Insights

Insight, data and research provides a wide range of valuable information to help you identify the need and strategic context for your sport and physical activity interventions.

The Herts Sport & Physical Activity Partnership uses insight to evaluate the needs of the local communities in order to co-design the most effective support alongside partners and the public.

Whether you are a policy maker, researcher, programme manager or just curious about Hertfordshire, our insight pages contain data and information from many sources as well as links to help support your work and inform your decision making. 

This page brings together documents, data & tools to help you understand different audiences and provides useful information to help you show the evidence base for sport and physical activity.

Our insight offer is divided into six main sections:

 

Active Lives Survey

The Sport England Active Lives surveys measure the activity levels of people across England. Sport England and two surveys are run annually: Active Lives Adult, which replaced the Active People Survey, and the world-leading Active Lives Children and Young People. Both give a unique and comprehensive view of activity trends, barriers and preferences.

Active Lives

The active lives surveys measure the activity and inactivity levels of people across England

 

Active Lives Data Table

Data from Active Lives Adult, Active Lives Children and Young People Surveys

 

Active Lives Online

 

This is the Sport England Active Lives tool

 

Active Lives Adult Update

 

A detailed insight into current adult Inactivity in Hertfordshire, April 2024

 

Active Lives Children and Young People (CYP) Update

A detailed insight into the current physical activity habits of Hertfordshire's children and young people (aged 5 to 16), June 2024

 

Inequalities Metric for Adults

 

An overview of Sport Englands Inequalities Metrics for Adults

 

Sport England

Sport England support is key to helping the Herts Sport & Physical Activity Partnership, and 42 other Active Partnerships, focus on increasing activity levels and decreasing inactivity, working closely with those people in the local community who face the biggest barriers to being physically active.

Sport England also provide a wealth of data and insight into sport and physical activity across the nation to support this work. Below you will find links to published research, raw data and insight tools to help you explore demographic and activity data about people and places.

Links

Description

Children & Young People

Helping children feel more motivated, confident and able to get active

 

Disability

Support people who work in the sport and activity sector to reach and engage disabled people

 

Gender

 

Encouraging more women to find their way into physical activity             

Get Moving

Get Moving - Helping you find great ways to move more

 

Inactive People

Helping everyone experience the benefits that taking part in sport and physical activity brings

 

Measuring Impact

Sport and physical activity organisations to be recognised as essential partners to help overcome national and local challenges

 

Research and Data

Sport England research page

 

Small Areas Estimates  Active

Open data sets from sources such as government departments, the Office for National Statistics and Public Health England

 

Sport Facilities

 

The Active Places Power tool helps you to explore England's national sports facility database

 

Tackling Inactivity in Colleges

Tackling inactivity in Further Education

 

Tackling Inactivity Investment Guide

Sport England's approach to tackling inactivity, general guidance to organisations considering applying for funding or seeking to work in partnership

 

Tools

Research and Data tools from Sport England

 

Workforce

Encouraging new volunteers in sport and physical activity

 

 

Press Red - Our Insight Partner

Our insight partner, Press Red, apply their skills and expertise to help us understand the complexities of physical activity behaviour. Press Red’s work includes creating detailed insight into physical activity behaviour in communities across Hertfordshire. They help us to interpret Sport England metrics & tools, deep diving into specific places to aid understanding of the issues influencing active or inactive lifestyle, helping us to evaluate our work and creating a positive space to share our learning.

Links

Description

Active Lives Adult Headlines April 2024

 

Headline update on Adult Inactivity in Hertfordshire, April 2024, PressRed

 

Active Lives Children and Young People(CYP) Update

 

A detailed insight into the current physical activity habits of Hertfordshire's children and young people (aged 5 to 16), June 2024, PressRed

 

Active Lives Adult Update

 

A detailed insight into the current adult Inactivity in Hertfordshire, April 2024, PressRed

 

Census 2021

 

Census 2021 - What's changed across Hertfordshire?

 

Inequalities Metrics for Adults

An overview of Sport England's Inequalities Metrics for Adults

 

Story Map

HSP, working with our insight partner Press Red, have compiled a one-stop-shop of insight information covering key sport and physical activity topics in the form of an interactive Story Map. This information provides valuable insight to support funding bids and advocacy work.

Click here to access the Story Map.

 

Insight Tools

In this section you will find useful tools that can help you find and process different sources of information. The contents range from local insight platforms such as Herts Insight, to national tools like the Office for National Statistics Census Maps and Fingertips Public Health data.

Most tools allow the user to choose a specific geographic area of focus to find detailed information and insight for a locality.

Links 

Description

Consumer Data Research Centre Map Maker Tool

Detailed maps of features affecting neighbourhoods across the whole of Great Britain

 

Census Maps - Census 2021 Data

Use maps to find out what people's lives were like acorss England and Wales in March 2021

 

Cheif Culture & Lesiure Officers Association - CLOA

Working closely with central government and key national organisations such as Arts Council England, Sport England and The National Archives to influence the development of national policies and to advocate for positve change within our sectors

 

Hertfordshire Health and Evidence Website

Data reports and tools, evaluation reports, learning resources and more

 

Herts Insight

Herts Insight presents data gathered from many sources in a Hertfordshire view. It helps understand Hertfordshire and its local communities

 

Inclusive Communications Factsheets

Inclusive communication factsheets to support sport and activity providers to be more accesible and inclusive in their communications

 

Inclusive Communications Guide

Reaching more people in sport and physical activity through inclusive and accessible communications

 

LG Inform Insight and Benchmarking Tool

Local area benchmarking tool from the Local Government Association

 

Mental Health Champions  Toolkit

Mental health champions toolkit for the sport and physical activity sector

 

PHE Fingertips

Large public health data collection, organised into theme profiles

 

 

Data and Information

The information in this section relates to national & local research, evidence, guidance and strategic documentation. There are also links to raw data sources should you wish to export them and conduct your own analysis. Some examples include the Census 2021 results, national strategies and guidance documents, government department data, and much more.

Links

Description

All Party Commission on Physical Activity 

A report launched by a cross party group of politicians which sets out clear recommendations to tackle the growing physical inactivity epidemic in the UK

 

British Active Students Survey 2019/2020

Evidence of the valuable role of physical activity can play on students lives

 

Childhood Obesity

This guide is part of ‘All Our Health’, a resource that helps health professionals prevent ill health and promote wellbeing as part of their everyday practice(2022)

 

Consumer Data Research Centre

 UK's leading source of consumer data

 

Cultural identity - Office for National Statistics

How people in the UK identify in terms of ethnicity, sexual identity, religion and language, and how this has changed over time using a diverse range of data sources

 

Datasets - Office for National Statistics

The census takes place every 10 years. It gives us a picture of all the people and households in England and Wales.

 

Dementia Friendly Sport and Physical Activity Guide

Working across multiple sports to help fans better understand symptoms and take the first step in seeking an all-important diagnosis if they, or a loved one, may be experiencing signs of dementia

 

Deprivation and Poverty Profile  County | Hertfordshire | InstantAtlas Reports

 

The latest measures of deprivation and poverty in Hertfordshire

 

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities  Open Data | Datasets

 

Full listing of all the datasets

 

 

Economic Costs of Physical Inactivity

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has compiled this report using the latest health statistics to provide a comprehensive overview of levels of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour in adults across the UK

 

Economic Costs to NHS Clinical Commissioning  Groups

Understanding the health burden of physical inactivity (2016)

 

English indices of deprivation 2019 - GOV.UK

Statistics on relative deprivation in small areas in England(2019)

 

English Indices of Deprivation 2019 - LSOA Level

This dataset contains a range of measures which form the Indices of Deprivation 2019 at LSOA level

 

Five Ways to Wellbeing

Thinking about those things in life which are important to well-being and should be prioritised in day-to-day routines

 

Game of Life - Full Report

Bringing together the sport and recreation sector and support our members to tackle the challenges and take advantage of opportunities - the voice of the sector with Government, policy makers and the media - helping get the nation active at the grassroots by providing advice, support and guidance

 

Government’s work on tackling loneliness

Government's work and announcements on loneliness(2023)

                              

Health Matters

Focusing on the benefit of physical activity for the prevention and management of long-term conditions in adults

 

Healthy Stevenage Strategy

An approach to improving health and wellbeing in the town. It has been created through collaboration with Hertfordshire County Council, the local NHS and Hertfordshire and West Essex STP

 

Hertfordshire Dementia Strategy (2023-2028)

This strategy sets out the broad priorities for health and care services in Hertfordshire, based on what people affected by dementia and their support networks say is most important to them

 

Hertfordshire Health  and Wellbeing Board Strategy (2020-26)

Hertfordshire's health and wellbeing strategy sets clear priorities for health and care services to contribute to achieving better outcomes and reducing health inequalities for people of ages

 

Hertfordshire Matters

Hertfordshire Matters is an analysis that indicates the health and vitality of the county across broad themes and helps to identify significant trends and issues that are affecting our communities

                                         

How much money can you save by cycling? | Cycling UK

An article on how much money can be saved by cycling rather than driving

 

Improving people’s health

Improving people’s health: Applying behavioural and social sciences to improve population health and wellbeing in England(2018)

 

Joint Strategic Needs (JSN) Assessment 

Hertfordshire Joint Strategic Needs Assessment

 

LGBCE - electoral boundaries review

A review of the number of councillors, wards and ward names for Stevenage Borough Council

 

Lockdown Research – Implications for Women’s Participation

Insight in womens particatipation in sport

 

Obesity, Healthy eating and Physical activity in primary schools

Ofsted looks at the actions primary schools are taking to reduce childhood obesity(2018)

 

Physical Activity Guidelines

Guidance from the Chief Medical Officers in the UK on the amount and type of physical activity people should be doing to improve their health(2023)

 

Prevention is better than cure

Government's vision for putting prevention at the heart of the nation's health(2018)

 

Public Health England - Everybody  active,everyday: framework for physical activity

An evidence-based approach for national and local action to address the physical inactivity epidemic(2021)

 

Public Health England - Evidence Review on Muscle and Bone Strengthening and balance in adults

The UK Chief medical officer’s guidance that all adults need to undertake strengthening and balance activities suitable for them at least twice per week in order to maintain and improve health(2018)

 

Sport and Exercise Medicine – A Fresh Approach

A guide emphasising the importance of SEM in chronic disease management, the prescription of exercise to those patients with co-morbidity, the diagnosis and management of musculoskeletal injury and the education and training of allied professionals in these skills(2012)

 

Sport and Recreation Alliance Strategy 2021-25

Sport recreation alliance is the go to body for inclusive sport and recreation, providing expert services, advice and advocacy

 

Sporting Future

Second annual report on progress on delivering the aims set out in Sporting Future: A New Strategy for an Active Nation(2018)

 

UK Active – Physical Activity and Health

Working together to get the nation moving

 

UK Active – Turning the Tide  of Inactivity

Rising issue of physical inactivity across the UK

 

UK Coaching Strategy 2017-2021

The mission is to create the greatest decade of extraordinary sporting moments; reaching, inspiring and uniting the nation(2021)

 

Walking in Herts 

Positive Impacts of walking in Hertfordshire

 

Young People's Health & Wellbeing Survey

The Young People’s Health & Wellbeing Survey (YPHWS) is a youth health and wellbeing survey which gathers self-reported information annually from those aged 11-19 in Hertfordshire.

 

Youth Sport Trust Strategy 2018-2022

Using the power of play and sport to build belonging for a generation, improving health, fostering inclusion and developing character and leadership

 

Further Information

If you have any questions about Insight or need something specific that isn’t shown here, please email our Monitoring Evaluation Learning & Insight (MELI) Lead: o.moore4@herts.ac.uk

Story Map

An interactive physical activity insight tool for Hertfordshire.

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map of herts

Resources

Resources to support your club, school or organisation.

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sports equipment

Get Funding

Search for funding for your club, school or organsation.

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Get in touch…

If you have any questions about Insight or need something specific that isn’t shown here, please email our Monitoring Evaluation Learning & Insight (MELI) Lead: o.moore4@herts.ac.uk