Active People Survey - What is it?

Please note – the results of the Active People survey will be published on Wednesday 7 December 2006.

What is the Active People Survey?

• The Active People Survey is the largest single survey of sport and active recreation ever undertaken in Europe and provides more detail on sports participation than any previous research. It was commissioned by Sport England and has been carried out by Ipsos MORI.
  
• It provides statistical information about the levels of participation in sport and active recreation in England. It includes robust data for all 354 local authorities across the country, providing a picture of participation by local authority area for the very first time. The survey also gives a breakdown of levels of participation in different sports and the proportion of people volunteering to support sport.
  

Why has it been commissioned? What will it be used for?

• The Active People Survey gives us a detailed picture of participation in sport across the country – by geographical area, age group, sex, and ethnicity, along with a wide range of other socio-demographic information. This provides Sport England, local authorities and other partners with a new and accurate baseline measure for levels of participation in sport and active recreation, and volunteering.
  
• The survey results will help Sport England and its partners target future investment to areas of greatest need and where it will have the greatest impact. This will help us succeed in the drive to create an active nation through sport. Sport England will work with its national and regional partners, with County Sports Partnerships at the sub-regional level, and through them with local partners to take forward this work.
  
• The Active People Survey will work in tandem with information on sports facility provision available via www.activeplaces.com (public web database) and www.activeplacespower.com (available to registered users in partner organisations). Together this will help us identify gaps in provision and address barriers to access.
  
• The background to the Active People research includes the Government’s Chief Medical Officer’s 2004 recommendation that people should do at least 5 x 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity to benefit health. Sport England has clearly articulated that sport and active recreation can contribute 3 of the 30 minute activity sessions per week; with other activities undertaken as part of an active lifestyle (gardening, walking to work etc) contributing the other 2 x 30 minutes.
  
• The survey results provide an opportunity to highlight the impact of inactivity on health, for the individual and the nation and launch a call to action, encouraging more people to get active through sport. The survey is also a platform for all partners to highlight the role that sport and active recreation can play as part of the drive to combat obesity and improve health.
  
  

How many people have been surveyed? Who was surveyed?

• A total of 364,501 people were surveyed between October 2005 and October 2006. This includes a minimum of 1000 people in each of the 354 local authorities in the country. This is the minimum required to provide statistically valid data at a local authority level.
  
• The Active People Survey surveyed the English population aged 16 years and over – it did not have an upper age limit.
  
  

What level of information will it provide?

• The results of the survey will provide Sport England and its partners across the Delivery System for Sport with the following information:
  
• The percentage of people participating in at least 30 minutes moderate intensity sport and active recreation in England on three or more days a week (‘3 x 30’) including by geographic area, right down to local authority area.
  
• Information about sports participation broken down by age, gender, ethnicity, disabled/non-disabled and by socio-economic group.
  
• The percentage of people volunteering in sport and active recreation for at least one hour a week.
  
• The percentage of the adult population who are members of sports clubs, receiving coaching tuition, taking part in competition and participating in recreational walking and cycling once a week.
  
• Levels of overall satisfaction with sports provision in respondents’ local area.
  
  

When will the results be published?

• The Active People Survey results will be published on Wednesday 7 December 2006. Sport England will publish headline findings on its own website and on www.activepeoplesurvey.com that day.
  
• Designated contacts in partner organisations will be able to access the full results through the Active People Diagnostic. This is a sophisticated online reporting and analysis tool enabling users to access full survey results at the touch of a button.
  
• Registered users will be able to access Active People Diagnostic shortly after 6 December 2006. The precise date will be communicated to nominated users nearer the live date. This site is password protected and only nominated personnel in each local authority and partner organisation will have access to the Diagnostic. After the site goes live, others will be able to register, subject to the terms and conditions of the site.
  
• For more information on Active People Diagnostic, click here: http://www.sportengland.org/active_people_diagnostic_pdf.pdf
  

How will the survey results determine CPA scores for volunteering and participation?

• The participation and volunteering indicators within the CPA are derived from the Active People Survey. To generate the CPA scores, the Audit Commission uses the participation and volunteering rates from the Active People Survey, and applies an adjustment for levels of local deprivation based on a statistical formula. Additional information is available on the Audit Commission website http://www.audit-commission.gov.uk/cpa/index.asp?page=index.asp&area=hpcpa