Canalview Community Sport Hub

A network of community sports clubs in the Colinton area of Edinburgh, working together to create a strong sporting and physically active community.

Community Sport Hubs

Community Sport Hubs, sport scotland’s contribution to the Scottish Government’s 2014 legacy plan, aim to increase the number of people of all ages participating in sport and physical activity in local communities across Scotland.

What is a Community Sport Hub?

Community Sport Hubs are based in local facilities such as sport centres, community centres, club pavilions, the natural environment and /or schools, and will bring local people together and provide a home for local clubs and sports organisations. They will also provide information, support and advice on a wide range of sports and physical activities to make it easier for local people to get involved and engage in a more active and healthier lifestyle. The specifics of each Hub and what it offers will vary according to local need and local resource.

However all Hubs will work to the following five principles:

• Growth in participation

• Engage the local community

• Promote community leadership

• Offer a range of sporting opportunities

• Bring all appropriate (key) partners / groups /people together.

Progress so far

We are not starting with a blank sheet. Scotland already has in place two separate national strategies for sport and physical activity – Reaching Higher (since 2007) and Let’s Make Scotland More Active (since 2003).

Community Sport Hubs do not mean a change in direction for either of these strategies; rather, they offer the opportunity to accelerate progress of these strategies and their implementation. sport scotland has agreed an annual budget of £1. 5 million from 2010 to 2015 onwards, this will be allocated on a geographical basis across all local authority areas, against clear, robust plans. In addition facility budgets will be considered to further develop this area of work, should it help achieve the Community Sport Hub outcomes.

This is a long term journey, but to date we have engaged with all local authority partners and aim to start developing Community Sport Hubs within each of the 32 local authority areas by 2012.

To date, 114 strong and creative Community Sport Hubs have been identified across 12 local authority areas. Each one engages the appropriate local partners – such as the local authority, local trust, club and community.

What do Community Sport Hubs aim to achieve?

Some of the outcomes which Community Sport Hubs aim to achieve are:

Providing the Pathway

• More opportunities to participate in sport and physical activity

• A home where a range of local sports clubs can work together

• A welcome and safe place to take part in sport and physical activity

Well Trained People

• Training and development of the people that make sport happen

Strong Organisations

• Self sustainable sports clubs /organisations

• An integrated approach from local partners

• A social environment that engages members of the community

• Genuine community engagement and leadership

Quality Facilities

• Improved access for local people and sports clubs at affordable prices

• Integration with local facility planning and programming