On the starting blocks
Starting a new community sports-for-development group is a challenging but incredibly rewarding endeavour. It requires dedication, hard work, and a clear vision of how sports can be a tool for positive change. By starting a group, you have the opportunity to give back to the community, helping to shape the lives of young people. Through sports and physical activity you can foster connections among youth, promoting teamwork, discipline, and leadership. Your group can create a space where individuals not only develop athletic skills but also learn life lessons that extend far beyond the playing field.
Starting your group - what you need to know
So, you want to start a group or club and need to know how to get started and know what you need to know to get started.
Before you set up, or as part of your setting up process, we recommend that you start by doing some research to find out what is going on in your community:
- what are the opportunities?
- what are the challenges?
- what do young people want?
- what do you want to offer?
You might be able to run some taster sessions in a local school, youth club or community centre to test your delivery idea and get some feedback.
There are lots of important things that you will need to think about when getting set up, but you are far more likely to be successful if you have a structure in place that will enable you to deliver more effectively.
Take a look at this resource on community consultation and take some time to consider your group’s vision, mission and structure.
Your group will need a legal structure and governing documents
Depending on the structure you choose, and whether your group registers as a charity, there will be different obligations.
Take a look at these governance and structure resources to find out more, if you’re new to governance, you may find the Sported Governance e learning unit useful.
There are a lot of things to consider when setting up a new group. Sported has used its experience and feedback from members who were in a similar position to identify a list of essential questions you need to feel confident answering when setting up a new sport for development group.
- Have you researched your community?
- Have you researched the young people in your community?
- Have you identified what impact you would like to have?
- Would your idea work?
- Have you put together a basic plan?
Along with each question, there are a set of achievement goals, ideas to get the member thinking and a thorough list of support available in and outside of Sported.
Download the checklist, and take a look at more getting started planning resources.
Your group will need some adults to run the activities, ensure your group is running safely for your participants and find out more about managing your team here.
Get your marketing right to target the participants your group aims to help. With a marketing plan your group will get the word out to those who need to know, as well as raising the profile of your group. Funders like to see what you’re doing and some basic marketing can really help with this. Check out the getting started marketing resources.
Once you have your group set up, with the governance and policies you need in place, you can consider applying for funding. We have many helpful resources on fundraising, where to find it, grants and other ways to raise money, as well as bid writing guidance.
If you’re new to this, the Sported bid writing e learning unit is a great place to start.
Take a look at all the getting started fundraising resources, or the complete collection of fundraising resources here.
Sported Startups programme
Sported Startups programme
As a Sported member, you can benefit from this tailored support programme, either as an individual or with a cohort of similar groups.
Our Sported Start-ups programme aims to help you take the next step – maybe to set up the most suitable structure, secure funding, broaden your reach, or look at how the work you do can be sustained.