Leisure factsheets
A series of leisure factsheets that cover a range of top topics from developing inclusive strategies to workforce development and measuring impact. They support leaders in the leisure sector to strengthen their inclusion work and engage more disabled people.
These ten leisure factsheets provide clear and simple guidance, useful resources, and top tips on how the leisure workforce can embed better inclusive practices within facilities and programmes. This includes leisure centre and gym managers, facility management teams, marketing specialists, and many others.
Our recent Annual Disability and Activity Survey showed that less than 3 in 10 disabled people feel encouraged to return to physical activity after the pandemic. This is despite 8 in 10 wanting to be more active.
To truly tackle inequalities for disabled people, we need to increase our efforts and share good practice. These latest resources are extremely timely for organisations and their workforce to understand and remove barriers that disabled people face daily. Implementing ideas from the factsheets will help more disabled people know their local leisure facilities are accessible, inclusive and a welcoming place to be active in.
The release of these factsheets will also support the new Tackling Inequalities in Leisure Standard, co-written by Activity Alliance and Quest. Find out more about the Tackling Inequalities in Leisure Standard here.
Leisure factsheet 1: Strategy
An effective strategy provides a clear roadmap and guiding principles to achieve your organisation’s long-term goals.
Download our leisure factsheet on strategy in accessible PDF format (opens in a new window).
Leisure factsheet 2: Leadership
Effective leadership inspires an inclusive culture where your whole organisation considers the needs
of disabled people and people with long-term health conditions.
Download our leisure factsheet on leadership in accessible PDF format (opens in a new window).
Leisure factsheet 3: workforce development
Developing a strong inclusive culture and supporting your workforce to thrive helps to engage everyone, including disabled people and people with long-term health conditions.
Download our leisure factsheet on workforce development in accessible PDF format (opens in a new window).
Leisure factsheet 4: accessible venues
Accessible and welcoming venues are key to your customer journey.
Understanding and removing barriers to access for disabled people and people with long-term health conditions means you can provide an inclusive experience for all.
Download our leisure factsheet on accessible venues in accessible PDF format (opens in a new window).
Leisure factsheet 5: Policies and procedures
Policies and procedures underpin your organisation.
Effective and inclusive policies and procedures will help drive positive experiences for disabled people, people with long-term health conditions, and your wider audiences.
Download our leisure factsheet on policies and procedures in accessible PDF format (opens in a new window).
Leisure factsheet 6: Equipment
Inclusive equipment helps engage new individuals and improves experiences for everyone.
Accessible products can unlock access to your facility and services for disabled people and people with long-term health conditions. Well thought out equipment selections will benefit customers and staff alike and enable you to attract the widest possible audience.
Download our leisure factsheet on equipment in accessible PDF format (opens in a new window).
Leisure factsheet 7: Insight and marketing
Understanding your audience is essential. Strong insight helps your organisation provide truly welcoming and accessible offers.
It also supports effective communications to ensure you reach a diverse market - including disabled people and people with long-term health conditions.
Download our leisure factsheet on insight and marketing in accessible PDF format (opens in a new window).
Leisure factsheet 8: Partnerships and engagement
Developing partnerships is a great way to engage with disabled people and people with long-term health conditions.
Collaborative and trusted relationships help organisations
to understand people’s behaviours and barriers, and provide better services.
Download our leisure factsheet on partnerships and engagement in accessible PDF format (opens in a new window).
Leisure factsheet 9: Programming and participation
Inclusive programming creates activities that invite, encourage, and enable participation.
This means being responsive to people’s motivations for engaging in activity, while addressing the barriers they face. Successful programming helps to meet everyone’s needs and get more disabled people and people with long-term health conditions active.
Download our leisure factsheet on programming and participation in accessible PDF format (opens in a new window).
Leisure factsheet 10: Impact and outcomes
Monitoring, evaluation, and learning are powerful organisational tools. Measuring impact and outcomes helps you to shape future services. It also ensures you are providing welcoming environments and high-quality services for disabled people and people with long-term health conditions.
Download our leisure factsheet on impact and outcomes in accessible PDF format (opens in a new window).
