HPSC-PAT · Co-construction of the Health Promoting Sports Clubs-Policy Audit Tool
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2021-09-01 → 2023-09-19
- EU contribution
- €196,591
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Co-construction of the Health Promoting Sports Clubs-Policy Audit Tool
Currently, 12% of European citizens participate in organised sport weekly . Beyond the contribution of sport participation on physical activity, sports clubs could also enhance sport experience and health, sustainable development (Goal 3; Ensure healthy lives and promotion well-being for all at all ages) through health promotion (HP) . These issues have been acknowledged in international (e.g., WHO, CIO) and European-level (e.g. EU Council) policy documents. For example, the WHO Global Action Plan on Physical Activity (2018–2030) highlighted that sport is an underutilised contributor to physical activity. The European Commission White Paper on Sport (2007) also suggested that the HP aspects of sport participation are often underutilised and need to be further developed. Unfortunately, precise mechanisms through which sport can be used as a vehicle to support health behaviours and health status are unclear, especially in how the national to local government interact with sports clubs to support their efforts towards HP. One of the key factors in HP are policies (understood as formal written policies, unwritten formal statements, written standards and guidelines, formal procedures, and informal policies (or lack thereof) that may directly or indirectly affect community or population health ), which can be considered as a primary and necessary step to develop and support HP practice², contributing to enhance health behaviours and health status3. Results of a recent European survey has shown that only 26% of the EU countries reported having a sports clubs for health program implemented . In the present proposal, sport clubs will be defined as having “in common, the provision of opportunities for competition and sports practice, while some can also be considered social organizations, promoting social welfare and health
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Currently, 12% of European citizens participate in organised sport weekly. Scientists and policy makers have underlined that the potential of sports clubs to promote health has been underutilized, limiting its contribution to society. Beyond the promotion of physical activity, sports clubs can also promote social, mental and physical health and well-being among its participants, as well as playing an active role in sustainable development. With the increase of unstructured sports practices (individuals practicing on their own), sports clubs need to reinvent themselves, in regard to the services they offer to their participants and society. Previous studies have identified sports clubs’ policies as a key determinant in health promotion efforts, but these have been acknowledged by sports clubs managers and coaches as their biggest weakness, across European countries. My knowledge in shaping the theoretical model of health promoting sports clubs and implementing health promoting interventions in sport, will combine with Professor Woods’ experience in physical activity policies framing and implementation to generate a health promoting sports clubs’ policies analysis tool (HPSC-PAT). Three research objectives will contribute to this aim: (1) document policies of sports clubs having participated in a unique health promotion program: the “Healthy Clubs” initiative of the Gaelic Athletic Association, (2) identify how national to local health and sport policies are known and implemented by sports clubs and (3) co-construct a policy analysis tool with sports clubs’ stakeholders. The provision of the HPSC-PAT for sports and health professionals will support sports clubs in their engagement of EU policies on the potential of sport to serve the society by developing health promotion. I will enhance my competences in 1/policies framing and implementation analysis, 2/ project application and management, 3/ interdisciplinary and international research project, 4/event organisation.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK · LimerickCoordinatorIreland
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union