Connect communities - Sport Birmingham

Birmingham is made up of a diverse range of community groups, organisations, and clubs that deliver sport and physical activity. These organisations provide the opportunity for people to be active as well as accessing wider social benefits that sport and physical activity can offer. Sport Birmingham provide organisational support to community groups, organisations, and clubs to ensure that they are fit for purpose, thriving, sustainable and meet the needs of their members and local communities. We do this in a number of ways:

Development of learning and networking groups
Building capacity – Recruitment and training
Providing advice and guidance
Offering funding
Use local insight to create programmes to target priority audiences
Establishing partnerships that enhance delivery and opportunities for local people

Club development & workforce support

Our vision is for Birmingham to have a strong network of safe, thriving, sustainable sports clubs and organisations that meet the needs of their members and their local communities.

Many sports clubs and organisations that operate within Birmingham are run by volunteers who give many hours each week to sustain the club’s activity and develop their offer to the community. There is always a need for supporting these individuals so that Birmingham’s community sports network stays strong.

Learn more on how to recruit, retain and upskill volunteers to be a part of your workforce and delivery HERE.

Keeping your Club and Organisation Running

From physical infrastructure, to making sure your committee is still functioning, there are lots of things that can be done during this time to ensure that your club can keep running or keep it in the best position possible.

Whilst there is not much activity going on at the moment, there is still a great opportunity to keep in touch with your members. You could create home training plans, host social conversations or just make sure people are staying well! Club Matters have created a few guides to give you some ideas of how to do this, so get experimenting!

Club Matters have created a few guides to give you some ideas on how to do this, along with some useful templates to make it easier for you to adhere to health and safety and COVID-19 restrictions when delivering face to face and online.

Discover more about how Club Matters can support you here

Click here for the latest guidance from Club Matters

Club Together

We are inviting local places, spaces, communities and activity providers across the City to join our Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games legacy programme – Club Together!

What is Club Together?

‘Club Together’ is a Birmingham City Council funded programme that aims to use the power of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games to create a legacy for local communities.

It’s about getting local organisations to ‘club together’ their knowledge, resources, and expertise to help their communities get active.

How will Club Together work?

We are inviting local organisations to develop sport and physical activity ‘Hubs’ in the City.

Aside from traditional partners like sports clubs, schools and leisure centres, a great hub brings together local key players that reach new audiences. Examples could include a housing association, a local dementia forum, or a GP surgery. Hubs will receive support from Sport Birmingham to help them achieve their goals.

We are supporting the development of Hubs in and around the following priority districts:

Erdington

Hall Green

Hodge Hill

Ladywood

Northfield

Perry Barr

Yardley

Edgbaston

Selly Oak

Sutton Coldfield

Hubs might be based around a specific place or area, or a theme. Themed hubs aren’t necessarily just in or across one of the priority districts. An example of a themed hub might be one that’s made up of disability-focused organisations who club together to improve their citywide disability activity offer. Themed hubs, as will place-based hubs, will be driven by community needs.

How do I set up a Club Together Hub?

Click here to use the Hub Proposal template and tell us about your idea.

Need to find other local organisations and groups to ‘club together’ with? Complete our ‘help me connect’ survey and find others who are keen to club together – follow the below link: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/HelpMeConnect

Missed our virtual launch? Watch here

Facilities & planning

We want to help ensure there are suitable and accessible facilities across Birmingham to provide formal and informal opportunities for everyone to take part in sport and be physically active.

Sport England have provided useful information and resources for clubs and groups to access. If you are looking to develop or upgrade your own facility take some time to read these important documents before taking the next steps.

Planning

The planning system plays a vital role in shaping the built and natural environments that can play such a big part in helping people to get active.

Design & Costings

There’s a lot to consider when you’re developing a sports facility, no matter its size or purpose. Check out Sport England’s guidance below on everything from artificial lighting and outdoor surfaces, to sports halls and swimming pools.

Sustainability

A typical sports club spends around 30% of its running costs on energy, and about £10,000 each year on electricity alone.

Use the link below for some practical support on how you can drive down running costs, along with advice on dealing with droughts and flood guidance.

Sport Birmingham are here to provide advice and guidance to clubs and organisations across the city. If you have any questions please contact info@sportbirmingham.org

Click the links below for further information

Planning for Sport guidance

Design & Cost guidance

Sustainability

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