Recent Research

Spliss

The (Sport Policy Factors Leading to International Sporting Success) SPLISS Northern Ireland Benchmarking Report (2013), prepared by Sports Industry Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University as part of the overall SPLISS research project, presents information on the nature of sports delivery structures across the UK, Europe and beyond, and considers the current delivery structures in Northern Ireland and how they are rated against other nations and against what is considered best practice.

Download: The Nature of Sports Delivery Structures: Conceptual Evidence from Home and Abroad (PDF 394KB)

Download the full Spliss Report (PDF 4MB)

Promoting Fair Play in Sport

This guide highlights key equality legislation and its impact on the world of sport.

Download: Promoting Fair Play in Sport (pdf)

Planning and Managing a Mentoring Programme in Sport

In response to a growing demand from within the wider governing body and sports development network, Sport Northern Ireland worked in partnership wtih sportscoach UK, Hutton Consulting, Cricket Ireland, UIster Hockey and Ulster Rugby to pilot a cross-sport mentoring project in 2011/2012.

This resource aims to explain how to set up and run a formal mentoring programme, employing key learning and development outcomes from the pilot project to provide guidance and recommendations that will supoort governing bodies of sport, local authorities and other organisations to plan, implement and review their programmes effectively.

The Northern Ireland Sport and Physical Activity Survey 2010

This report presents us with a complete picture of adult participation in sport and physcial activity across Northern Ireland. The report also covecovers a wide range of other aspects related to sport and health such as: sport participation; club membership; coaching; volunteering; attitudes to sport; spectating; smoking behaviour; alcohol consumption; and self-reported BMI, in order to reliably enhance our understanding of sport and physical activity patterns and determinants across the population.

For more information including area specific and sport specific reports, visit the The SAPAS Web Page and
Download the report here The Northern Ireland Sport and Physical Activity Survey 2010 (pdf, 4Mb)

This report presents a comprehensive analysis of Northern Ireland’s performance at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi 2010. Comparisons are made over time (1950-2010) with other Commonwealth countries , athletes representing Northern Ireland in different types of events and different sports or disciplines in which Northern Ireland’s athletes competed.

Download:Analysis of Northern Ireland’s Performance in the Commonwealth Games (PDF)1.21 MB

(Published March 2011)

The aim of this review, conducted by University of Ulster‘s Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Institute, was to establish the current picture within Northern Ireland of delivery of Physical Literacy.

The objectives of the research were to identify areas of good practice, gaps, potential areas of improvement at both policy and implementation levels. The report highlights the extent to which Governing Bodies have incorporated LISPA into their participant and coaching development model/strategies, and how LISPA translates into the actual development of children‘s PL in club and community settings.

Download Review of Physical Literacy Programmes Delivered through Governing Bodies (PDF)

Economic Importance of Sport in Northern Ireland

This report contributes towards evidence-based decision making in sport to realise strategic policy, reinforce the case for the value of sport and enhance the effectiveness of investment in achieving our shared vision of creating ‘a culture of lifelong enjoyment and success in sport’.

Download: The Economic Importance Report (PDF)

The Coaching Workforce Survey (2010)

This report provides information for Sport Northern Ireland on the characteristics of sports coaching in Northern Ireland and the issues and opportunities that coaches face. One of the main findings of the survey was that the outlook for coaching in Northern Ireland is generally positive but there are some issues which coaches feel could be significantly improved on. For more information including region and sport specific reports, visit the Coaching Working Survey webpage.

Download: The Coaching Workforce Survey (PDF)

The Impacts of the Current Occupiers' Liability legislation in Northern Ireland on Outdoor Recreation

This study was commissioned by Sport Northern Ireland to examine the actual court cases and out of court settlements in relation to Occupiers Liability and informal Outdoor Recreation.

Download:Summary fact Sheet (PDF)8.23 MB

Download: The Main Report
Download: The Appendices

Coaching Children:Getting it right.

This review of physical literacy programmes delivered through the 31 governing bodies of sport currently in receipt of investment from Sport Northern Ireland identifies the significant amount of work that has been achieved to develop physical literacy and fundamental movement skills in children through structured professionally driven and evaluated movement skills programmes.

Download: Coaching Children: Getting It Right (PDF)

A Baseline Survey of Timetabled PE in Post Primary Schools in Northern Ireland 2010

(Published May 2011)

This report contains the findings from a PE Survey conducted by Sport Northern Ireland in June 2010.

Download the Summary Report - A Baseline Survey of Timetabled PE in Post Primary Schools in Northern Ireland 2010 (PDF 90.1KB)
Download the Full Report (PDF, 595 KB)

An Impact Review of Sport Northern Ireland's Disability Mainstreaming Policy

(Published April 2011)

Adopted in 2006, Sport Northern Ireland's Disability Mainstreaming Policy aims to put disability sport to the forefront of people's minds. Wharton Consulting's independent review of the effectiveness and impact of the Policy concluded that the Policy has received a number of notable successes over its four-year period.

Download An Impact Review of Sport Northern Ireland's Disability Mainstreaming Policy (PDF 438KB)

This report provides the final post project review of the impact of the Sport in Our Community Programme and is based on data provided by projects through annual End of Year Reports.

Download Get Active - Stay Active (PDF 449KB)

The Impact Review of the Pilot Activ8 Eatwell (2010) Initiative in Northern Ireland

(Published November 2010)

The aim of this report was to carry out an independent assessment of the pilot Activ8 Eatwell (2010) initiative within participating primary schools in Northern Ireland to establish the success or otherwise of the initiative in delivering its physical activity and healthy eating messages.

Download The Impact Review of the Pilot Activ8 Eatwell (2010) Initiative in Northern Ireland (PDF 6.16MB)

A Systematic Review of Physical Activity and Nutritional Social Marketing Campaigns

(Published November 2010)

This systematic review identifies literature in relation to social marketing campaigns with specific attention paid to their influence on children and young people.

Download A Systematic Review of Physical Activity and Nutritional Social Marketing Campaigns (PDF 1.37MB)

The Sport Northern Ireland Disability Action Plan 2009-2012

(Published July 2010)

This Disability Action Plan is a statement of Sport Northern Ireland’s commitment to and proposals for fulfilling the statutory obligations in compliance with Section 49A of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 (as amended by the Disability Discrimination (NI) Order 2006).

Download the Sport Northern Ireland Disability Action Plan 2009-2012 (PDF 1.76MB)

Active People: Healthy Communities - The Impact of Community Sport Investment on Public Health

(Published April 2010)

The report presents a summary of the health benefits of participation in sport and physical activity, the types of projects delivered through Sport Northern Ireland community sport investment and their public health outcomes. These outcomes are further demonstrated through the inclusion of a range of project case studies and participant’s personal stories across the five Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Trust areas.

Download Active People: Healthy Communities - The Impact of Community Sport Investment on Public Health (PDF 2.68MB)

A Baseline Survey of Timetabled PE in Primary Schools in Northern Ireland 2009

This report contains the findings from a PE Survey conducted by Sport Northern Ireland in May 2009.

Download A Baseline Survey of Timetabled PE in Primary Schools in Northern Ireland 2009 (PDF 3.91MB)

Download Summary (PDF 167KB)

Participant Development in Sport: An Academic Review

(Published April 2010)

Participant Development in Sport: An Academic Review is a comprehensive review of the literature on how participants develop through sport.

Download Participant Development in Sport: An Academic Review (PDF 1.37MB)

The Value of Sport and Physical Recreation - Contributing to Improved Public Health

(Published February 2010)

This report presents the finding of FKB Consulting and Dennis McCoy Consulting who were commissioned to ‘review and demonstrate the contribution of Sport Northern Ireland Community Sport investment to improved public health since 1 April 2003’.

Download The Value of Sport and Physical Recreation - Contributing to Improved Public Health (PDF 8.47MB)

Active Places Research Report, 2009 - Bridging the Gap

(Published May 2009)

This report presents the findings of Sport Northern Ireland’s facilities research, and outlines the challenges ahead in addressing the shortfall in key sports facilities in Northern Ireland.

Download the Active Places Research Report (PDF 431KB)

Trends in Outdoor Recreation

(Published April 2009)

Sport Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board commissioned the Countryside Access and Activities Network to undertake this research project to assess the trends in 13 outdoor recreation activities during the last 23 years, with a view to informing the preparation of a new Outdoor Recreation Strategy for Northern Ireland.

Download the Trends in Outdoor Recreation (PDF 518KB)

Survey of Public Attitudes Towards Sport & Physical Recreation 2008

(Published April 2009)

The Public Attitudes Survey, carried out by Sport Northern Ireland in 2008, assessed the adult population’s attitudes towards sport and physical recreation across the province.

Download the Public Attitudes survey (PDF 294KB)