Sports Commission sets new targets

Thursday 06 January 2022

Guernsey's action plan for sport has been overhauled after being superseded by the pandemic and a new States-backed vision for increased activity levels in the island.

The Sports Commissions' 'Your Champions in Sport Action Plan' was initially launched two years ago, just weeks before Guernsey had to introduce restrictions when corona virus was first detected in the island.

The five-year plan was aimed at encouraging everyone to be more active, by increasing uptake in sports and launching an Institute of Sports to foster excellence.

Pictured: You can read about the launch of the initial five-year programme HERE.

As the five year plan was heavily impacted by the restrictions on group sports introduced at various times over the last two years, the Guernsey Sports Commission has now published an update to the original strategy.

Operations Director Graham Chester said their original five year plan was ambitious and they've now added even more to it.

"A lot has changed since we first published our plan at the start of 2020. I don’t think anyone would have predicted that just a few weeks after we launched, the world would be plunged into a pandemic that has had a huge impact on the way we all live.

"Health and wellbeing are now more important than ever as we learn to ‘live with Covid’ and the Commission feels it’s important that our work reflects this new norm."

Pictured: Graham Chester, quoted when the States approved its sports strategy.

As well as the covid pandemic, there have also been changes on Guernsey's political landscape which have had, and will continue to have, an impact on the way community and school sports are delivered locally.

Mr Chester said the current States, elected in October 2020, has put a greater emphasis on "action, delivering on promises and reducing unnecessary bureaucracy and red tape".

The Sports Commission believes that as a third sector organisation, it is already best placed to "efficiently and effectively deliver elements of Government strategy" based around sport and activity which are already a stated aim of Policy & Resources.

"Guernsey also now has a government backed strategy for sport, Active 8, which the Commission is already delivering," said Mr Chester.

"In this update of our Action Plan we highlight how our workstreams will help achieve the core aims of Active 8 and, in turn, how they will also support the core aims of the new Government Work Plan.

"We also highlight where we have successfully delivered previous actions, where those actions may be ongoing or still in development, and also where we may not have started or have needed to amend or update a particular action.

"It’s important that we remain flexible in the way we deliver against our Action Plan and in turn the States of Guernsey’s core objectives for sport. 2022 is set to be a busy year for the Sports Commission with some exciting projects and initiatives to look forward to as well as continuing our role to lead, represent and champion sport in Guernsey."

Pictured: The Sports Commission has updated its Action Plan. The updated version can be read HERE. 

The updated action plan includes additional targets and methods of measuring the success of the Commissions' various schemes such as the Street Sports programme. These include ways of improving and ensuring continuing good governance, and increasing the number of partnerships operating between local schools and other organisations.

New strategic aims are being developed to promote performance through the Institute of Sport for high achieving athletes and also to encourage participation at all levels. New facilities could also be built as part of the wider Guernsey Institute development at Les Ozouets while further outreach schemes could be launched across the island. 

Achievement levels will be assessed using a new benchmarking system introduced by Sport England and it will be used to feed into the wider States strategy for sport. 

Pictured top: The new sports action plan is available to read in full HERE. .