Last week Ulster University launched their latest research project “Sport is NOT a luxury: The impact of the cost-of-living crisis on sport and physical activity for children and adolescents in NI.
Click for theย Infographic andย Policy briefing
Key findings:
โ๏ธ 35% of parents reduced spending on sport & physical activity for their children
๐30% of parents were unable to afford the clothing/equipment for their children to take part
๐ณ24% used credit/borrowed money to cover sport/physical activity costs
The full paper is available at the following link: https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-025-22180-xย
The University also launched the below research request.
Researchers at Ulster University are investigating how community sports clubs support low-income families and/or families who are struggling financially.
As part of their research they need those involved in the management/leadership of community sports clubs/organisations in Ireland and Northern Ireland to complete a short, anonymous survey on the cost-of-living crisis, sport and support for children and young people (should take no longer than 15mins).
The link is below:
They are really keen that a diverse range of clubs are included within this research and have their voices heard.
This project will for the first time, outline how the cost-of-living crisis is impacting sports clubs and detail how clubs are supporting children and young people.
This data will be important for making recommendations and creating a โbest practice guideโ to help clubs ensure all children have the opportunity to take part in sport.
