Power of Sport

What is Power of Sport? 

Power of Sport is a research project conceived of and led by the team at the Belong Network, and in particular, Professor Ted Cantle, former Chair of the Board of Belong Trustees together with Ruth Hollis, CEO of Spirit of 2012. First launched in 2020, the research evidences the important and unifying role that sport plays in social cohesion and integration, and was especially useful for helping communities to reconnect after the Covid-19 lockdown measures were lifted.  

We are very excited to announce two new developments in the project: 

The launch of Power of Sport in Communities

Power of Sport in Communities is a collaboration between Belong and StreetGames, funded by Sport England. The project expands on our earlier Power of Sport research by working directly with community leaders, coaches and sports organisations to upskill them and train them in how to use sports and physical activity as tools to enhance social cohesion. The Power of Sport in communities is specifically targeted at women, girls and people from minoritized communities currently under- represented in sports and activity service users. By bringing people together through shared activities, this project aims to connect individuals who might not normally meet, creating stronger, more inclusive communities. 

This project will run for 30 months in six areas across England: Birmingham, Manchester, Bradford, Leicester, and two London boroughs: Brent and Tower Hamlets. These areas were chosen as they represent areas with high levels of ethnic diversity and have higher than average levels of deprivation, crime and poor health.  

Key Focus Areas of the Project: 

• Women and Girls: Special emphasis will be placed on encouraging the participation of women and girls in community sports. 

• Minority Communities: The project will focus on members of minority communities who are currently underrepresented in local sports and activities. 

• Individuals with Disabilities: Addressing barriers to sport for those experiencing disabilities.

Re-launch of the Power of Sport Toolkit

In 2021, Belong developed a user-friendly digital toolkit that synthesises the learning from the Power of Sport guidance into a learning resource applicable to users of all backgrounds. This toolkit is a step-by-step guide for community leaders, coaches, and organisations on how to design inclusive sports programmes that bring people together, bridge divides, and foster a sense of belonging.  

We have acted on the feedback and research since our initial launch of the toolkit, and relaunched a new, updated version in March 2025. The toolkit is free to use, take 60 minutes to complete, and upon completion users are equipped with their very own bespoke Theory of Change to apply to their programmes. 

You can access the Power of Sport toolkit on our dedicated Power of Sport microsite.