ASA TO PILOT SCHEMES FOR HEALTHIER NATION
The Amateur Swimming Association is working closely with
Sport England to transform a £3m award into a £12m
national scheme to help boost public health by increasing
participation in swimming.
Sport England unveiled its £3 million award to the
ASA last month with the aim of producing nine regional pilot
schemes to be run by the ASA to help meet new Government targets
of a fitter, healthier nation.
"We're working closely with Sport England to fine tune
the detail at the moment," explained ASA Chief Executive
David Sparkes. "We're happy to hear from anyone with
ideas on this scheme as together we are looking to finalise
the programme before the end of the year with a view to projects
beginning early in 2006."
Sparkes believes swimming, the most popular participation
sport in the country, can play a key role in delivering health
benefits to the nation and has lobbied hard to gain the support
needed to implement a strategy designed to bring about lifestyle
change.
"The Government wants all of us to lead more active
lives and swimming can play a major role in this. This award
now allows us to pilot schemes to attract even more people
to a sport that offers clear benefits to all irrespective
of age, gender or social background. Swimming can make a massive
difference," said Sparkes.
"Our experience of a scheme in Plymouth, where together
with the Government and local authorities we worked to get
more of the population involved in swimming, tells us there
are a lot people wanting to become involved in the sport."
Sparkes believes a wide range of sports will feel the benefits
of increased numbers involved in swimming.
"If we can get the nation into the pool I'm sure you'll
see these people going on to become involved in other sports,"
explained Sparkes. "Whether people choose kick-boxing,
running, netball or football, improvements in their general
fitness will lead them towards other activities."
The ASA is currently working to identify nine pilot area
and these will essentially be selected to provide a range
of different types of test beds. It is aimed to look across
the entire spectrum from inner city to rural, from affluent
to deprived areas.
In order for this to be a success the ASA will be encouraging
support from all areas.
"The key is for local authorities and pool operators
to work with us on these schemes. We're looking for partnerships
as funding needs to be in place to make this happen.
"We want to take the £3m from Sport England and
make it £12m. This will not necessarily be a pot of
money as we'll be looking at value in kind contributions such
as free pool space and staff time.
"We're also trying to improve the way pools deal with
customers. One idea is the healthy living coach certificate
that we're working on to offer to pool operators so staff
have extra skills to give added value to customers.
"Our whole purpose has to be to get people back to pools
and back to swimming. To make pools a different experience
to what they are now."
The ASA will also be providing leadership in this area in
a number of ways.
"We're urging the Government to move forward on a massive
national refurbishment and improvement programme of facilities
as current expectations, which people have about facilities,
far exceed what they get in the public sector. Research suggests
£2bn is needed to ensure this happens.
"Operators of pools also need to be much more customer
focused. I think we need to vary what is offered and identify
new markets before going out to bring these to the pool,"
said Sparkes.
A Development Co-ordinator will be appointed at each of the
nine pilot pools. The coordinator will manage the pilot and
introduce participation-driven health related programmes,
with a strong focus on marketing, partnership working and
evaluation.
Authorities or bodies interested in finding out more about
the nine regional pilot schemes can contact the ASA's Director
of English Programmes
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