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At a meeting of the Sports Partnerships in Tullamore, Co Offaly, Minister Hanafin launched the 2009 SPEAK Report, the evaluation mechanism that tracks the activities of the Partnerships year on year. Among the many highlights were that 112,000 people participated in 744 directly delivered participation programmes and 3,500 clubs were supported in the delivery of their sports activities.
Addressing representatives of Sports Partnerships from around the country at the meeting in Tullamore, Minister Hanafin said "the work of the people in Local Sports Partnership network, who operate in conjunction with the many clubs and volunteers, is to promote and develop participation in sport in every community in Ireland. They specifically focus on increasing participation in sport amongst sectors of society that have traditionally been underrepresented including groups such as older people, women, people with disabilities and unemployed people. It is a simple concept and one that has worked very well over the past 10 years. Their efforts are making a substantial contribution to the health and welfare of individuals and communities."
Minister Hanafin said that the SPEAK report for 2009 indicates that hundreds of schools, thousands of clubs and tens of thousands of people are directly benefitting from the work of the LSP in their communities. The Sports Inclusion Development Officers sanctioned by the ISC to continue working in 2010 will assist in making "a practical difference to the lives of very many people who have found barriers to their engagement in sport."
John Treacy, Chief Executive of the Irish Sports Council, commented: "The national network of Sports Partnerships continues to do outstanding work in every community in the country. The SPEAK Report highlights their work in 2009 which includes new and innovative programmes for people whose economic circumstances have changed in recent times. It also highlights the contribution of the Sports Inclusion Disability Offices who are having a direct and beneficial impact on the lives of many people".
The national network of Local Sports Partnerships now comprises 32 organisations. The first partnerships were established in 2001 and the national network was completed in 2008. Their remit is to increase participation in sport and physical activity within their local area with a particular emphasis on communities which face barriers to engaging in sport such as older people, women, people with a disability. The Irish Sports Council will invest a total of €6.3million in the network in 2010. Council funding will accounts for approximately 48% of the total Partnership funding. The remaining 52% is raised from a range of partners including Local Authorities and the Health Service Executive. It is anticipated that overall investment in 2010 will equal that of 2009 which exceeded €12.6million.
Irish Sports Council funding for Local Sports Partnerships in 2010
The national network of Local Sports Partnerships now comprises 32 organisations. The Irish Sports Council will invest a total of €6.3million in the network in 2010. Council funding will accounts for approximately 48% of the total Partnership funding. The remaining 52% is raised from a range of partners including Local Authorities and the Health Service Executive. It is anticipated that overall investment in 2010 will equal that of 2009 which exceeded €12.6million. As part of that overall funding package the Irish Sports Council is pleased to be in a position to commit over nearly €500,000 for the continuation of the SIDO programme in 2010. €5,706,521 was allocated to the 32 established sites for core and general programme funding, included in this figure is €135,180 for HSE programme funding. An additional €140,788 has been allocated for Women in Sport funding and €461,000 was also released to LSPs for the SIDO Programme
Notes on Funding
Allocated 2010
- LSP Budget: €5,706,521
- Women in Sport: € 140,788
- SIDO Funding € 461,000
- Total Funding €6,308,309
Local Sports Partnership
2010 LSP Core & Programme Allocated 2010 Women in Sport Allocated SIDO
- Carlow €207,856 €4,040 €25,000
- Cavan €122,574 €0 €25,000
- Clare €190,787 €7,816 €25,000
- Cork €364,657 €21,000 €25,000
- Donegal €210,016 €12,500 €25,000
- Dublin City €302,371 €0 €3,000
- Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown €140,315 €0 €25,000
- Fingal Sports Partnership €196,205 €4,630 €3,000
- Galway City €114,542 €0 €3,000
- Galway County €126,903 €0 €3,000
- Kerry €166,936 €0 €3,000
- Kildare Sports €171,440 €0 €3,000
- Kilkenny €164,124 €0 €25,000
- Laois €197,530 €3,500 €25,000
- Leitrim €133,571 €7,500 €3,000
- Limerick City €176,768 €4,000 €25,000
- Limerick County €192,931 €11,950 Shares with Limerick City
- Longford €133,014 €6,000 €3,000
- Louth €158,028 €2,570 €3,000
- Mayo €191,715 €8,500 €25,000
- Meath €190,986 €7,060 €25,000
- Monaghan €149,780 €2,750 Shares with Cavan
- North Tipperary €178,264 €3,190 €25,000
- Offaly €135,438 €0 €25,000
- Roscommon €156,157 €1,500 €25,000
- Sligo €264,041 €14,840 €25,000
- South Tipperary €146,671 €3,550 Shares with Tipp North
- South Dublin €155,700 €3,000 €3,000
- Waterford €242,297 €1,412 €25,000
- Wexford €150,428 €2,500 €3,000
- Westmeath €163,303 €0 €25,000
- Wicklow €111,173 €6,980 €3,000
- Totals €5,706,521 €140,788 €461,000
Highlights of the 2009 SPEAK Report
This report is based on the information provided for 2009 by 33 Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) using the SPEAK self-evaluation system.
Resources And Funding
- Over €12.6m was invested in the LSP network in 2009. This figure includes benefit-in-kind funding.
- Funding from the Irish Sports Council accounts for 48% of the total LSP funding in 2009, the remaining 52% is raised by LSPs from partner agencies with the Local Authorities being the next most significant source of funding for LSPs in 2009.
- Over 497 people served on LSP boards in 2009, representing a 9% increase in the numbers involved in 2008.
- In 2009, the 33 LSPs directly employed 103 full-time staff and a further 28 part-time people.
Achievements of the LSP Network in 2009
Information Provision
- Over 118,000 individuals contacted the LSP network in order to access general or specific sport related information.
- 3,436 information resources were produced by LSPs.
Development of Local Sports Infrastructure
- LSPs have provided 11,023 clubs, groups and organisations throughout the country with important information and advice in the area of funding
- 3,598 clubs and groups have been supported in the delivery of their activities
- LSPs planned and delivered 373 training and education courses
Delivering Irish Sports Council Programmes
- 1,859 primary school teachers in 241 schools received Buntْs Generic training
- 1,536 childcare practitioners in 416 childcare centres received Buntْs Start training
- 5,598 participants completed 386 Code of Ethics courses
- 259 participants completed 23 Club Children's Officer courses
Programme Delivery
- 112,056 people participated in 744 locally delivered participation programmes
- An additional 10,601 female participants took part in 145 local Women in Sport programmes
Building partnerships and influencing policy
- 159 networks and forums were facilitated by LSPs
- LSPs participated in 303 awareness raising events
- LSPs actively participated in 228 local committees and other networks
Challenges Ahead
- The challenge created by rising unemployment in terms of affordability and access to participation where there is cost/ membership involved.
- The moratorium on recruitment in the public service is raising many difficult and practical issues for employment practices in LSPs under the aegis of the Local Authorities.
- Sustaining the Sports Inclusion Disability Officer Programme beyond 2010 in order to maintain level of service delivery to people with a disability.
- Delivering long-term sustainable outcomes and having the capacity to measure and evaluate these outcomes continues to be a challenge.
- As LSPs grow in size and stature there is an increased demand and responsibility on each LSP Board to display all elements of good corporate governance.
Sports Inclusion Disability Officer (SIDO) Programme
Information Note
In 2006 the Dormant Accounts fund earmarked €2 million nationally for projects to address the imbalance in opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in sport, physical activity and physical education. The Irish Sports Council in collaboration with the network of Local Sports Partnerships (LSP) identified the need to appoint dedicated personnel at county level to address this gap in provision and created the SIDO Programme.
The main aim of a local sports partnership is to increase participation in sport and physical activity for all. Working within this structure, the Sports Inclusion Disability Officer's role is focused solely on supporting and increasing opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in sport and physical activity. This applies to both mainstream activities and specific clubs and sports for people with disabilities.
During the period of December 2007 and March 2008, 21 Sports Inclusion Disability Officers commenced a 2 year contract within 20 of the 32 partnerships. As these contracts came to an end and with Dormant Accounts funding no longer available the future of the SIDO Programme was in some doubt.
The Irish Sports Council decided to allocate funding to ensure that the programme could continue into 2010. It approved funding of €425,000 towards the development of the Sport Inclusion Development Officer programme to 17 Local Sports Partnership (LSP) sites for 2010 to 2011.
Each successful LSP site demonstrated matched monetary funding, secured from a range of local sources, to meet the cost of employing the SIDO. The Council has also made an additional fund available to non SIDO LSPs to develop sport for people with a disability (€36,000). All LSPs will access training and information from the Cara Centre, a Council initiative, on disability awareness and access advice on how to develop inclusive programmes in their county.
The Council decision to allocate the funding was based on the vital work that was being carried out by SIDOs with the aim of encouraging people with a disability to participate in sport. These activities include;
- Establishing a disability sports forum to encourage cooperation and collaboration with disability organisations, sports organisations and volunteer organisations.
- Linking with local disability organisations; assess current needs and possible developments that may facilitate increased participation both within the disability service.
- Support and advise existing clubs/sessions that provide opportunities for people with disabilities to participate.
- Establish new and sustainable sport/physical activity clubs/sessions in the five national focus sports/activities, i.e., Boccia, Powerchair Football, Athletics, Gym/Fitness and Swimming/Halliwick.
- Communicate with all relevant disability sports organisations to ensure awareness of all clubs/sessions at a local level regarding their associated sports.
- Provide pathways to performance in the form of support and information to athletes with disabilities whose aim is to achieve their optimum level of performance in sports participation.
- Promote accessibility within leisure centres and all sports and physical activity facilities.
- Provide training and education opportunities to coaches, instructors, teachers, professionals and volunteers working in the area of sport for people with disabilities.
- Support individuals with disabilities to become coaches, instructors and volunteers within local developments
17 SIDO Locations
- Cavan and Monaghan Sports Partnership
- Carlow Sports Partnerships
- Clare Sports Partnership
- Cork Sports Partnership
- Donegal Sports Partnership
- Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Sports Partnership
- Kilkenny Sports Partnership
- Laois Sports Partnership
- Limerick City and County Sports Partnership
- Mayo Sports Partnership
- Meath Sports Partnership
- North and South Tipperary Sports Partnership
- Offaly Sports Partnership
- Roscommon Sports Partnership
- Sligo Sports Partnership
- Waterford Sports Partnership
- Westmeath Sports Partnership
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