As an advocate for physical activity you need to raise your voice

18/11/2016

The Erasmus+ Sport supported ActiveVoice project started in 2016 with the aim to develop tools and resources that will equip grassroots sport organisations with strategies for influencing physical activity policy and contributing to a more widespread implementation of the EU’s Health Enhancing Physical Activity (HEPA) Guidelines.

ISCA and our project partners see it as a need for civil society organisations to advocate more for physical activity and play a significant role in pushing the agenda forward by gaining support from their national and local stakeholders.

However, many organisations promoting grassroots sport and physical activity in the EU member states do not have the capacity to deliver advocacy, and many simply do not know where to start. The ActiveVoice project aims to help these organisations raise their voice and be heard.

The project’s resources are being developed by a consortium of five European organisations and five national partners through case-by-case mentoring. Together they will develop a toolkit for national and local organisations to use as a guide to what they can achieve and how they can approach other stakeholders to influence decision-making or enter into partnerships. The national partners will test the advice from the toolkit in their local settings next year.

As part of the ActiveVoice project in 2016, ISCA held a one-day conference in Ljubljana together with partners from the PASS Project, FlashMOVE and Journey of Hope. The occasion was a rare opportunity for stakeholders across sectors, including the EU Sport Unit, to exchange perspectives and coordinate their efforts moving forward.

ACTIVEVOICE PARTNERS

International partners:

ISCA (project lead), EPODE International Network (EIN), European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF), European Healthy Stadia Network, European Physical Education Association (EUPEA) and International Association of Sport and Leisure Infrastructure Management (IASLIM)

National partners:

International Association of Sport and Leisure Infrastructure (Slovenia), UFOLEP (France), V4Sport (Poland), BG Be Active (Bulgaria), UISP (Italy) and Greenways SCE (Greece).