Introduction

Pro-Active Partnerships will play an integral part in widening, extending and increasing the regional, sub regional and local infrastructure in London.

Partnerships Vision: “A more active and successful London”

Pro-Active Partnerships of mutually interested agencies and stakeholders committed to providing locally determined solutions to collectively increase participation and widen access of sport and physical activity for the whole community.

Aim:  The overall purpose of these partnerships will be to develop and enhance existing, establish new, partnerships and ways of working using sport and physical activity as a catalyst to bring about positive social and economic well being of local communities.

Key Measure: To increase participation by 1% year on year

Core Values:

·Driven by local needs of the whole community (with a particular interest in young people)

Understanding, interpreting and deploying national, regional and local policies and plans

·Investing in local capacity building, valuing people and communities

·Commitment to equality and positive action to deliver equality in participation

·Adopt innovative and creative approaches

·Open, transparent and accountable decision making

·Development alongside and included in stakeholder plans

·Achieving quality standards through continuous improvement

What role will these Partnerships play?

Pro-Active Partnerships will play a central role in the creation of sub regional strategies for the development of sport and physical activity. They will focus on increasing participation and the widening of access for the whole community.  In particular they will seek to:

·Plan on a sub regional basis linked to other relevant agencies

·Identify how local and sub regional partners can link with national and regional policy and strategies

·Identify clear priorities for the development of sport and physical activity at a local and sub regional level

·Identify ways in which these priorities can be achieved

Pro-Active Partnerships will work with and through networks of local, sub regional and regional agencies committed to establishing a single system to increasing choice, local provision and life long involvement in quality sport and physical activity.  They will widen, increase and extend quality opportunities for the whole community to sustain their involvement in sport and physical activity through casual and organised participation, recreational activity for fun, improving physical fitness and mental well-being, forming social relationships or where desired progress on to levels of performance via established pathways. In addition Pro-Active Partnerships will contribute to the overall success of the London Region

Core Functions

(London Functions are indicated in italics. All others functions are national funding conditions)

1.0 Delivering the Partnership

Exploit and maximise opportunities for sport and physical activity through effective and sustainable partnerships

Ensure local partnerships are linked to local plans

Support via local partnerships sport and physical activity networks and infrastructure i.e. clubs (sport and physical activity), coaches/leaders, voluntary sector, education, PCT’s, Communities e.g. neighborhood projects

Support and add value to stakeholders local and sub regional priorities and delivery targets

Identify shared and specific roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders within the partnership

2.0 Strategic Co-ordination

Interpreting and shaping national, regional and local policy to best-fit future community need. Partnerships will:

2.1 Enable and support medium and long term planning

2.2 Encourage co-coordinated outcomes to avoid duplication and maximise investment

2.3 Set out, clearly, their sub regional aims and objectives for widening, increasing, sustaining and extending quality opportunities over the next four years

2.4 Undertake a needs analysis of current sub regional provision and local priorities

3.0 Marketing and Communication

3.1 Marketing the Partnership as a sign post for sport and physical activity organisations and sharing information and innovation to ensure effective delivery on the ground.

3.2 Advocate one voice for sport and physical activity. Lead and communicate a    single system influencing public and political opinion.

3.3 Change in attitudes and make the case for sport and physical activity by raising awareness of the economic, educational, social and health benefits.

4.0 Investment

4.1 Generate investment for the benefit of the whole community

5.0 Develop & Enhance Pathways

For Young People:

5.1Contribute to the delivery of Physical Education and Sport School Club Links (PESSCL) Linked to School Sports Partnerships and the Youth Sports Trust

5.2  Widen and extend the links between education, community and performance sport and physical activity

5.3 Ensure education and community activity is alongside and included within National Governing Body plans

5.4 Using sport and physical activity to engage all young people

For Adults:

5.5 Widen, increase, sustain and extend opportunities for adults to participate in sport and physical activity at all levels

6.0 Building Capacity

Club Development  (Broad definition is required to reflect both traditional and non traditional clubs)

6.1 Increase, extend and sustain high quality clubs

6.2 Increase and extend the networks of local clubs and community organizations providing physical activity and sport opportunities

6.3 Increase, extend and sustain high quality education and community club links

6.4 Increase, widen and sustain club membership

Work Force Development

Partnerships will, through community sport and physical activity networks, develop the people required to achieve delivery against local need. Existing Lottery funded programmes will contribute to this area i.e. Community Sports Coaches, Step into Sport etc. Partnerships will work with key partners including Skills Active UK, Sports Coach UK, National Governing Bodies, Volunteer England and Voluntary Organisations etc to:

6.5 Analysis of sports needs

6.6 Matching the needs of individuals with sports needs

6.7 Co-coordinating the strategy for the recruitment and training of individuals

6.8 Putting in place systems that value and support the work force

7.0 Performance Measurement & Standards

Developing a single system to support effective decision making for sport and physical activity. Partnerships will work collaboratively to:

7.1 Gather, interpret and disseminate information

7.2 Develop mechanisms for sharing data and quantifying results

7.3 Identify ways in which evidence can be gathered to demonstrate impact

7.4 Towards An Excellent Service (TAES) – “Fair” Rating (Year 1)

7.5 The Equality Framework for Sport – Preliminary Level Achieved (Year 1)

7.6 Child Protection – Preliminary Level Achieved (Year 1)

Performance Indicators:

Each Pro-Active Partnerships will develop a set of locally determined indicators that all interested stakeholders can sign up to and commit to collectively working towards. These indicators should not be produced in isolation but reflect the wider context of the Sub Region and the national funding conditions. Partnerships will determine their indicators within the context of:

·Widening

·Increasing (e.g. Increase quality participation by 1% year on year)

·Sustaining

·Extending

It is envisaged that Pro-Active Partnerships will play a key role in interpreting national, regional and local data collected by stakeholders to support the identification of key priorities and gaps in provision. This information will contribute to the annual business planning process and support the case for sport and physical activities in a multitude of ways. Pro-Active Partnerships will however be required to collect data against national funding requirements.  This work is still in progress and more detailed information will be made available as soon as possible.

The following diagrams seek to give an overview of the Pro-Active Partnerships within a policy context

(Diagram 1) and set the scene within the context of widening, increasing, sustaining and extending (WISE) participation. (Diagram 2).
an_overview_of_the_partnerships_within_a_policy_context_diagram_1_and_2.doc