Case studies

Sport Northern Ireland – Active Communities/Every Body Active

Client: Sport Northern Ireland

Project: Active Communities/Every Body Active national evaluation

Delivered in a consistent, constantly developing/improving annual format over 11 years via a combined quantitative and qualitative appraisal, we assessed the community impact of Sport NI’s programmes designed to increase participation in sport and physical activity (with specific emphasis on key target groups). It:

  • Assessed the number, distribution and variations between participants; by age, gender, location, activity type, level/ frequency of attendance, instructor/leader type etc.,
  • Measured session numbers, capacity and occupancy (to gauge value for money).
  • The number, deployment, activity and effectiveness of activators.
  • Overall programme impact on reducing barriers/delivering key participation triggers.

We unearthed detail about the 200,000+ annual programme participants, How/where targets were set, the impact of over-performance in some areas on missing objectives in others and made recommendations to restructure/redefine targets to demonstrate a ‘truer’ position, identifying and recommending changes to address programme strengths and weaknesses.

The extensive management information base and qualitative input enabled production of a full, rounded picture of impact ‘on the ground’ adding richness and insight to the factual reporting.

Findings were presented in formats that enabled easy universal scheme appraisal and to allow the 11 local authorities in Northern Ireland to individually review and benchmark performance by targeted group, neighbourhood and project type, against prior achievement and each other.