2024 Funded Evaluation Projects

Active Disability Ireland aims to evaluate its training and education using the RE-AIM framework, assessing its impact on people with disabilities. With a vision for equal opportunities in activity, the organisation offers courses across various sectors, highlighting the demand for more training from its 2021 consultation with over 200 individuals. This project will employ a mixed-methods approach to measure the framework's effectiveness and gather insights. Findings will guide the organisation in refining training offerings, promoting inclusivity, and informing the broader sector. Active Disability Ireland plans to partner with University of Limerick to deliver this project.

Active South Dublin will carry out a formative evaluation on a physical intervention programme aimed at boosting sports and physical activity participation among Travellers aged 16-40 in South Dublin County. Despite the benefits of physical activity for physical and mental health, Travellers often face barriers like discrimination, poverty, and limited access to activities. This research includes a literature review and a qualitative survey to identify these barriers and ways to overcome them. Additionally, an 8-week intervention program will be tested to assess its effectiveness in increasing activity levels. The study aims to enhance participation and improve the well-being of the Traveller community in South Dublin. Active South Dublin will partner with Technical University Dublin to deliver this project.

Age & Opportunity plans to evaluate its PALs (Physical Activity Leaders) initiative, which trains older individuals to lead activity sessions. PALs aim to enhance older people's activity levels in line with national strategies. The majority of PAL’s participants are women aged over 70 who are among target groups that experience socio-economic disadvantage. This evaluation project seeks to evaluate PALs using the Social Return on Investment (SROI) model to measure its impact and establish a monitoring system for PALs. This project will help ensure that PALs continue promoting active lifestyles among older communities effectively. Age & Opportunity will partner with Section 3 Solutions to deliver this project.

Athletics Ireland plans a formative evaluation to explore attitudes and barriers within its clubs toward people with disabilities. Consulting stakeholders and key groups, this project aims to understand challenges and develop an action plan to enhance inclusion in the context of pan-disability (the broad spectrum of disability including Intellectual, Physical and Sensory). This evaluation seeks to increase participation and representation of people with disabilities in Athletics Ireland clubs, aligning with Sport Ireland's vision of diversity, inclusion, and lifelong sport participation for all. Athletics Ireland will partner with Munster Technological University to deliver this project.

Badminton Ireland plans to conduct a formative evaluation to identify barriers to grassroots participation among people with disabilities. Badminton Ireland has made significant strides in disability inclusion, boasting a Para-Badminton National Squad, and achieving the Active Disability Ireland Bronze Award. Badminton Ireland also run a Schools Inclusion+ Programme to integrate children with disabilities into badminton. This evaluation will pinpoint challenges in specific areas, informing future plans to streamline pathways for individuals to join local badminton clubs, fostering greater inclusivity and accessibility across the board. Badminton Ireland will partner with Active Disability Ireland and Dublin City University to deliver this project.

Clare Sports Partnership will carry out a formative evaluation on the participation of children from families experiencing domestic abuse in sports activities. This research explores whether these children engage less in sports compared to their peers and examines the long-term impact of domestic abuse on their sports involvement. Through surveys, interviews, and case studies, the study aims to identify barriers these children face and understand their lasting effects. The findings will help tailor interventions and support these vulnerable children's unique needs. By shedding light on this issue, we strive to create a more inclusive sports environment where every child has the chance to thrive. Clare Sports Partnership will partner with University of Limerick to deliver this project.

Fingal County Council plans to evaluate its 15-year-running Sports Conditioning programme to determine its impact on children's fundamental movement skills (FMS). The study will compare fundamental movement skills of children in a DEIS school to those in a non-DEIS school at baseline. The research will then assess the effectiveness of the programme's pre and post-test procedures and its 8-week intervention module. Key research questions include whether the programme improves FMS abilities, if the test procedures are effective, and if there's a difference in skill improvement among children from DEIS and non-DEIS schools. The evaluation will involve children, teachers, and a focus group with university students. Additionally, a parental questionnaire will gauge the study's social impact and its effect on children with additional needs. Fingal Sports Partnership will partner with Technical University Dublin to deliver this project.

GAA Handball plans to develop an outcome-based accountability model on GAA Handball programmes in the North East Inner City (NEIC) of Dublin. NEIC was once a bustling industrial area, but faced economic challenges leading to urban decay and socio-economic issues. Despite its diverse and youthful population, sport and physical activity participation remain low. In efforts to revitalize NEIC, GAA Handball emerged as a key component, introducing the sport through school programmes, summer activities, and community outreach. The initiatives have been well-received, with over 1,000 children and 200 adults engaged, leading to increased local GAA Handball club memberships. This evaluation aims to assess the programme's impact beyond mere participation numbers, focusing on the benefits experienced by participants, their families, and the broader community. GAA Handball will partner with Dublin City Council and Ulster University to deliver this project.

Golf Ireland plans to carry out a formative evaluation to better understand the underrepresentation of diverse groups in golf. With the aim to develop an inclusion policy after the evaluation project, this project will engage with extensive consultation with stakeholders and focus groups to identify barriers to participation and create a supportive framework. This policy will foster a culture of inclusion through training, workshops, and toolkits for clubs and volunteers. Golf Ireland’s goal is to make golf more inclusive, diverse, and reflective of Irish society. Golf Ireland will be collaborating with organisations like the Irish Centre For Diversity, Immigrant Council of Ireland, and Sport Against Racism Ireland (SARI) to deliver this project.

The LGFA plan to evaluate the long-term impact of the LGFA female leadership programmes. The 'Learn to Lead' programme that fulfils the Strategic Roadmap to promote female leadership in Ladies Gaelic Football. This 12-month programme was initiated in 2019, aimed to develop female leaders across various fields within the sport. Following its success, LGFA launched a biennial Leading Provincial Females programme and the 'BUA – Believe Unlock Potential Achieve' programme, with the latter aimed at developing leadership skills of 16- to 19-year olds. LGFA’s initial assessments shows promising increases in female leadership within Gaelic Games. This project will provide a mechanism to evaluate the impact of these female leadership programmes. The LGFA will partner with University College Cork to deliver this project.

Longford Sports Partnership plan to conduct a formative evaluation to understand the challenges ethnic minority communities (Traveller and Roma) face in engaging in physical activity in Ireland. Through interviews and analysis, this evaluation will explore factors influencing their activity levels, such as living conditions, available facilities, and cultural traditions. The project will also seek to identify barriers and facilitators to staying active and healthy within these communities. This project is vital as regular physical activity is crucial for overall health, yet ethnic minorities may encounter additional obstacles. By uncovering these challenges and developing targeted interventions, the project aims to promote healthier lifestyles among ethnic minority groups in Ireland. Longford Sports Partnership will partner with Limerick Sports Partnership and Technological University of the Shannon to deliver this project.

Swim Ireland plan to evaluate the Women in Sport Leadership Programme, launched in 2020 with the aim to empower women in sports leadership. Over 200 women from 50+ sporting bodies have completed the course. The evaluation will assess participants' experiences, achievements, ongoing benefits, leadership advancements, and volunteering involvement post-course. This thorough evaluation will determine the programme's success in increasing female leadership and its long-term benefits. Insights gained will help refine future courses, identify gaps, and provide necessary support and mentorship to encourage more women to take up leadership roles in sports. Swim Ireland will partner with IPSOS B&A to deliver this project.

Vision Sports Ireland plan to evaluate the 'I Can' programme, launched in 2024 targeting vision-impaired individuals over 55 years of age leading sedentary lifestyles. This 6-week 1:1 health intervention offers personalised coaching to improve participants' health and well-being. Sessions focus on diet, physical activity, goal setting, stress management, and habit building. Delivered through phone or video calls, the programme aims to boost confidence and empower participants to take charge of their health. With tailored materials and guidance from experts, 'I Can' equips participants with tools to make lasting lifestyle changes, enhancing their overall health and daily activity levels. Vision Sport Ireland will partner with Dublin City University to deliver this project.