FAITH FOCUS IN GOGA EXPANSION WORK

Active Black Country has partnered with the Activity Alliance to extend our Get Out Get Active (GOGA) work, helping community groups and faith centres to increase capacity to get more people moving and being active.

The renewed partnership follows the significant impact of our work with the Activity Alliance. The announcement coincides with Inter Faith Week (9-16 November), the annual initiative dedicated to strengthening interfaith relations, fostering mutual understanding, and showcasing the invaluable contributions of faith communities.

The GOGA programme in Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton in the first half of 2025 was developed through exploring different roles within faith organisations to help activate the local community and more than doubled the 300-participant target.

Over the next year, we are looking to explore how faith centres can play a greater role in promoting physical activity and encouraging an active lifestyle.

Helen Derby, Strategic Lead of Programmes at Activity Alliance, said: “Through Get Out Get Active we saw that faith centres play a vital role in supporting people to be active, especially those who face some of the greatest barriers.

"Faith centres are often the trusted space within communities and hold inclusive values, which makes them ideal settings for physical activity. By working with local faith leaders through Get Out Get Active, we have co-produced many opportunities that are welcoming, sustainable, and helps more people be active together."

Get Out Get Active (GOGA) is a programme that supports disabled and non-disabled people to enjoy being active together. The programme began in 2016 and engages the least active communities in fun, inclusive ways. Creator and lead partner Activity Alliance have teamed up with a range of partners to help GOGA reach more people. Active Black Country has been involved in GOGA since 2020 and has continually demonstrated the power of local partnerships and community-led delivery.

Helen added. “Through GOGA, we've seen how inclusive activities like yoga in faith centres can bring disabled and non-disabled people together, improving wellbeing and strengthening community connections. Extending our work here has allowed us to build on this success and reach even more people, including those who are least likely to be active."

Jodi Adams, Strategic Lead for Active Communities at Active Black Country, said: “Building on the learning from previous delivery, 2025 brings a new focus to the delivery of GOGA across the Black Country.

"We recognise the need to support community organisations and faith centres with building capacity to create more inclusive, resilient communities and ensure activity is sustainable. Our renewed partnership with the Activity Alliance provides a great opportunity to grow and strengthen the role of faith centres in community wellbeing.”

Additional investment from the Activity Alliance will support the development of a Continuing Professional Development programme which focuses on:

• How to engage faith centres in a place-based approach.
• How faith centres can play a leading role in promoting physical activity and encouraging an active lifestyle.

Growing impact

Active Black Country’s work with the Activity Alliance on the GOGA programme earlier this year massively exceeded participation numbers.

A total of 684 people took part in a range of 35 activities in Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton in the first few months of 2025, as part of ABC’s work with the Activity Alliance and local partners. This is more than double the 300-participant target of the programme, partly due the large number of organisations ABC engaged with and partners’ effective delivery.

The GOGA programme prioritised community-led approaches to designing inclusive opportunities, serving as a model for how inclusion and accessibility can be embedded across community provision.

Pictured is a gentle exercise session at Open Heaven Church in Wednesbury, Sandwell, which was part of our GOGA programme.