Sports development strategy // Mariupol city
Problem
A characteristic feature of the current state of sports in Ukraine – and in Mariupol in particular – is the Soviet model of management. The emphasis is on high-performance sports, where:
- 99% of public expenditure is spent on maintaining the city's 7 youth sports schools, which train 4,100 people, mostly aged 7-17.
- 1% of funds are spent on other institutions.
As a result, only 12% of the adult population regularly engages in sports. For comparison, the average figure in EU countries is 42%, and in Sweden, which ranks first in Europe, it is 69%.
In 2017, our team developed a sports development strategy for the city of Mariupol, with the main goal of promoting mass sports as ‘sport for all’.
Goal
The strategic goal by 2021 is to increase the number of children and adults in Mariupol who regularly do sports and to lay the foundations for a sustainable increase over the next ten years.
Analysis
To understand the reasons for and solutions to this situation, we have studied the key areas of urban programmes for promoting healthy lifestyles worldwide, best practices and recommendations for sports development from the European Commission, the World Health Organisation, European and American academic research and government reports.
The main problems are:
- Poor condition of infrastructure facilities (premises of sports clubs, playgrounds, etc.).
- Inefficient organisational system (sports management is carried out using approaches and methods of the 60s and 70s of the last century).
- Lack of attention to mass amateur sports (in Mariupol, as well as in Ukraine as a whole, the system of public sports clubs is not developed).
Offer
We have identified 3 priorities to achieve this goal:
1. Infrastructure
Cities need modern infrastructure for mass amateur sports. The main objectives of this strategic direction are:
- construction of all-season multi-sport grounds for playing sports, running and cycling tracks, swimming pools;
- repair of existing sites and facilities;
- construction of sports facilities for open use by sports clubs.
2. Mass sport
The focus of strategic changes should be on the development of mass amateur sports. The main tools here are:
- promotion of sports through advertising campaigns, special events and projects for each target audience;
- development of club sports culture;
- competitions among target groups.
3. Human capital (municipal sports leaders, coaches, volunteers)
Successful recruitment and further training of sports managers is the key to the strategy's success. The focus of this area is on:
- Reforming sports governance;
- Establishment of centres and educational programmes for urban sports leaders, coaches and volunteers.
We have developed different programmes according to the age of the target audience:
- 7-17 years old - ‘’Get Started‘’ strategy: engaging children and young people in sports through interesting clubs and activities in school sports clubs;
- 18-50 - ‘Keep going’ strategy: engaging students and those working to maintain a healthy lifestyle;
- 50+ - ‘’Keep going and participate‘’ strategy: involving people of the third age in sports, considering their needs for training and competition.
For each strategic direction, we have developed objectives along , operational event and programme plans, key success indicators and monitoring methods.
What's next
Brand MSport
Together with the Banda agency, we developed a brand for sports development in Mariupol – MSport. In addition to the brand, Mariupol now has a brand book with basic presentation templates, font and logo guidelines.
Sports map of Mariupol
At the request of M-Sport, we created the M-Sport online platform with all sports events, clubs and news of the city. On the sports map of Mariupol, one can easily find groups or clubs depending on the district or sport.
The organisational structure of the Department of Physical Culture and Sports was updated:
- A statistics and accounting department has been created to collect a single database, which will help improve the quality of research and understanding of where and how to move forward.
- Attention to managers who develop sports in the districts and help organise events. This makes it possible to achieve the goals of increasing the number of people who regularly engage in sports.
- A separate focus on high-performance sports: its funding remains unchanged, but it does not receive the most attention in management
Methodological recommendations for the creation and development of a club system of mass sport
We helped to create a methodology with practical recommendations on how to build a system for the development and financing of children's sports (7-17 years old) and adult sports (18+); identified the sports that should receive the most attention and support; presented the elements of the city's competitive system and gradual steps for its development; wrote step-by-step instructions on how to register a sports club or create a web petition.
Sports hub in Mariupol
We proposed the concept of a sports hub in Mariupol – a multi-sport complex with appropriate zoning and best practice analysis. The design concept was developed by the BALBEK BUREAU team.
Training for sports leaders
We have created a programme of classes for sports leaders and coaches, including training sessions
on conducting football and running training;
general physical training;
sports management;
first aid of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society.
60 sports leaders were trained as part of the programme.
As of 2020, 70 sports clubs have been established in the city, with 6,000 residents involved.
Team
Maks Yakover - founder of Big City Lab urban bureau
Viktoria Titova - CEO of Big City Lab urban bureau
Yuriy Sviridov - Director of the Marketing and Communications Department at FC Shakhtar
