One Team: How sport can build more connected communities

Author: Belong Manager
Published: July 18, 2023

Join us for One Team – an online event to share knowledge and understanding about the role sport can play in building cohesive communities.

Thursday 21 September, 10:00 – 12:00.

This event is for anyone in the sports and physical activity sector who wants to better understand the powerful impact their programmes can have in helping to build stronger, more cohesive communities. 

Sign up here

We will bring together organisations from across the sector to showcase programmes which have led the way in doing this, and hear from those who have designed, evaluated and participated in these programmes. We will listen to experts on place-based theories of change, and how to capture cohesion impact.

And we will kickstart a conversation as to how collectively we can support each other to build the knowledge, skills and capacity we need to have even greater impact in helping to build stronger communities wherever we work.

Keynote speakers and participants will include: 

  • Kim Leadbeater MP, Chair of the Sport APPG
  • Ruth Hollis, Chief Executive of Spirit of 2012

More speakers will be announced in due course. 

View the One Team Agenda

Key topics of discussion will include:

  • How sports and physical activity programmes can maximise their positive impact on cohesion.
  • Understanding place-based theories of change.
  • How to capture cohesion impact.
  • The experiences of participants and facilitators.
  • What additional capacity, skills or resources does the sector need to do more of this?
  • #OpenGoal advocacy: working to demonstrate the power of sport to build cohesion and stronger communities.

Organisations participating include:  

  • Comic Relief
  • Greater London Authority
  • Yorkshire Sport
  • Sport for Development Coalition
  • Youth Sport Trust
  • Ready Steady Active
  • Sporting Equals
  • Access Sport
  • Salaam Peace

This event is being organised by the Belong Network and its partners: the Sport for Development CoalitionStreetGamesYouth Sport Trust and Sporting Equals.

With the support of Sport England and Spirit of 2012, Belong developed the Power of Sport toolkit. We are now working with sectoral partners through the Power of Sport Community of Practice to further develop the confidence and capacity of the sector to maximise the impact it can have in building stronger, more connected communities.

Sign up here