Youth Insight Research

Sport England

Creating a sporting habit for life

Identifying target audiences

2

Creating a sporting habit for life

“Sporting” behaviour

What we’ve learned

3

“Sporting” attitude

Positive FunctionalUnintereste

dIrregular

Consistently active

Consistently inactive

We need to focus on changing behaviours not attitudes

Creating a sporting habit for life

Young people’s attitudes and behaviours – 5 groups

5

1

3

Sp

ort

ing

beh

avio

ur

Consistently inactive

Irregular

Consistently active

Positive

2

Functional Uninterested

4

Sporting attitude

Creating a sporting habit for life

Which group are you in?

5

1

3

Sp

ort

ing

beh

avio

ur

Consistently inactive

Irregular

Consistently active

Positive

2

Functional Uninterested

4

Sporting attitude

Creating a sporting habit for life

Sizing the market: young people’s attitudes and behaviours

20%c1.7m

20% c1.7m

30%

c2.5m

Sp

ort

ing

beh

avio

ur

Consistently inactive

Irregular

Consistently active

Positive

15% c1.2m

Functional Uninterested

15%c1.2m

Sporting attitude

Estimated sizes* of 14-25 year old audiences

* Extrapolated from Active People Survey and Habit for Life research data

Creating a sporting habit for life

The challenge: supplying the sporty or breaking the norm?

7

20%c1.7m

20% c1.7m

30%

c2.5m

Sp

ort

ing

beh

avio

ur

Consistently inactive

Irregular

Consistently active

Positive

15% c1.2m

Functional Uninterested

15%c1.2m

Sporting attitude

?

Creating a sporting habit for life

Delivering the right experience for all young people

8

Creating a lifelong sporting habit

Designing and delivering the right experience

How much have you

prompted, reminded (and

even rewarded)

me?

Don’t tell me to do it and don’t say it

will be fun

Talk to me about my life

Creating a sporting habit for life

A few key points

Young people’s behaviour does not always reflect their attitude to sport – we need to focus on changing behaviours not attitudes

Many young people take part in sport/activity for more functional or lifestyle reasons. We need to keep engaging them and providing feedback on what actually matters to them not what matters to sportSport can provoke strong emotional responses. Whilst the activity can be sport, the message that sells it doesn’t have to be. Levelling the playing field can also help overcome the emotional baggage of sport

Sport often has to compete or connect with wider interests or priorities. Young people respond well to meaningful experiences; those which benefit them as an individual, reinforce their place in their social group or help them developThe supply of sport tends to reach those already engaged. Young people, particularly those in their late teens/early 20s, need to feel the community sport offer is specific enough to their needs and fits with their lives