Understanding and Changing YouthSporting

Behaviours

Presentation by,

Jennie PlattSport & Physical Activity Officer

Sue WellsSport & Physical Activity Officer (CYP)

Children and Young People

Children and Young People

0-25 years

Sport England Priority Age 14 -25

yrs

What is Youth Insight

Understanding Young People• The context of their relationship with sport

• Challenges and changes of growing up. The role of peers and importance of technology

• Their attitudes & Behaviours • Attitude towards sport and the relationship these have to their

behaviours

Engaging Young People• Reaching new audiences

• Positive, functional, uninterested • Consistently active, irregular active, inactive

• Putting the insight into practice

Traditional Views of Youth Participation

Focus was placed on changing attitudes

What was previously thought

Previously believed that behaviour and sporting attitudes of young people were linear

Changing Views of Youth Participation

Focus should be on changing

behaviours NOT attitudes

Estimated market sizes of 14-25 years old audiences in England

5 Youth Segments

Understanding Young P eople

As digital natives, young people’s use of social media is innate and constantly running, it’s not something they ‘dip in and out’ of.

How Do Young People Spend Their Time?

Free time activities: Time spent a week on each activity

Browse the internet

25

Phone or message friends 17

Study

11

Watch TV/Films

16

Listen to music

15PC Games

6

Sport

6

Hang out with friends

13Read

5

Other

16

Understanding Young People

Understanding Gender Differences

Playing computer

games

Playing computer

games

Who spends more time doing

what… ?

Phoning & Messaging

friends

Phoning & Messaging

friends

Watching TV & Films

Watching TV & Films

Doing sportDoing sportStudying &

Reading

Studying & Reading

Shopping

Shopping

BOYS GIRLS

Understanding Young People

Motivations

Task

Motivations are changing and complex for young people when they are choosing where and how sport and physical activity fits in to their lives.

In your groups decide on the order the following young people would be motivated to attend the two sessions:

Group 1: 23 female full time work bootcamp vs back to netball

Group 2: 19 male student skating vs touch rugby

Attitudes and Behaviours

Focus should be on changing

behaviours NOT attitudes

Estimated market sizes of 14-25 years old audiences in England

5 Youth Segments

Each group will be given a different target Youth Segment group (aged between 14-25 years) to create a specific Sportivate project.

In small groups, discuss how you would target these young people in order to get them consistently active. Consider the following:

• Demand • What the sessions looks like• Who, where, what, why• Exit Routes & where next• Marketing & promotion- product

Engaging Young People

Engaging Young People - Best Practice

College Sports Maker• Fit for Work project- use of functional projects targeting students on specific

courses such as hairdressers, Childcare & Health & Beauty Students, Construction.

Mumball (Football) & Active Buggies (Athletics)• Sportivate projects using a similar product with completely different activities.

St Helen’s Netball project• Use of social media & market segmentation to focus on “where women are”

(Chloe’s).

Engaging Young People - Best Practice

• After taster sessions give out letters of invite rather then standard leaflets, makes the participants feel more welcome at the main sessions.

• Posters and leaflets in relevant places for the target group. For example for 16-25 year old females advertising in beauty salons hairdressers etc. has proved successful.

• Setting up of social media closed groups for participants, sessions have reported this as a great way to keep participants engaged as as they motivate and encourage each other to attend.

• If working with older age range or targeting young parents consider using facilities that have childcare or provide a session for children taking place alongside the Sportivate session.

Engaging Young People - Best Practice

• Less structured sessions, move away from traditional warm up, skills/drills, game, cool down structure consider playing game for full session with hidden coaching

• Use of music to create a young person friendly /less formal atmosphere

• Regular consultation with young people/participants to shape future delivery

• Pay as you play, no long term commitment upfront, sessions structured so if they miss several weeks they can easily return without feeling like they have ‘dropped behind’

• Include social time for them to chat, catch up.

• Non-sporty people might be put of activities in leisure/sports centres, consider alternative facilities such as youth centre, community halls, schools.

Thank You for Listening

JASON

Positive about sport and take part on a consistent basis

There are more boys than girls in this area - includes usual ‘sporty’ audience

They remain consistently active and enjoy it.

For them, doing sport is normal and their friends and family also tend to take part

Age: 14-25 yearsOccupation: Young Professional

‘Active and enjoy it’

1

50,559young people in Merseyside

Target Market Size

JASON

Positive about sport and enjoy it when they do take part

Increasingly find it doesn’t fit their lives

Unable or unwilling to prioritise sport on a regular basis e.g. isn’t relevant to peer group, external pressures, work load etc

Age: 14-25 yearsOccupation: Full time Job

‘Enjoy it but too busy’

2

37,919young people in Merseyside

Target Market Size

JASON

Uninterested young people who are still taking part (younger end of youth market)

Those in functional area tend to value the benefits that sport offers (i.e. health, enhancing skills and CV)

In motivation terms, ‘being fit’ looking and feeling good overtakes being ‘sporty’ - more likely to be 18 and over

The activity being ‘fun’ becomes less relevant - more important to reinforce the benefits

Age: 14-25 yearsOccupation: Trainee /Apprentice

‘Uninterested but

take part’

75,839young people in Merseyside

3

Target Market Size

Recognise the benefits of sport and activity and do take part from time to time but not that consistently

We have those who are at the time when they don’t have that immediate goal on the horizon to motivate them

Age: 14-25 yearsOccupation: Education (Secondary)

‘Infrequent and

inactive’

37,919young people in Merseyside

4

Target Market Size

They have reached the age where they can choose not to take part.

Many have had a negative experience of sport in the past, for many it was something forced on them, which will skew their response to any language, imagery, people and communications they think are about sport.

Whilst an activity may be sport, the message doesn’t need to be and this is likely to be necessary for this group.

Age: 14-25 yearsOccupation: Education - College

‘Not interested,

don’t do it’

5

50,559young people in Merseyside

Target Market Size