Building on what we’re learning

In February I wrote a blog sharing our first Learning Synthesis Report, which gave a snapshot of how Sport England's System Partner investment is helping organisations across the country tackle inequalities and transform how people access sport and physical activity.

That initial report, produced by Ipsos, NPC and Sheffield Hallam University, highlighted different aspects within the sector and Sport England:

• There is an ongoing shift from transactional relationships to more open, trusting partnerships with a more diverse range of stakeholders.
• Identifying and engaging local champions can accelerate system change as these often hold the keys to unlocking new opportunities and relationships.
• There are ongoing challenges where qualitative data is not valued as it is difficult to track and evaluate over time.
• It is challenging to embed evaluation and learning into our work, and barriers like language, staff turnover, strategic planning and the complexity of demonstrating impact are very real.

Why this matters

As we reach the half-way point of our long-term strategy, Uniting the Movement, it’s vital that we reflect honestly on what’s working, where progress is happening and what barriers still stand in our way.

That’s why we’re sharing this second round of learning, which is based on extensive interviews, workshops and feedback from more than 130 system partners.

How this new report builds on the first

The original synthesis captured the foundations: diverse partners, new ways of working and the initial cultural shift towards greater collaboration and shared purpose.

This new report, which you can download below, shows how those ideas are taking root and where more focus is needed.

It also provides a clearer picture of how different organisations are playing unique roles – as connectors, deliverers, influencers or governance improvers – all contributing to system change.

What are we learning?

There are different lessons that have come up from our research:

• A diverse portfolio of partners playing different roles: No single organisation can change the system alone. System Partners are taking on roles such as improving governance and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), influencing policy and local decisions, delivering programmes to underrepresented communities and connecting local networks – all working together to drive system-wide change.
• Capacity remains a key challenge: many System Partners, especially smaller organisations, are telling us that their staff and volunteers' capacity is stretched. This can limit their ability to collaborate, deliver on compliance requirements and influence wider system change. Building stronger partnerships and investing in people is helping tackle this but it will need ongoing focus.
• Delivery funding pressures are real: even with Sport England’s investment, partners face funding constraints that limit their ability to deliver activities in communities. Rising costs, limited local authority budgets and competing priorities mean that generating strong evidence and insights to influence other funders is becoming increasingly important.
• Culture change takes time: shifting mindsets and ways of working to fully realise the vision of Uniting the Movement isn’t quick. System Partners are seeing the benefits of having time and space to innovate and build the right skills but changes in politics and performance expectations can slow their progress. That’s why ongoing support for organisations to recruit, develop and embed new ways of working is vital.
• Consistency and coordination matter: partners report that inconsistent ways of working across Sport England teams can lead to duplication, extra workload and missed opportunities for collaboration. Clearer, more joined-up processes will help everyone work better together and make the most of Sport England investments.

Looking ahead and building on our learnings

The report contains recommendations for Sport England and questions for System Partners (overall and with different roles – influencing, delivery, connector).

Sport England should commit to improving consistency, supporting partners in their distinct roles and keeping the focus on long-term, systemic change.

Over three years into our five-year, more than £600million investment in System Partners, we’re seeing the difference this collective effort can make across the system.

And here’s what we’ll do next:

• Keep listening and adapting by using insight from the evaluation to refine how we support, fund and connect partners.
• Back system enablers by investing in people and organisations that help others collaborate, learn and grow.
• Improve how we convene by making our events, communications and shared spaces more purposeful and coordinated.
• Act on feedback by being open about where we can do better and using your insights to improve our role.
• Stay focused on system-wide impact by keeping the long-term view in mind as we plan for the next funding cycle and beyond.

Some considerations for partners are:

• We ask all partners to continue sharing evidence of impact – especially where it aligns with Uniting the Movement through their evaluation and reporting. This will be vital as our ability to demonstrate the value of working in this way and having compelling evidence and insight to support our shared mission and vision continues to be key.
• Encourage partner-led collaboration​ – we ask all partners to create new, and continue existing, collaboration and to deepen the way they work with others, creating shared spaces and goals on the things that matter most and sharing their learnings around with other partners.​

Why this matters to us all

Together, these insights reinforce the belief that transforming access to sport and physical activity isn’t just about delivery – it’s about culture, partnerships and everyone playing their part in the system.

We hope this report prompts reflection, sparks ideas and encourages all of us to keep challenging ourselves to do better for the communities we serve.

If you’d like to read more or share your thoughts, please get in touch.

We’d love to hear from you.