, and build greater confidence to help their community be healthier, happier and more cohesive.

We hope that long after Dry January is over, and expensive new gym memberships go unused, this initiative will be getting people out and active in their communities for the long term.

 

Watch this space to find out more about how you can get involved in this exciting initiative.

 

More information on the Get Out and Get Active programme.

#GetOutGetActive

 

 

List of Get Out and Get Active locations:

 England

Bradford
Manchester, Greater Manchester
Rochdale, Greater Manchester
Wigan, Greater Manchester
Margate, Kent
East Lindsey, Lincolnshire
Lambeth, London
Wandsworth, London
Nottingham
Stoke-on- Trent

Northern Ireland

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
Derry City and Strabane

Scotland

Fife
Grampians (covering Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire Council and Moray Council)
Forth Valley (covering Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling council areas)

Wales

Pembrokeshire
Rhondda Cynon Taf
Wrexham

The Get Out and Get Active consortium

EFDS, Disability Sport Wales, Scottish Disability Sport, Disability Sport N.I and Volunteering Matters

National Delivery Partners 

Sporting Equals, Disability Rights UK, Women in Sport, StreetGames, Parkrun, England Athletics, Youth Sport Trust, Amateur Swimming Association, Age UK, Play England

Other local partners 

Bradford Disability Sport and Leisure, City of Stoke on Trent, Greater Sport, Kent County Council, Kent Sport, Lincolnshire Sport, London Sport, Nottingham City Council