Dan Parnell, University of Derby &Kathryn Dunn, Liverpool John Moores University

Football as a vehicle for social change: reflections from the field

• Background of Football in the Community

• Setting the Scene: The Partnership

• Overview of Methods

• The Projects

• Reflections

• Ways Forward

The Journey for today

Background

• Football in Community programmes started in 1986 to build greater links between clubs and communities (Brown, Crabbe and Mellor, 2006)

• Initially focused on traditional football coaching with young children (Mellor, 2008)

• However, FitC schemes have begun to tackle major social agendas (i.e., social inclusion, obesity, mental health) (Watson, 2000)

The LJMU/EitC Partnership

Vision: “To motivate, educate and inspire by harnessing the power of football and sport to change lives within our community”

Everton Active Family Centre (EAFC)

In 2008, the joint venture between Everton in the Community and Liverpool John Moores University, School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, saw the development of the Everton Active Family Centre (EAFC) which is a unique fitness facility based within the grounds of Goodison Park.

Methods

6 years (2006-2012) of applied research

- ethnographic (Hammersley and Atkinson, 2007) - reflective diaries & field notes (Krane and Baird, 2005)- observational research (Hammersley and Atkinson, 1983)

Health Promotion Children(2006-2007)

Health Promotion Children: Intervention

Health Promotion Children: Results

• Keeping the active kids active• Initiative experienced high attrition rates (54%)• Some negative memories relating to the coaches’ practice

In some cases coaching practice failed to support or create a positive developmental environment relevant for the age and

(football) ability of the participants.

UEFA ‘A’License

Coaching Level 3UEFA B

Coaching Level 2

Coaching Level 1

Health Promotion Children: Results

• Coaches tended to adopt a performance oriented approach to their sessions. • Coaches were required to possess a minimum of a Football Association Level 2 Coaching Qualification (which has little or no health specific content).

• The adoption of a performance orientated approach and the absence of any healthful sentiments or behaviour change message limited the effectiveness of the initiative.

• Despite the coaches did (usually) provide a fun and enjoyable experience. In order, to (explicitly) promote positive healthful change, coaches require a wider skill base.

• Specifically, skills that enable them to understand, translate and encourage positive healthful change within a variety of populations with varying levels of ability.

Health Promotion Children: Conclusion

Health Promotion Men (18-35yrs)(2008 onwards within EAFC)

Fitness sessions per week:

1. Football (Monday PM)2. Circuit Training (Tuesday PM)3. Boxing (Thursday PM)

Capacity of 15 participants per session

On going for duration of the project

VIDEO

Health Promotion Men (18-35yrs): Intervention

A series of 12 week interventions with targeted hard-to-reach populations

- Men living in homeless shelters- Men recovering from drug misuse

Two, 2 hour, fitness sessions per week: Tuesday: Football Thursday: Football & specific fitness training

Testing pre and post the intervention to identify changes in health and fitness and health screening throughout.

Health Promotion Men (18-35yrs): Intervention

• Yo-Yo • 20m Sprint• 30m Sprint • T-agility

• Body Mass Index• Resting Heart Rate• Blood Pressure• LDL & HDL Cholesterol • Lean Mass• Fat Mass• % Fat• Electrocardiograph (ECG) Screening

Health Promotion Men (18-35yrs): Intervention

• Total % body fat and total fat mass decreased

• Lean mass increased

• Blood pressure decreased

• Resting heart rate decreased

• Developments in social capital

• Improved psychological wellbeing

• High attrition rate

Health Promotion Men (18-35yrs): Results

“ I do really enjoy coming. It’s sound, I love it but I can’t always get here. I’ve got other stuff going on. D’ya know what I mean?” Craig*, 25.

“ I can’t afford the bus fare. I want to come like, but just can’t always get up there” Gary* 31.

“ I’ve messed up again. Now I have to see my parole officer every Tuesday and I never feel like coming after that” Rob* 23

Health Promotion Men (18-35yrs): Results

Health Promotion Men (18-35yrs): Conclusion

• Practitioners should gain a greater understanding of the day-to-day existence of the target populations and recognise the challenges associated with the population whom they are engaging prior to programme implementation

• ‘Bottom up’ rather than ‘top down’ approach

• Broader skill base of practitioners in order to collect information on the effectiveness of an intervention

Health Promotion Older Men(2010-2011)

Health Promotion Older Men: Intervention

• FIT FANS: bespoke 1-2-1 support via a personal holistic lifestyle practitioner

• Through the development of realistic, simple goal setting the project aimed to provide a range of lifestyle related behaviour changes, measured on a 6 week basis

• RHR, BP, BMI• Lifestyle Changes • PA & Food Diaries• Abdominal circumference

Health Promotion Older Men: Results

7 older men (aged over 50 years from the local community) some with a number of disabilities or illnesses (diabetes, depression, addiction, chronic back pain, cancer, gout, osteoarthritis) took part in a 6 week ‘rolling’ programme

(between 2010-2011). ---------------------------------------------------------------

• Physical measurements did not significantly change

• Subtle but important lifestyle changes took place:- personal more important than just losing weight- completing daily task (i.e., walking to the shops)

• Men stated that the practitioners played a critical rolein their continued participation in the programme

Health Promotion Older Men: Conclusion

Whilst there were significant physiological changes, the psychosocial changes that occurred were powerful

A caring, informed, multi-skilled practitioner (i.e., data collection, health, exercise, psychology, counselling skill & knowledge of special populations and behaviour change) was essential in:

(a) Maintaining engagement (b) Providing a service in the heart of an area of multiple deprivation(a) Deploying evidence based practice(b) Collating evidence of impact

Concluding comment

• FitC coaches are generally good people and provide a fun service

• However a shift in skill base is required in order to meet the demands of new social agendas (i.e., obesity)

• A ‘new age’ practitioner is needed in the more recent, more complex projects – whom possess a broader skill base

• Evident that psychosocial/lifestyle behaviour change is present across programmes, as opposed to major physiological health changes

> the foundations are there for greater success!

Ways Forward for FitC Schemes

• Develop research skills or partnerships with academia

• Relevant career professional development for practitioners and coaches alike

• Build bespoke programmes to suit participants with appropriately skilled practitioners

Acknowledgements

Liverpool John Moores University Dr David Richardson - Director of StudiesDr Barry Drust - Supervisor Dr Rebecca Murphy – Supervisor Professor Gareth Stratton- Supervisor Mr Dan Bingham- EAFC Practitioner

Everton in the CommunityDenise Barrett Baxendale - CEOChris Clarke - Head of Business DevelopmentDean Jones - Premier League Health Coach

References

Dunn, K., Drust, B., Flower, D., and Richardson, D. Kicking the habit: a biopsychosocial account of engaging men recovering from drug misuse in regular recreational football. Journal of Men’s Health, 2011; 8(3), 233.

Dunn K, Drust B, Richardson D. 2010. I just want to watch the match! A reflective account of men's health themed match day events at an English Premier League Football Club. Journal of Men's Health, vol. 7(3), 323.

Parnell D, Stratton, G, Drust B, Richardson D. Football in the Community Schemes: exploring the Effectiveness of an Intervention in Promoting Healthful Behaviour Change. Soccer & Society, 2013 vol. 14(1)

Thank you for listening.Any questions?

Dan Parnell

School of Science University of Derby t: 07538500348e: d.parnell@derby.ac.ukw: www.derby.ac.uk

Kathryn Dunn MScResearch Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences Liverpool John Moores Universityt: 0044 151 530 5263e: k.m.dunn@ljmu.ac.ukw: www.ljmu.ac.uk

Everton Football Club

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