Report shows how activity providers responded to pandemic restrictions lifting

Key findings

The key findings for Disabled people were: 

• Most participants still want to be active after the pandemic and feel it will benefit their lives. 
• The pandemic led to a lack of access to facilities or restrictions on meeting with others – this reduced confidence or motivation for many. 
• The pandemic has worsened existing challenges for Disabled people and led to continued fluctuating involvement and nervousness about participation. 

The research found that for providers: 

• The pandemic caused additional challenges for providers. This includes fluctuating or reduced participation, reduced staff or loss of skilled staff, and changes or loss in networks and partnerships, lack of financial stability or even closures. 
• There is a strong desire among providers to use the pandemic to improve and grow. 

The research also outlined key recommendations that focus on three areas. When wanting to be active, Disabled people have three important asks: 

1. Make it easier for me to find out how to be active again or where to continue my activity
2. Make me confident that the activity will be a safe, welcoming, and comfortable place for me to participate. 
3. Ensure opportunities are available that meet my needs and values. 

The research also identified key benefits for activity in the following areas.

• Mental health: Improved mood, increased confidence and self-esteem, better concentration, memory and general ‘alertness’, better self-care.
• Physical health: Feeling “lighter”, more flexible, and mobile, managing impairments or conditions, and staying fit or strong.
• Resilience: Overcoming challenges and working towards a goal, gaining a sense of achievement, satisfaction at doing something for yourself. Social: Meeting new people, developing social skills and connecting with others, being part of a team, preventing isolation and loneliness

Mikey Erhardt, from Get Yourself Active said:

“The new report highlights that access to sport and physical activity reflects more than just the physical health of our nation. Sports providers need to do more, to work with Disabled people to provide activities that we want, in the ways we want.

We agree that inclusive delivery is vital alongside the continued development of grassroots organisations, community sports, and physical activity. Local spaces are crucial to support Disabled people to exercise their right to get active, have fun, and be part of a community.

We continue to support Sport England’s Uniting the Movement Strategy, which has tackling inequalities for Disabled people, and other underrepresented communities, at its heart and won’t stop until we see these disparities in activity levels disappear.”