Making sport inclusive

The Commission is working with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Premiership Rugby to encourage people from all backgrounds to participate in sports.

Increasing participation in cricket

The Commission is funding a £450,000 major new initiative to boost participation levels in cricket. The joint scheme with the English Cricket Board (ECB) will encourage more women, girls,and black and ethnic minority people to take up the sport, as well as improving disabled access at cricket grounds.

Key targets:

  • Recruit 540 new coaches from black and ethnic minority communities
  • Offering 2500 members of the South East Asian community the opportunity to play indoor cricket
  • Creat opportunities for 7500 women and girls to play cricket accross 1000 clubs nationwide
  • Conducting accessibility audits for disabled access at 16 first class country grounds

Infographic describing the Commission’s inclusion within cricket initiative together with key targets]

Read the news story: Commission teams up with ECB to increase participation in cricket

Widening interest in and access to Rugby

In September 2014 the Commission launched a new sports inclusion programme with Premiership Rugby Limited alongside Sports Minister, Helen Grant MP, Commissioner Chris Holmes and DMP Sharks and England rugby star, Tamara Taylor. We will be working in partnership with various GB stakeholders over the coming months to encourage people from all backgrounds and groups to participate in various sports, beginning with rugby.

The objectives are

  • To increase the participation of women and girls;
  • Increase the participation of ethnic minorities, ensuring teams and spectators represent their communities;
  • Improve the physical and cultural accessibility of sporting venues and;
  • Improve the implementation of the Sports Equality Standard to create an inclusive sporting experience on and off the pitch.

Rugby union has one of the lowest participation rates of all sports amongst ethnic minorities, at just 3% according to Sporting Equals.

Premiership Rugby will be addressing this on behalf of the Commission over the next couple of years, working at local level with rugby clubs across GB to run sports camps for Black and Minority Ethnic participants, as well as women and girls. Other initiatives include the consideration of how best to provide access to stadia for disabled people and mentoring and linking to schools.

Read our Press Release about the sports programme.

Helen Grant MP discusses the importance of the new initiative launched in this short video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CtaMtizJtc

play premiership rugby

Last Updated: 23 Jul 2015