Active Partnerships unite to tackle racism and racial inequality

To mark the fifth anniversary of the death of George Floyd, the Active Partnerships Network has shared an update on its work to tackle racism and racial inequality.

In the wake of George Floyd’s death, the network came together, recognised it needed to do more, and in response created and published a commitment to tackling racism and racial inequality. 

This commitment confirmed that Active Partnerships wanted to be anti-racist organisations and proactively tackle the racial inequalities that prevent or discourage people from leading active lives.

Since it was published in 2021, the network has been embedding this commitment throughout its activity and following recent progress, it has now unveiled four new outcomes that it is focused on delivering:

1. Building equality, diversity & inclusion confidence within the network to ensure it influences local place-based partners to implement ‘Uniting the Movement’ and its key focus area of tackling inequalities.
2. Building a more diverse workforce across the 42 Active Partnerships that reflects wider society through employees and board members.
3. Creating and fostering an environment to share and learn across all of the organisations that Sport England funds, to collectively deliver against the Racial Equality Commitment.
4. Developing a more skilled and proactive network that actively addresses racial inequalities. This includes removing barriers to participation, volunteering, and employment in sports and physical activities.

The network’s Race Equality Steering Group has been driving this work forward.

Jason Fergus, CEO of Active Essex and joint chair of the steering group, said: “I am really passionate and proud of the work achieved so far.

“Despite being relatively small organisations, Active Partnerships are embedded into so many different sectors and systems across the country, collaborating with others on a daily basis.

“The influence we’re able to have on tackling the racial inequalities that prevent residents from leading active lives is pivotal and shows the true power of sport and physical activity in bringing people together from all backgrounds.”

Steve Nelson, CEO at Wesport and joint chair of the steering group, said: “Our recent activity has focused on refreshing our work plan and how we grow the network’s confidence in tackling racism.

“We are also embedding this work throughout Active Partnerships. It is crucial that employees at all levels feel able to contribute.”

“We know that sport and physical activity can help tackle racism and drive inclusion so that knowledge is central to our efforts.”

Further updates on this work will be provided soon.

Some examples of the work by Active Partnerships since the original commitment was unveiled include:

• Wesport working with Bristol organisation SARI – (Stand Against Racism & Inequality – support victims of hate crimes. Wesport brought physical activity sector expertise and SARI hate crime experience.  This led to designing a hate crime project in Bristol (reporting hate crimes in Sports clubs) – this is in early development.
• Northamptonshire Sport worked with Northamptonshire Black Communities (through the Movement Fund) – focus on sustainability and embedding funding. Undertook Asset activity map of county – what is going on and current gaps. Capacity building programme with Voice4Change England and specific role as part of Dementia Pathway.
• Three active partnerships helped develop the Yorkshire and Humber Anti-Racism in Sport Group with clubs and partners. A pledge has been signed by nearly 140 organisations to commit to action plans.  The Time for Action conference in November 2024, hosted at Yorkshire County Cricket Club, discussed the prevalence of racism in sport as well as the role sport can play in combatting problems in the game and wider society.  Watch the video.
• Active Together has run a local version of Sporting Equals’ Sporting Leaderboard, to support local people from ethically diverse backgrounds to become leaders and matched them with local opportunities in clubs and organisations.

Communities of practice, where staff from across the network and beyond share learning, progress, and challenges in a combined effort to tackle racism, were also established and have met regularly in recent years.