Understanding the potential of informal and lifestyle sports

Debate about the legacy from the London 2012 Olympics, and its failure to impact declining physical activity levels and increasing obesity amongst youth, has refocused decades of public debate about the value of sport to address a range of social problems. However, an underexplored aspect of sport provision and policy is the value of informal and lifestyle sport [LS] such as skateboarding, parkour and surfing, particularly in promoting active lifestyles. Whereas participation in traditional competitive sport is steadily declining, informal and LS have seen increasing popularity amongst a broadening range of consumers, and across different national contexts. Recognising the central role that informal sport and leisure plays in the community and the economy, this seminar series will provide a timely opportunity to examine the impact, and potential social and political benefit, generated by informal and non-institutionalised sport in general (from practices like yoga, to dance and street-sports) and LS in particular. The seminars will be underpinned by theoretical insights about the emergence, significance and cultural politics of LS cultures. Recognising the multitude of experiences, practices and communities that constitute the informal sporting landscape, the seminars will bring together research from a range of disciplinary backgrounds, theoretical perspectives, and fields of study.

The six seminars will provide a context for lively debate of current research, and future challenges, bringing together academics, policy makers, practitioners, creating dialogue between often disparate academic disciplines and user communities. They will assess the most current and relevant research in these fields, and integrate with end-users perspectives. They will develop new networks and approaches to issues, and provide a platform for a new generation of researchers to challenge current research agendas. The 6 seminars will explore the following themes: 1 (Brighton): Mapping the policy context; 2 (Brunel, London); Institutionalisation and regulation; 3 (Brighton); Lifestyle sport in School and the PE curriculum; 4 (Bournemouth); New participants in lifestyle sports: Current trends and strategies for Change; 5 (Brighton); Bodies out of place? The racialisation of informal sporting spaces; 6 (Brighton); Assessing future directions.

To encourage and gain insights from policy makers and young researchers we have organised funding across all seminar sessions for these groups. In doing so we aim to provide a critical, yet policy relevant, forum in which the role of informal LS can be better understood. The findings will be timely and relevant to wide-ranging academic, as well as non-academic, audiences who are concerned with understanding the role informal sport can play in relation to community, culture, health and economy; and for providing inclusive and relevant opportunities for sport and leisure provision. The South East, in which most of the seminars are based, is a particular hub of activity in this area, including relevant projects such as those based on the South Downs National Park, and coastal recreation projects.

These seminars seek to engage with, and promote an inter-disciplinary academic agenda. It will contribute to a broader policy discussion about the role of informal sport, specifically in debates around health and well-being, community and citizenship, inclusion and belonging, in private and public spaces. Our dissemination plan, including a lifestyle sport festival, is designed to target a wide range of relevant audiences beyond the seminar participants. We will provide an impetus for a broader public debate about the changing value and meaning of informal sport. To this end we will produce a multi-disciplinary edited collection of papers, a themed issue of an international refereed journal, an interactive website with podcasts, and produce press releases targeting relevant media.

Impact summary

This seminar series intends to put informal sport and leisure higher up various policy agendas and to discuss ways they can be utilised more effectively, particular in cross-cutting policy agendas. The seminar series therefore has relevance to a wide range of non-academic beneficiaries, and from the outset we have considered who would benefit, and how to involve and disseminate to these interested parties. We have also had conversations with end-users to help formulate the seminar proposal including Parkour UK, Performance Parkour and water-sports groups. To maximise the impact of the series we have identified key target groups and developed a short, medium and long-term impact strategy.

Broadly we have identified a) Policy makers involved with Lifestyle sport [LS] provision. Nationally this includes a wide range of Government policy-makers and officials, across a range of departments and executive non-departmental public bodies including Sport England, The Arts Council , Visit Britain. Also of relevance is The British Olympic Association. b) Those involved with the provision, regulation and teaching of LS across public and private sectors, locally and nationally.

In our pathway to impact we have identified a wide range of groups and organisations working in and across sectors who will benefit from the discussions and findings. Some examples include: physical education providers, active lifestyles initiatives, including walking and cycling schemes, Sport and Recreation Alliance, Countryside Research Network, Forestry Commission.

At the more local level we have identified, or are already working with a wide range of relevant organisations through to local Government. These include; Parkour UK., The RYA, Performance Parkour, Active Dorset County sports and physical activity partnership, Active Sussex, Active Devon, Hastings Borough Council, British Triathlon Federation,West Dorset District Council, Christchurch and East Dorset partnership, Ordnance survey, South Downs National park.

Within the Business/commercial sectors - sport and leisure offer cities and regions opportunities for wealth creation, regeneration and economic prosperity. The seminars will provide opportunities for commercial operators working in the leisure and sport industries to acquire new knowledge relating to the contribution of sport/leisure practices to the community, the multiple forms of entrepreneurialism, innovation and enterprise and partnerships which are being played out, and how to work towards offering inclusive practices for all communities of end-users. Some examples include: the great big tree climbing company Rockleigh Park water sports, Bournemouth Surf School, Paul Harbour water sports, adventure sport holidays, surf steps, Parkour Generations.

Our dissemination activities include publications in a range of formats including; academic publications ( in international journals and edited collections), trade magazines to blogs and podcasts. We will hold a lifestyle sport festival involving live performances by practitioners in parkour, dance and street-surfing, taster sessions for the public, and talks based on the research findings. We have organising similar events for previous projects (eg. Parkour community awareness event; Anti-homophobia Football festivals ) and found them to be very effective in generating interest, and cross-community dialogue.