Grassroots sport clubs have a pivotal role to play in building trust and bringing communities together, new research published by leading Sport for Social Change charity Sported has revealed.

Sported’s ‘In sport, we trust’ report has uncovered a trust deficit is dividing the UK and damaging communities. Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are 23% less likely to trust their neighbours compared to their wealthier peers.

However, when young people are members of a local sports club, Sported’s research shows they have greater trust in other people, a stronger sense of belonging to their community and more close friends. The benefits of which are reported in higher levels of life satisfaction, happiness and health, as well us a greater desire to give back to their community through volunteering.

Importantly, the data reveals that those from disadvantaged backgrounds have the most to gain. When young people are part of a local sports club, those from low socio-economic groups report a ten-time higher increase in trust and a three-time higher increase in life satisfaction compared to those from higher socio-economic groups.

Judith Rankin, Northern Ireland Delivery Manager at Sported, said: “Trust matters. It brings young people of different religious, cultural and political backgrounds together and challenges the stereotypes which can keep them apart. It’s why a young person may confide in their coach about their mental health. It forms the foundation for every successful relationship – at home, work or school.

She adds: “Our research shows that grassroots sport groups play a vital role in building trust and reducing the inequalities within our society. Yet we know for all the benefits they deliver, the majority are run by volunteers on shoestring budgets and struggle to get by. It’s essential we pull together to help these groups survive to help young people in our community thrive.”

Pat McGibbon, founder of Sported member Train 2B Smart, said: “Nowadays young people are becoming more interested in the actual sport and meeting other people, rather than any political element. It takes time, but I certainly see young people from different backgrounds being far more engaging and trusting of each other. If you have a football at your feet, I’ve always said you can make friends anywhere in the world.”

Antionette McKeown, Chief Executive of Sport Northern Ireland, said: “Sport Northern Ireland welcomes this latest research from Sported. The report highlights what many in sport have felt instinctively – sport is good for us all, individually and collectively as a society; belonging to a sports club can provide each of us with opportunities for shared experiences and personal progression. Sport NI continues to work closely with governing bodies of sport and sports clubs to improve and enhance that experience so that more people can join our passion and access quality inclusive sports.”

‘In sport, we trust’ was commissioned by Sported to uncover the true impact of grassroots sport groups working in deprived communities. The report analyses five large national population datasets in the UK, which have total sample sizes ranging from 11,929 to 140,845 respondents.

To support Sported’s work helping thousands of community groups working in some of the most deprived areas of Northern Ireland and the UK, please visit www.sported.org.uk .

Grassroots sport clubs have a pivotal role to play in building trust and bringing communities together, new research published by leading Sport for Social Change charity Sported has revealed.

Sported’s ‘In sport, we trust’ report has uncovered a trust deficit is dividing the UK and damaging communities. Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are 23% less likely to trust their neighbours compared to their wealthier peers.

However, when young people are members of a local sports club, Sported’s research shows they have greater trust in other people, a stronger sense of belonging to their community and more close friends. The benefits of which are reported in higher levels of life satisfaction, happiness and health, as well us a greater desire to give back to their community through volunteering.

Importantly, the data reveals that those from disadvantaged backgrounds have the most to gain. When young people are part of a local sports club, those from low socio-economic groups report a ten-time higher increase in trust and a three-time higher increase in life satisfaction compared to those from higher socio-economic groups.

Judith Rankin, Northern Ireland Delivery Manager at Sported, said: “Trust matters. It brings young people of different religious, cultural and political backgrounds together and challenges the stereotypes which can keep them apart. It’s why a young person may confide in their coach about their mental health. It forms the foundation for every successful relationship – at home, work or school.

She adds: “Our research shows that grassroots sport groups play a vital role in building trust and reducing the inequalities within our society. Yet we know for all the benefits they deliver, the majority are run by volunteers on shoestring budgets and struggle to get by. It’s essential we pull together to help these groups survive to help young people in our community thrive.”

Pat McGibbon, founder of Sported member Train 2B Smart, said: “Nowadays young people are becoming more interested in the actual sport and meeting other people, rather than any political element. It takes time, but I certainly see young people from different backgrounds being far more engaging and trusting of each other. If you have a football at your feet, I’ve always said you can make friends anywhere in the world.”

Antionette McKeown, Chief Executive of Sport Northern Ireland, said: “Sport Northern Ireland welcomes this latest research from Sported. The report highlights what many in sport have felt instinctively – sport is good for us all, individually and collectively as a society; belonging to a sports club can provide each of us with opportunities for shared experiences and personal progression. Sport NI continues to work closely with governing bodies of sport and sports clubs to improve and enhance that experience so that more people can join our passion and access quality inclusive sports.”

‘In sport, we trust’ was commissioned by Sported to uncover the true impact of grassroots sport groups working in deprived communities. The report analyses five large national population datasets in the UK, which have total sample sizes ranging from 11,929 to 140,845 respondents.

To support Sported’s work helping thousands of community groups working in some of the most deprived areas of Northern Ireland and the UK, please visit www.sported.org.uk .