Co-construction of the Health Promoting Sports Clubs-Policy Audit Tool

Currently, 12% of European citizens participate in organised sport weekly. Scientists and policy makers have underlined that the potential of sports clubs to promote health has been underutilized, limiting its contribution to society. Beyond the promotion of physical activity, sports clubs can also promote social, mental and physical health and well-being among its participants, as well as playing an active role in sustainable development. With the increase of unstructured sports practices (individuals practicing on their own), sports clubs need to reinvent themselves, in regard to the services they offer to their participants and society. Previous studies have identified sports clubs’ policies as a key determinant in health promotion efforts, but these have been acknowledged by sports clubs managers and coaches as their biggest weakness, across European countries. My knowledge in shaping the theoretical model of health promoting sports clubs and implementing health promoting interventions in sport, will combine with Professor Woods’ experience in physical activity policies framing and implementation to generate a health promoting sports clubs’ policies analysis tool (HPSC-PAT). Three research objectives will contribute to this aim: (1) document policies of sports clubs having participated in a unique health promotion program: the “Healthy Clubs” initiative of the Gaelic Athletic Association, (2) identify how national to local health and sport policies are known and implemented by sports clubs and (3) co-construct a policy analysis tool with sports clubs’ stakeholders. The provision of the HPSC-PAT for sports and health professionals will support sports clubs in their engagement of EU policies on the potential of sport to serve the society by developing health promotion. I will enhance my competences in 1/policies framing and implementation analysis, 2/ project application and management, 3/ interdisciplinary and international research project, 4/event organisation.