Drivers and barriers of participation

The barriers to participation and the key factors organisations can address to overcome them

To support sport organisations in achieving participation objectives, Sport Australia and the sector co-designed a set of drivers that are the factors identified as the most significant influences on driving positive participation outcomes. The Drivers of Participation:

provide an understanding of the key ingredients to achieving sustainable participation growth
help organisations overcome identified barriers to participation
can be used to guide participation planning; offering a framework to consider important factors
translate in to important product design considerations
embody a participant-centred and insight-driven approach; recognising market insights as the first and most important driver to address.

Market insights

Ensuring that all decisions are based on data and evidence about the market.

Generating participation through: Market insights

The market insights driver refers to the collection of data and the application of insights to use as a basis for decision making and developing and executing participation plans:

Consider:

best practice data collection, management and storage
understanding customer needs and wants and how customers engage with your sport
understanding your customers perspective (the reasons for participant satisfaction and dissatisfaction)
understanding the environment the sport and physical activity operates within (potential partners and the percieved v actual value of your sport).

Sport organisations who do this well will:

seek out and analyse relevant existing research
undertake research to address knowledge gaps about the consumer or the industry
offer simple and convenient ways for consumers to provide feedback.

Examples of SMART performance measures for this driver:

Data on current consumers’ motivations, attitudes and behaviours is collected and analysed annually to 2020
Data on potential consumers’ motivations, attitudes and behaviours is collected and analysed annually to 2020
Number of sports participants registered on the national database with complete data increased from X to Y by 2020
Overall satisfaction with the participation experience to increase from X% to Y% by 2020.

Additional resources

Inform your market insights with these resources:

Product design

Developing products with benefits and features to meet consumer needs and wants.

Generating participation through: Product design

Product design refers to the development of a product, in line with the needs of the consumer.

Consider:

designing and developing products which meet the needs of target consumer groups and participants at different stages of life
co-designing products with key stakeholders
testing and refining product concepts with consumers
designing non-traditional products that respond to consumer and sport trends.

Sport organisations who do this well will:

use customer and market insights when designing products and take a participant-centred approach
offer a range of products to meet the different needs of and reduce barriers of targeted consumer groups
develop and test products with the sport’s stakeholders and target participants.

Examples of SMART performance measures for this driver:

Overall number of participants to increase from X to Y by 2020
Number of female participants to increase from X to Y by 2020
Overall satisfaction with the participation experience to increase from X% to Y% by 2020
Overall retention rates in participation to increase from X% to Y% by 2020.

Additional resources

Inform your product design with these resources:

Workforce

How products are delivered to the market.

Generating participation through: Workforce

The workforce driver refers to the coaches, deliverers, officials and administrators. This may include employees, volunteers, teachers or private providers.

Consider:

strategies to recruit, develop and retain coaches, deliverers, officials, administrators and volunteers
best-practice examples and case studies for clubs
how to partner with teachers, private providers and facility operators to deliver sport.

Sport organisations that do this well will:

determine the best partners to be delivering the sport’s participation products
provide support and guidance to the entire workforce
measure the performance of delivery partners to ensure they are meeting the required standards of the sport.

Examples of SMART performance measures for this driver:

Number of clubs undertaking the club accreditation program to increase from X to Y by 2020
Proportion of registered consumers participating through alternative delivery partners to increase from X to Y% by 2020
Number of coaches completing online training courses to increase from X to Y by 2020.

Additional resources

Inform your workforce driver with these resources:

Marketing and communications

Messaging and methods used to communicate internally and to consumers.

Generating participation through: Marketing and communications

The marketing and communications driver refers to the messaging and brand of the sport, the channels for communication, and the overall planning of marketing and communications for both internal and external stakeholders.

Consider:

the consistency of branding throughout the sport
understanding the communication preference of the consumer.
the communication preferences for consumer groups
clear roles and responsibilities around communication within the sport and to consumers.

Sport organisations who do this well will:

collect and use evidence for communications with consumer groups
develop messages and materials which are consistent with the organisation's purpose, values and brand
communicate consumer-targeted participation messages and materials through relevant delivery channels

Examples of SMART performance measures for this driver:

Brand awareness of the sport’s product(s) increases from X to Y% by 2020
Consumer satisfaction with the website’s ease of navigation increases from X to Y% by 2020
Consumer engagement with the sport through social media to increase from X to Y by 2020.

Additional resources

Inform your marketing and communications driver with these resources:

Connecting Digital with Sport(PDF • 1.3 mb)
Social Media Policy Template

Infrastructure and equipment

Providing appropriate, accessible and affordable infrastructure and equipment.

Generating participation through: Infrastructure and equipment

The infrastructure and equipment driver represents the design, delivery, maintenance and utilisation of sustainable facilities and equipment that meets the needs and interests of the consumers.

Consider:

understanding the supply and demand of facilities.
developing an infrastructure plan, which includes the use of non-traditional or shared facilities to meet customer needs.
ensure the cost and type of equipment does not become a barrier to participation.

Sport organisations who do this well will:

maintain a facilities or infrastructure plan, including analysis of supply and demand, as well as the consideration of different facility types
develop options for participants to have greater access to safe and affordable equipment
build cohesive and strategic relationships with relevant government departments in order to advocate for investment in improved or new facilities.

Examples of SMART performance measures for this driver:

Number of used facilities to grow nationally from X to Y by 2020
Overall satisfaction with equipment provided in national junior programs to increase from X to Y% by 2020
Supply of facilities to meet demand in X% of regions by 2020.

Additional resources

Inform your infrastructure and equipment plan with these resources:

KPMG Value of Community Sport Infrastructure(PDF • 5.3 mb)
Youth Participation
Physical Literacy

Commercial

Developing sustainable participation products and commercialising related assets.

Generating participation through: Commercial

The commercial driver refers to ensuring participation products are financially sustainable and how a sport is able to maximise financial gains from its assets.

Consider:

understanding the potential market size for new products
testing perceptions and analysing risks within product models
developing accurate costing models to price products accordingly
implement a nationally-aligned brand, to attract corporate investment through sponsorship
conducting a review of commercial assets across the sport.

Sport organisations who do this well will:

collect and use evidence of sport and industry participation activities
apply evidence when developing participation products to bring value to consumers and commercial partners
pursue a commercial return from all parts of the business, including nationally-aligned participation products and assets.

Examples of SMART performance measures for this driver:

Number of products generating a surplus to grow from X to Y by 2020
Total value of our sponsorship assets to grow from $X to $Y by 2020
Total commercial revenue to grow from $X to $Y by 2020.

Additional resources

Inform your commercial driver with these resources:

Connecting Digital with Sport(PDF • 1.3 mb)
Generating Commercial Revenue: The sustainable approach

Governance

A strong governance structure, committed to achieving participation outcomes.

Generating participation through: Governance

The governance driver considers the structure of the organisation and the behaviours of the board, reflecting the commitment to growing participation.

Consider:

ensuring new board members understand the participation component of the business and its operating environment
assessing the skills and experience of the Board to ensure they are relevant to achieving the participation goals of the organisation.

Sport organisations who do this well will:

have a strong governance foundation to support participation outcomes
have a governance structure that adequately represents the participation function of the organisation.

Examples of SMART performance measures for this driver:

CEO’s satisfaction with support received from the Board increased from X to Y% by 2020.

Additional resources

Inform your organisations governance with these resources:

Unified behaviours

A whole-of-sport approach to participation.

Generating participation through: Unified behaviours

The unified behaviours driver considers the whole-of-sport approach to achieving participation growth, reflecting the systems and structures within the sport, as well as the behaviour of internal stakeholders.

Consider:

conducting whole-of-sport planning to ensure common goals and agreed roles and responsibilities
providing unified direction while maintaining the flexibility for states to address local context
ensuring all levels understand how the work they are doing fits into the broader objectives of the sport (and other key stakeholders)
be working towards common systems, processes and knowledge management within the sport.

Sport organisations who do this well will:

conduct whole-of-sport planning to ensure common goals and agreed roles and responsibilities
work towards common systems, processes and knowledge management within the sport.

Examples of SMART performance measures for this driver:

Satisfaction of stakeholders regarding strategy collaboration increased from X to Y% by 2020
Satisfaction of stakeholders regarding aligned policies and procedures increased from X to Y% by 2020
Satisfaction of stakeholders regarding aligned roles and responsibilities increased from X to Y% by 2020.

Additional resources

Inform your unified behaviours driver with these resources:

Participation Planning

Management

The experience, expertise and performance of the management team.

Generating participation through: Management

The management driver refers to the experience, expertise and performance of the management team, including participation planning and monitoring, risk management and professional development.

Consider:

implementing best practice participation planning methodologies and processes
implementing best practice risk management planning
focusing on professional development.

Sport organisations who do this well will:

have a diverse leadership team with experience relevant to drive participation outcomes for the sport
embed processes to effectively develop, implement and measure performance against participation plans
provide employees with a development program including induction, mentoring and continuous professional development.

Examples of SMART performance measures for this driver:

Overall staff satisfaction increased from X to Y% by 2020
Primary source of revenue as a proportion of total revenue decreased from X to Y% by 2020
Total funding and grant revenue increased by X% by 2020.

Additional resources

Inform your management approach with these resources:

Drivers of Participation

With support from Nielsen Sports, Sport Australia engaged the sport sector to identify these key strategic participation areas. This information has been tested and validated and is complied as the Drivers of Participation.

Download the Drivers of Participation

COVID-19

SPORTS NUTRITION

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT

GRANTS AND FUNDING

CAREER AND EDUCATION

HIGH PERFORMANCE SPORT

SAFE AND INCLUSIVE SPORT

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

COVID-19

SAFE AND INCLUSIVE SPORT

PARTICIPATION

GRANTS AND FUNDING

ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

CAREER AND EDUCATION

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

PARTICIPATION

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

GRANTS AND FUNDING

ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT

SAFE AND INCLUSIVE SPORT

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

COVID-19

GOVERNANCE

SAFE AND INCLUSIVE SPORT

SPORT INDUSTRY

GRANTS AND FUNDING

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

CLUB DEVELOPMENT

CAREER AND EDUCATION

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

NETWORKS, POLICY AND FRAMEWORKS

ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT

HIGH PERFORMANCE SPORT

SPORTS NUTRITION

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

PARTICIPATION

COVID-19

ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT

CAREER AND EDUCATION

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

NETWORKS, POLICY AND FRAMEWORKS

SAFE AND INCLUSIVE SPORT

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

GRANTS AND FUNDING

SPORTS NUTRITION

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

PARTICIPATION

COVID-19

NETWORKS, POLICY AND FRAMEWORKS

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT

SPORTS NUTRITION

GRANTS AND FUNDING

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Drivers and barriers of participation

Drivers of Participation