ukactive and Nike have announced a new partnership to engage vulnerable young people in sport and physical activity over the summer holidays by unlocking school facilities across four major cities as part of the Open Doors programme.
Nike has agreed to support the expansion of ukactive’s Open Doors programme over the next three years, beginning by growing its footprint from London and Birmingham to include Manchester and Liverpool this July.
The move follows successful pilots during 2020 in London through collaboration with the Greater London Authority, and in Birmingham with West Midlands Combined Authority.
Open Doors is a programme that forms part of ukactive’s Schools As Community Hubs policy – a universal model which focuses on unlocking school playing fields, halls and courts, which make up 39 per cent of community sport facilities in the England but are usually closed or inaccessible during school holidays.
The Open Doors initiative is being championed by Nike athlete and Iron Man, John McAvoy, and ukactive intends for the programme to help change existing policies for out-of-school provision and usage.
The Schools as Community Hubs model is backed by charities, sport providers and elite athletes, including Paralympic champion and ukactive chair Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson; and former England Rugby captain Lawrence Dallaglio, along with his charity, RugbyWorks.
It has also received support from academic experts including psychologist and prison researcher Professor Rosie Meek, and ukactive board member and government advisor, Professor Dame Carol Black.
The power of the sustainable model lies in its place-based approach, partnering local providers of sport and physical activity with safe and familiar community facilities outside of term time, harnessing both public and private funding – without putting any additional burden on schools or staff.
This year’s programme comes at a crucial time, with Covid-19 widening the inequalities gap experienced by many children and young people, from increased isolation and disconnection with local communities, to the growing physical and mental health challenges that lockdown has exacerbated.
In July, 10 schools will open across the four cities, with ukactive and Nike aiming to scale the programme to more than 100 schools across England by Summer 2023. The expansion means school sites will remain open during the holidays to support young people by tackling inactivity, community disengagement and holiday hunger.
