Creating an Active Black Country - a strategy to unite the Black Country to create active, healthier people and places - read more

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Faith and Sport

We recognise that there is a strong relationship between faith and ethnicity. Faith Centres/places of worship engagement can be a unique opportunity to engage with inactive and underrepresented groups in Sport & Physical activity across the Black Country.

Consultation with partners and wider stakeholders has determined gaps in knowledge around understanding behaviours, size/scale, facilities and interest in health-related opportunities in places of worship but with a clear need to build this understanding.

We are collating a directory through our own knowledge and in collaboration with partners to ascertain the gaps, opportunities, challenges and learnings in connecting faith centres.

For more information on the Get Out Get Active (GOGA) programme in Wolverhampton please click here.

We held our inaugural Faith and Sport Forum in July 2019 at the Shri Venkateshwara (Balaji) Temple in Oldbury (Sandwell).

This forum acted as a bridge between Black Country places of worship and physical activity/wellbeing opportunities to enable more people, families & communities to be active. The Faith and Sport Forum consisted of presentations from guest speakers, strategic partners and sports providers to inform those in attendance of the opportunities that are available across the region. There was also a marketplace for those in attendance to visit various sports/physical activity provider stalls to find out what is on offer for places of worship/faith-based groups locally.

Through our research and work with partners including places of worship we have identified a clear need to connect the sectors to better understand opportunities for collaboration. We recognise the importance of places of worship as institutions for worship but also as a place for community cohesion, development and regeneration. Equally, we are aware that not everyone from every community will be able or comfortable in attending traditional sports/physical activity settings.

INSIGHT HUB

Timely data and learnings in relation to physical activity and sport in the Black Country and the added value we can offer.

Read more about the Insight Hub

ACTIVATION ACADEMY

Resources and training material to support the Black Country sport & physical activity workforce

Read more

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