Learnings from the Workforce Diversity Fund

This year marks three years of Uniting the Movement and, while as a sector we’re moving towards more open and equal access to physical activity, tackling inequalities remains a central part of our work.

The volunteering workforce – a key group for many clubs and sports and physical activity organisations up and down the country, and for the sector in general – is key in this endeavour and that’s why we’re so excited to release the report from the Workforce Diversity Fund.

The document covers the learnings from the fund and acts as a handbook for projects looking to reach new communities and increase the diversity of their volunteer teams.

Over the last four years we have worked closely with 19 funded projects and one learning partner to explore and address barriers faced by women and those from ethnically diverse communities when trying to get started in coaching and volunteering.

The report was produced by CFE Research and outlines the actions projects can take to reach new communities, along with real life examples from the funded projects.

The learnings are presented in line with Sport England’s innovation principles and we hope this structure will make action easier and more accessible for everyone.

The funded projects, such as like Vandyke Upper School in Bedfordshire, ranged from small to large organisations.
 

The centre worked with their local Active Partnership to engage 40 mums as volunteers at the school gate.

Another example is England Boxing, who supported the implementation of a new workforce diversity strategy with a new development qualification with the Open University.

This variety of projects means the report covers a wide range of topics and is universally applicable over the entire sports and physical activity sector.

To produce this report, we worked with independent and not-for-profit research company CFE Research to review project reports from the Workforce Diversity Fund and compile key learnings.

Learnings for all

The report has had a great impact on everyone involved.

The CFE team highlighted how being able to talk to those behind the projects made it possible to bring their work to life, which allowed for the report to be written in a relatable voice.

They also said that hearing about the impacts on participants and the commitment to social change and diversity in sports was inspiring, and that this experience has helped them to get insights and realistic recommendations for other projects and organisations. 

They even share our hope that the report will find an audience among people who might otherwise shy away from a traditional research report, or who feel daunted at the thought of tackling workforce diversity. 

The launch of this report marks a key moment for our volunteering insight and we look forward to working with more partners and projects in the future as we continue to deliver Uniting the Movement.