7.1c What does existing evidence show about how sports participation and interventions build social capital, wellbeing and pride in place?
Background
DCMS is committed to establishing a robust evidence base for the sport and physical activity sector, prioritising ‘what works’ and value for money. This aligns with the broader shift towards devolved, place-based models in public service reform, including the move towards neighbourhood health approaches. We seek to understand how locally-tailored sport interventions can reduce health inequalities and drive economic growth. Just as wider reforms aim to push power out to communities and demand greater transparency, we require research into governance structures that maps stakeholder networks and identifies best practices for accountability and collaboration. Finally, we invite evidence on the responsible and ethical use of AI and the role of sport in young people’s mental health to ensure the sector effectively addresses future challenges and reduces demand on health services. These questions reflect DCMS’s strong interest in rigorous evaluation approaches and the generation of causal evidence on ‘what works’.
Next steps
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Related UKRI funded projects
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Fully relevant as it specifically focuses on developing a sports-based mental health promotion intervention for adolescents in Nepal, addressing mental health and sports participation.
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Partially relevant as it focuses on co-designing a framework for developing young physical activity leader programs for girls from underserved groups, but does not directly address social capital, wellbeing, and pride in place.