Your views are wanted on participation in Sport for Everyone. The Health and Sport Committee of the Scottish Parliament has been looking at ways to encourage more people to take part in sport at all levels.

The Committee is asking people to provide examples of where a community based approach has been successful in removing barriers, particularly among certain social groups. Preliminary evidence showed that caring duties and cost prevented most people from taking part in sport locally. Other factors were feeling self-conscious,shortage of suitable facilities nearby and not enjoying PE when at school.

MSPs also hope to address the reasons behind on-going difficulties in communities accessing the school estate for sport and physical activity.

Neil Findlay MSP, Convener of the Health and Sport Committee, said:

“Increasing participation in sport and physical activity was a key aim of the Commonwealth Games and the new infrastructure that was built around the games. We know some of the barriers to people getting involved, such as time, cost and difficulties in accessing facilities, but we want to know what work is being done in communities to try and break those barriers down.”

“There was a huge interest in volunteering around the Games, but that level of interest hasn’t been sustained. We need to know what the barriers are to people taking up volunteering opportunities because volunteers are central to the success of community sport.”

The committee would like to hear your views on key questions:

• Can you provide examples where a community based approach has been successful in removing barriers to participation in sport and physical activity?
• Were there any approaches that were particularly successful in increasing participation among certain social groups, like women, ethnic minorities, certain age-groups?
• What are the barriers facing volunteers and how can they be overcome?
• To what extent is the school estate currently being used effectively to increase opportunities for sport and physical activity participation?
• Is the infrastructure built for the Commonwealth Games being used effectively to increase opportunities for sport and physical activity and participation?

The closing date for contributions is 30th June.

How to submit written evidence

Before making a submission, please read our policy on treatment of written evidence. In line with that policy, submissions will normally be published on our website. We recognise that in some circumstances people may prefer for their evidence to be treated as confidential or published anonymously. If you wish to do this, please make this clear when submitting your evidence.
Written submissions should be reasonably brief and typewritten in Word format (preferably no more than 4-6 sides of A4 in total).

The deadline for receipt of written submissions is Friday 30 June 2017.

Owing to the timescales normally required for the processing and analysis of evidence, late submissions will only be accepted with the advance agreement of the clerk.

The Committee prefers to receive submissions electronically. These should be sent to: healthandsport@parliament.scot

You may also send a hard copy of written submissions to:
Health and Sport Committee
Scottish Parliament
Holyrood
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

We welcome written evidence in any language.