Participation – GCSE Physical Education Eduqas Revision

Participation refers to the act of taking part in a sport or physical activity.
It involves both active engagement in the activity as well as behaviours that support participation, such as attending practices and competitions, and following the rules and norms of the activity.
It is important to understand barriers to participation, which can be classified into two groups: personal and social factors.

Personal factors include things like age, gender, ethnicity, disability, confidence, motivation, and skill level.
Typically, children and young people are more likely to participate in sport and physical activities than older people.
Men tend to have a higher participation rate than women, though this varies depending on the type of sport or physical activity.
People from minority ethnic backgrounds and people with disabilities tend to have lower participation rates.
Individuals with low confidence, motivation or skill for a particular activity may also be less likely to participate.

Social factors can be further broken down into cultural, socioeconomic, and environmental factors.
Cultural factors refer to beliefs, values, and norms that influence the types of activities people engage in and how they participate.
Socioeconomic status refers to an individual’s economic and social position in relation to others, based on income, education, and occupation. Often, individuals with lower socioeconomic status participate less frequently in sport and physical activities.
Finally, environmental factors refer to aspects of the physical or structural environment that may influence participation such as the availability of facilities, equipment, or safe spaces for activity.

An important aspect of promoting physical activity and sport is creating inclusive opportunities for participation that cater to a diverse range of individuals.
This may involve adapting activities based on individual abilities or preferences, providing suitable equipment and facilities, and tackling discrimination, stereotypes and biases that hinder participation.
Sport England’s ‘This Girl Can’ campaign is a practical example of an initiative designed to encourage more women and girls to get active and involved in sport, by addressing both personal and social barriers to participation.