Equality Impact Assessment - Football Development Strategy

Skip to main content | Access Keys | Site Map

The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

Online Payments

BROWSE

Is this a new function or a review of an existing function?

This is a new strategy. The council has always facilitated the development of sport but is proactively providing leadership to ensure a strategic and inclusive approach to sports development and to ensure that priorities for cultural participation, as outlined in the Cultural Strategy, are met.

What are the aims/purpose of the function?

To improve the standard of football coaching and club development and to ensure that participation is supported in the context of equality of access and understanding of the needs of a diverse community.

Is the function designed to meet specific needs such as the needs of minority ethnic groups, older people, disabled people etc?

Yes. While football clubs are operate on an ‘open access’ basis, in practice there are barriers to access and limited support for some priority groups. The strategy seeks to broaden participation and to ensure that the management and ethos of football clubs isa based on principles of equality and understanding of diversity.

What information has been gathered on this function? (Indicate the type of information gathered e.g. statistics, consultation, other monitoring information)? Attach a summary or refer to where the evidence can be found.

A consultation exercise was carried out with football clubs and sports organisations prior to the publication of the draft football development strategy. The draft strategy will be available for comment on the council website and young livin’ website.

Does your analysis of the information show different outcomes for different groups (higher or lower uptake/failure to access/receive a poorer or inferior service)? If yes, indicate which groups and which aspects of the policy or function contribute to inequality?

Evaluation of the impact of the development strategy will provide monitoring information on the outcomes for different groups. Currently monitoring data is incomplete as football provision is not directly commissioned or procured by the council.

Are these differences justified (e.g. are there legislative or other constraints)? If they are, explain in what way.

It is clear from the consultation that the clubs recognise that participation is currently not reflective of the local community. Clearer progression routes and better partnership working are required to encourage and facilitate higher participation (eg in to girls football, where there is insufficient coaching capacity in the clubs)

What action needs to be taken as a result of this Equality Impact Assessment to address any detrimental impacts or meet previously unidentified need? Include here any reasonable adjustments for access by disabled people. Include dates by which action will be taken. Attach an action plan if necessary.

Clearer links need to be established between schools, community organisations and clubs to create progression routes and better access for BME groups, people with disabilities and additional needs, and girls/ women. Monitoring data needs to be gathered and analysed to identify any particular priority groups who are currently under-represented and action plans developed to increase participation by these groups.

Monitoring of activities with particularly reference to identifying lower participating groups within priority groups. For example identifying and responding to differing levels of participation within BME groups and between people with learning or physical disabilities and other additional needs.

When will you evaluate the impact of action taken? Give review dates.

It is envisage that the Football Strategy group will meet on a bi-annual basis. Notes and action points will be referred to the Community Sports and physical Activity group.

Assessment completed by:

Name: Sandie Barker

Service: Cultural Services and Lifelong Learning

Date: 15.05.08

Search the Site