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06 CHANGING TO DELIVER: THE NATIONAL PRIORITIES

NATIONAL OUTCOMES AND PRIORITIES

To achieve the national outcomes of increasing participation and improving performance, we need strong foundations to underpin and sustain change.

Reaching Higher sets out four national priorities which we believe will build and sustain a sporting infrastructure enabling it to deliver the national outcomes. These priorities are:

• well-trained people;
• strong organisations;
• quality facilities;
• providing the player pathways.

These are the building blocks, the components that when put together will help us rise to the challenges and enable us to reach higher. We should not underestimate their importance, the need for new approaches and partnership working.

These priorities are separate, yet completely interdependent. Achieving them must be the aim of everyone involved in the planning and provision of sport. Together, we must deliver:

• strategic leadership, planning and support;
• effective plans within a community planning framework to tackle participation issues amongst target groups and to support player development pathways; and
• sport specific plans that lead the development of their sport and address the vision and challenges of this strategy.

Success is dependent upon national agencies, sports governing bodies, local authorities, schools, clubs, parents and participants working together.

The principles of long term player development must run throughout the pathway. It has equal importance at all levels of development and should underpin sport development planning.

WELL-TRAINED PEOPLE

People are our most important resource. Well-trained, motivated, confident and capable coaches, officials, volunteers and professional staff are core to the delivery of our vision. Without their expertise people will not get enthused and involved and our sportsmen and women will not reach their potential.

The Challenges

Scotland has a shortage of coaches and an unstructured approach to their deployment. Recent research ⁹ shows that there are approximately 90,000 coaches in Scotland of which 84,000 are volunteers. Only 38% of UK coaches claim to hold a formal qualification in a sport they coach. The importance of coaching and increasing and sustaining participation in sport was discussed at the First Minister's Sport Summit and it was agreed that Scotland needed to build a professional infrastructure of paid and voluntary coaches. We need to develop and expand the pool of skilled and inspirational coaches at every level. Whether they work with young people on the fundamentals of sport or help our high performance sportsmen and women prepare for international competition, their contribution is of equal importance. The number of coaches in Scotland is insufficient for a nation with sporting ambitions and there are no formal coaching career structures. MORI research into coaching in the UK presents a picture of Scottish coaching lagging behind other UK, European and Commonwealth countries. Scottish sport is reliant on volunteer coaches who, though highly committed, are too often overburdened and under supported. If we are to have the right coach, in the right place, at the right time, we need to build a professional infrastructure of paid and voluntary coaches. We also need them to be able to respond to and work in a variety of situations and be prepared to work with people who may not have approved clothing and who do not initially respond to rigid rules and structures. It is important also that they are supported in working with people from different backgrounds so that they can be confident in that engagement and bring the best out of those they coach.

Volunteers are at the heart of Scottish sport and the First Minister's Sport Summit agreed that they play a vital role in encouraging and supporting people's involvement in sport. It is no longer acceptable to expect them to operate effectively or stay motivated without access to quality and affordable education, training and support. We need to develop new structures which must accommodate the needs of volunteers. It is vital that no unnecessary barriers are put in place which might discourage people from volunteering. We will take this forward through work to implement the Scottish Executive's vision for the voluntary sector and our volunteering strategy.

The key delivery agencies also rely on high quality professional staff to drive forward sport. However, research ¹⁰ shows that college and university courses do not always equip young people with the skills and knowledge to do the job. We need to review continuing education provision for existing staff and as in the case of volunteers, ensure that new arrangements are responsive to the changing demands of sport.

The Agenda for Change

If we are to rise to these challenges, we must:

• promote nationally and locally the value of working and volunteering in sport and demonstrate the personal satisfaction, self esteem and potential for development to be gained;
• work with national and local volunteering agencies to support and develop our volunteers and disseminate good practice in sports volunteering;
• work to remove barriers to volunteering;
• manage the balance between voluntary and paid staff and promote understanding and respect for their respective contributions;
• work with further and higher education and the sector skills council to build a professional infrastructure of paid and voluntary coaches; ⁸
• coaches must be empowered through training, support and the development of career paths to enable them to help participants in all their diversity to develop their skills and reach their potential; ⁸
• support innovative approaches to coaching such as peer coaching for young people;
• celebrate the contribution of volunteers and support excellence in recruitment and retention; ⁸
• ensure that sports organisations are committed to motivating and developing their volunteers as well as their paid staff;
• review continuing education provision for existing staff and volunteers, ensuring that new arrangements are responsive to the needs of the workforce; ⁸ and
• build a strong career pathway in sport which will allow volunteers to move into, and out of, paid employment.

STRONG ORGANISATIONS

Scottish sport needs its organisations to be fit for purpose and able to work in partnership if we are to meet the dynamic and changing needs of sport.

The Challenges

Just as there are a multitude of different sports and activities, there are many organisations and agencies involved in their delivery. From the Scottish Executive, sportscotland and sports governing bodies, to local authorities, schools and individual clubs each has a role to play in promoting and delivering this strategy.

There has been a lack of a co-ordinated focus around roles, remits and responsibilities. This was identified at the First Minister's Sport Summit which recommended the need for greater clarity of roles in the sporting sector. In some cases, this has caused uncertainty, duplication of effort and competing priorities within and across organisations. There is a need for well-managed, co-ordinated planning, delivery, monitoring and evaluation backed by strong leadership and governance.

One of the most significant challenges arises because most clubs and some sports governing bodies are small, independent voluntary organisations totally reliant on volunteers. As they are key to the delivery of sport we must work alongside them and provide the support they require to help them fulfil their potential and deliver our vision. The First Minister's Sport Summit identified the need for increased support to be provided for club development and innovative approaches to be developed, such as multi-sport clubs.

Clubs are central to our aspirations for sport. Building the capacity of sports clubs to recruit and develop their players is critical to sustaining participation, identifying talent and developing the player pathway.

The Agenda for Change

• Key agencies should set high standards of leadership and ensure a clear understanding and commitment within their organisation of their role and responsibility for delivering the two national outcomes;
• Key agencies should ensure their work aligns with that of other organisations. Key agencies should lead in developing and implementing effective consultation, planning and co-ordination and ensure that resources are allocated against plans which are regularly evaluated and reviewed;
• Key agencies should share knowledge, expertise and best practice across all sports organisations and promote partnership working;
• Clubs need to be forward-thinking if they are to increase participation and improve performance and need to be guided and supported in adopting new approaches;
• Clubs should be encouraged and supported to operate in a democratic, transparent and ethical way with sound financial procedures;
• Key agencies should work together to strengthen club infrastructures particularly in areas where structures are weak or non existent;
• Consideration should be given to development of satellite clubs and the development of new sports clubs from within communities which fill gaps in provision and meet local needs;
• Stronger links are required with the education sector to link physical education within schools to the wider sports development agenda. This is particularly important in relation to physical literacy which underpins long term participation and contributes towards long-term player development;
• Community sport should link to the wider community development agenda to ensure that the intrinsic value of sport is recognised in the community planning and community regeneration context;
• The modernisation of sports governing bodies should continue across the full range of sports;
• Local authorities should co-ordinate the delivery of the strategy in their area through joint work with local sports councils, schools, clubs, the private sector and sports governing bodies.

QUALITY FACILITIES

Quality facilities are fundamental to the strategy's delivery. The availability, accessibility and quality of facilities influence whether people take part in sport, which sports they enjoy, how often they participate and how well they perform.

The quality of national facilities also influences our ability to attract major events to Scotland. It is not just built facilities and pitches, but our natural resources which must be utilised to good effect.

The Challenges

Research ¹¹ has revealed the extent of the ageing stock of built facilities and highlighted that significant investment is required. However, it is questionable as to whether we really need all our existing facilities. This view was endorsed at the First Minister's Sport Summit. We must be more imaginative in the refurbishment, design and location of new buildings so they meet the needs of a wide range of sports and are sufficiently flexible to meet changing trends. Facilities should also be sustainable in financial and environmental terms.

Sport is diversifying and patterns of demand changing. We need a new approach to the provision of sports facilities and must recognise the potential benefits in working with private sector providers and on a cross-council basis. The quality and mix of facilities needs to be balanced to support the planned increase in participation, enhance sporting performance at all levels and must comply with legislative requirements including equality. We should also further enhance use of the school estate by ensuring letting policies, contracts and budgets facilitate rather than hinder community access. There was general consensus at the First Minister's Sport Summit that the school estate is an under-utilised resource and that schools be open for community use with a particular emphasis on providing affordable access for sports clubs. The Summit called for sport and education to work more closely together at national and local levels to facilitate change.

Scotland's natural environment provides new and exciting outdoor sporting opportunities. Our National Parks are such examples of places where people have fantastic opportunities to enjoy an exceptional range of outdoor sporting and recreational opportunities, within parameters recommended by the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. We should work in partnership with Scottish Natural Heritage, the Forestry Commission and others to identify more locations and promote their use. However, care needs to be taken to ensure that the integrity of the natural environment and the enjoyment of other users is not compromised.

The Agenda for Change

• Key agencies should adopt a strategic approach to facility development and explore potential partnerships with the private sector;
• Co-location, sharing facilities and costs with other providers, should be taken into account when planning and preparing funding strategies;
• Key agencies should plan for an adequate supply and quality of outdoor sports pitches with a range of appropriate surfaces to accommodate the demands of different users and sports;
• Planning authorities should plan positively for new development for sport. Where a need has been identified for new indoor or outdoor facilities within an area, the development plan should identify sites where they can be appropriately located;
• Planning should take into account community needs for a range of sports facilities including multi-use sports centres, the school estate, clubs, private sector facilities and the natural environment as well as changing demographics and patterns of use. These should form part of the local authorities open space strategy;
• Key agencies should improve planning for community access particularly in relation to the school estate, and the opportunities presented by co-location with other public services. These could include libraries, health centres, arts and cultural facilities, as well as training and employment centres;
• Best practice in the design, build and maintenance of indoor and outdoor sports facilities which meet equity, environmental and aesthetic needs, should be disseminated;
• Buildings should be well designed and built to high standards with maintenance contracts which secure their upkeep and refurbishment; ⁸
• Consideration should be given at the design stage to addressing the requirements of participants, talented players and elite performers within the new facility;
• Pricing, programming and marketing should focus on the need to increase levels of community use, sports and player development; ⁸
• Facility planning should take account of issues such as opening hours and transport links;
• Facility planning should also take into account the importance of linking opportunity and need, particularly in relation to disadvantaged communities;
• Investment decisions should be based on a strategic assessment of current supply and the longer-term needs taking account of changing patterns of demand and demographics;
• The planning of national and regional sports facilities should take into account the needs of the sports governing body plans as well as the preparation of athletes for London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the 2014 Commonwealth Games bid plans;
• Existing stadia provision and any need for improved or new facilities should be taken into account in the preparation of the Development Plan. It may be appropriate to identify facilities of national importance in the National Planning framework;
• Key agencies should work in partnership with environmental organisations to maximise access to the natural environment. Providing a diverse range of sporting opportunities is desirable but access should be balanced against the need to protect our environment;
• Key agencies need to review contracts with leisure trusts and private sector companies to ensure they meet the requirements of this strategy;
• Key agencies should consider innovative solutions to address sustainable and appropriate provision of indoor facilities.

PROVIDING THE PATHWAY

For many, participating in sport will not in itself bring sufficient personal satisfaction and they will want to improve their skills and reach their potential. It is vital that key agencies work together to ensure that opportunities exist and are easily accessed.

A successful player development pathway starts with ensuring our youngest children develop basic movement skills such as agility, balance, co-ordination and speed. These sporting fundamentals will be the catalyst to a lifelong commitment to sport as they instil a basic ability to enjoy most sports. For those with the ability and desire, the player pathway is the escalator which can lead to elite performance.

Successful pathways will support those:

• wishing to participate recreationally;
• looking to transfer from one sport to another;
• wishing to develop their full potential;
• with the ability to reach the elite level.

The Challenges

If we are to deliver integrated pathways, a wide range of agencies, including schools, local authorities, clubs, regional partnerships, sports governing bodies and the Institute of Sport network need to work more closely. This may require some organisations and individuals to adopt new attitudes and work practices. It is not viable for different sports to compete for the same children and provide them with skills relevant only to that sport. Too often this has resulted in young people finding they do not have the skills to enable them to enjoy other sports and as a consequence, their commitment and interest fades. Young people are likely to try a number of sports before they determine which best suits their abilities and lifestyles. The First Minister's Sport Summit identified the importance of young people being given opportunities to experience a range of sports from an early age. It is incumbent on coaches and clubs to ensure they teach the competencies fundamental to most sports. The challenge begins in school where children can learn the basic skills required to enjoy lifelong participation. It is schools and clubs that should ensure talent is identified and directed to the most relevant sporting opportunities.This will require strong links between schools and clubs, teachers, coaches and parents. They are key to ensuring potential talent is identified and appropriately developed. The important role parents, teachers, coaches and volunteers play in encouraging and supporting young people's development in sport was endorsed at the First Minister's Sport Summit. However, it is important that young people are not subjected to an excessive training and playing regime albeit inadvertently by being asked to represent their school, club and district/region as this can have a negative impact on their performance but also their commitment to sport. It may be necessary to support the development of pathways from school to community particularly in areas where there is little or no existing traditional sports infrastructure. Consideration should be given to the development of new types of sports clubs, for instance, satellite club development or the development of new community sports organisations which are tailored to the needs and interests identified by communities.

The Agenda for Change

• Key agencies need to understand their role in delivering the player pathway, the links they need to make to other organisations and the commitment that should be made to putting long-term player development principles before short-term results;
• Sports governing bodies should identify an appropriate pathway for their sport and the actions required for delivery, based on the principle of long-term player development. Plans should link to their UK counterparts, where appropriate;
• We need to ensure the further development of PE within all schools. The Active Schools programme should be maintained within all primary schools, expanded within secondary schools and to the wider community; ⁸
• Reinforce the principles of long-term player development by ensuring all young people have an opportunity to develop the basic skills required to enjoy sport;
• Local authorities should continue to engage with their communities and ensure that this engagement is broad and inclusive. They should take into account the community planning context and ensure there are opportunities and programmes which will support skill development. This should be undertaken in partnership with sports clubs;
• Further and higher education should provide opportunities for sports participation and develop an environment which encourages participation and supports the development of excellence;
• Employers can fulfil an important role in promoting participation amongst employees;
• Local authorities, their community planning partners and sports governing bodies should seek to work with the private sector to secure the opening of their facilities to the public and for high performance training sessions;
• Key agencies need to work together to maximise private sector sponsorship in support of pathways;
• Key agencies need to work with sports clubs to support and expand their role in communities and in the development of their members; ⁸
• Sports governing bodies, supported by other key agencies, need to review and where necessary expand development programmes which facilitate progress to Area Institute level;
• We should continue to invest in the Institute Network to support the development of talented young people across a range of sports. The Scottish Institute of Sport should continue to work closely with sports governing bodies at the top end of the sport-specific pathway.

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