Through funding access to digital technologies and opportunities to develop the student and staff workforce, BUCS Active delivery focusses on three key interventions: tackling inactivity in female students, using physical activity to improve mental wellbeing, and increasing the number of students from lower socio-economic backgrounds engaging in sport and physical activity.
Building on the impact of BUCS Active 4, a further nine universities are running activity this academic year. Delivery varies from bespoke leagues and tournaments for the specific audiences to female takeover events.
Universities delivering BUCS Active projects from 2022-23 are: Durham, Northumbria, Teesside, UA92, University of Hull, Leicester, Manchester, Southampton and Surrey. The focus of each of the projects can be found below.
Durham University – Durham will be delivering bespoke campus leagues and tournaments for specific activities. Alongside this, they will be delivering monthly gym challenges and a day specifically for introducing students to adaptive sports.
Northumbria University - The team at Northumbria are aiming to implement an accessible and affordable 12-week intra-mural indoor Kwik Cricket League to support students from low socio-economic backgrounds
Teesside University - The development of Olympia Active will be taking place at Teesside with a variety of free turn up & play sessions. Teesside are working in partnership with the University Cost of Living Scheme to promote and develop their sessions.
UA92 - UA92 aim to create an active programme for the first time ever and engaging 10% of their staff and students (current numbers at 700) using the limited facilities and resources available.
University of Hull – The Move for Your Mind campaign is open to all students who can access sport and fitness on a weekly basis. Through the BUCS Active programme, they be able to provide a range of different sport sessions that encourages students to participate in sport to improve their overall mental and physical wellbeing.
University of Leicester – The project plan is to ensure that the hard-to-reach groups are getting involved in sport/physical activity accessing the FREE social sports programmes such as Let’s Do Leicester and Intramural Sport as an avenue for participation. This has been successful through collaborating with the Students Union, Residents Life department and Student Support services
University of Manchester – The aim of the BUCS Active project is to expand on their Sporticipate programme to include a range of sessions specifically for anyone who identifies as female. The additional sessions that will take place on a weekly basis are lacrosse, football, netball; learn to lift (weightlifting), body blast and yoga. Additionally, to these they will run two ‘Wellness Retreat’ female only events.
University of Southampton - The project will be a collaboration between the students' union and the University of Southampton's Be Active programme, and they have created Women in Sport. The project will involve a week-long timetable of activities that will cater to different interests and abilities.
University of Surrey - The Team Surrey Sport and Activity Fund recognises that there is a cost attached to taking part in sport, so this is in place to reduce the financial barrier. The Sport and Activity Access fund has been created to support those students who wouldn’t otherwise be able to participate in their chosen sport or activity due to cost. BUCS Active funding has been utilised to support of the development of the workforce, specifically through Exercise Referral qualifications.
David Coldwell, Deputy Head of Sport and Physical Activity at Durham University, outlined the benefits of the BUCS Active programme. “We are pleased to be working in partnership with BUCS on their BUCS Active programme. The digital platform will give us numerous benefits to promote new physical activity initiatives and competitive opportunities for women.
We will also have the capability to capture participation data which will allow us to understand better who accesses sport and the ability to communicate more effectively our sporting opportunities. The BUCS Active programme will certainly make a difference to enhancing the sporting experience for many of our students.”
Additional BUCS Active funding has been used to support the digital enhancements of UNIversal gym membership and provide workforce opportunities to students and staff delivering BUCS Active projects.
