Activity Alliance – one year on
This time last year (26 April), we became Activity Alliance - the new name for the English Federation of Disability Sport. The same team, working towards the same goals, but with a new image. And what a memorable year it’s been. Here, our Chief Executive, Barry Horne, talks about the successes over the past year, under our new name, and our determination to achieve our vision – disabled people active for life.
It wasn’t a decision we took lightly, nor a short transition from contemplation to launch. We consulted, talked, planned and talked some more. However, we knew the time was right for us to embrace change, engage new audiences and ensure our brand promise matches our ambition.
September 2018 marked 20 years since we became a national charity and we are proud of our success so far. We work with so many amazing people and are at the centre of world-renowned programmes for disabled people.
Only a few weeks ago in Sport England’s Active Lives Survey, we were delighted to learn about the increase in the numbers of active disabled people. An additional 133,200 disabled people and people with long-term health conditions are active.
We really believe that providers are beginning to respond to the need to include disabled people effectively and are increasingly making use of the advice and support we give. Albeit, we have a long way to go until we see true equality between disabled and non-disabled people. But it’s a glimmer of light in the vast landscape of influencers we need to reach.
It is an ideal time to thank the team here for going beyond their roles, helping more organisations to play their part in changing the reality of disability, inclusion and sport. We are a small team and our hard work is meaningless if we can’t see the impact. So it’s really pleasing that we’re beginning to see some great examples of positive change across a wide range of organisations and sectors.
Our impact includes our Ten Principles approach highlighted in the DCMS Strategy and embedded into our Get Out Get Active programme, funded by Spirit of 2012. We launched the Inclusive Activity Programme last summer and recently celebrated 14,000 teachers trained thanks to Sainsbury's Inclusive PE Programme since 2012. Our research, engagement and marketing teams are making waves in enabling more organisations to support disabled people.
We felt the passion for change at our first Making Active Lives Possible Summit in June. This unique gathering brought together disabled people, decision-makers, practitioners and advocates to inspire genuine change for disabled people. Among the speakers, the charity’s Honorary President Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and Vice President John Amaechi OBE called upon attendees to help change the reality of disability, inclusion and sport.
On Wednesday 5 September 2018, friends from government, sport, leisure and third sector joined Activity Alliance, to celebrate 20 years since the charity formed. The same week, we released our 2018-2021 strategy, Achieving Inclusion Together. Back then, I asked how far have we come in meeting our ambitions to see disabled people being just as active as non-disabled people?
I also wrote about our confidence in finding the right framework to support a major upturn in disabled people’s activity rates. Little did I know, that six months later, we would see the first significant shift in numbers. However, now is the time to intensify our efforts rather than be complacent.
The Activity Trap released in October certainly tackled a sensitive subject for many disabled people. Released by Activity Alliance, commissioned by the Dwarf Sports Association UK, it showed almost half of disabled people fear losing their benefits if they are seen to be physically active. Four key recommendations and four significant discussion points emerged from the study. They addressed some of the fears, ambiguity and difficulty involved in being physically active when receiving benefits and financial assistance, especially with regard to Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
This study and other significant work throughout the year has shown us how important working in collaboration is, with the right stakeholders, alongside disabled people. The behaviour change framework works for organisations as well as individuals, and we’re changing habits at all levels, sometimes deep-routed.
It’s been a whirlwind year as Activity Alliance, and we’re thankful to our Members, partners, and our friends. Above all, at the heart of our ambition is disabled people and we thank everyone for sharing their views and contributing to our vision.
I’m reminded of our Vice President, John Amaechi’s final words at our Summit last year:
"Sometimes you don’t even know, but you have a massive impact on people. If you wait long enough you do get the payback."
How true that is. We want the payback to be disabled people active for life.
Join Activity Alliance in making active lives possible. Please contact our team if you require support to engage more disabled people in your work.
