Tackling racism at the grassroots - In support of Black Lives Matter October 2020
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Tackling racism
at the grassroots
In support of
Black Lives Matter
October 2020
Discrimination and unequal access
Context to opportunities faced by Black
people in the UK are also prevalent
in the sports sector:
20% 40%
of Black, Asian and minority
ethnic participants said their
Only 3% Only 58%
of board members of National of Black adults meet guidelines
of elite British sportswomen say experiences of local sport Governing Bodies are Black of 150 minutes of activity a week
they have experienced racism or leisure clubs had been (compared to 63% of all adults)
negative, compared to just 14% - Sporting Equals, 2018
- BBC, 2020 of white British - Sport England, 2019
- Sporting Equals, 2018
We know our members serve geographical areas where a high proportion of people identify as Black.
Opinions, information and feelings shared in this report represent the views of our network, and
we are very thankful that they shared so openly with us.
Tackling racism at the grassroots | 01
Research Methodology:
Overview Sported enlisted voluntary support from
Sported volunteers, and conducted:
• 3 x 1.5 hour online focus groups
• 6 x follow-up conversations by phone
with participants who couldn’t attend
Full acknowledgement of participating
Research aims: groups can be found on the final page. Key themes:
To understand, directly from our Activities represented: Football, boxing, Key themes that were drawn
network, experiences of racism multisports, outdoor activities, cricket, out through this research are:
within the community sport sector. basketball, rugby league, roller sports
• Systemic racism
This was so that we could identify Locations represented: Wales, Scotland, • Current approaches to
key themes, advocate on their Northern Ireland, London, North West, tackling racism
behalf, identify potential solutions Yorkshire and Humber, East Midlands, • The BLM Agenda
and establish support going forward. West Midlands • Representation in sport
• Funding
Types of organisation represented:
Constituted club, charity, CIC, CIO,
Social enterprise company, voluntary
organisation, individuals running a
community organisation
Ethnicities of group leaders:
Black (70%), Asian (25%), White (5%)
Tackling racism at the grassroots | 02Systemic
racism
Solutions
Challenges Establish appropriate network to
Large groups of Black people challenge systemic racism and
are seen as a threat Needs champion anti racism
Don’t need training, or leadership
Young Black people are learning programmes (plenty of leadership Be action driven
they should pretend to be experience)
something they are not Through bringing multiple
Increase understanding of how stakeholders together, break
Experience prejudice - stigma, your experience relates to jobs/ down barriers and challenges
about the area they come from. opportunities / institution misconceptions
People assume a Black person is
uneducated Institutions to recognise Create Black empowerment
institutional racism programmes (or white
White privilege, unconscious bias ‘disempowerment’ programmes)
Top down, not bottom up solutions
Bias against Black people in – in this case Investment in youth clubs (and
organisations of authority, e.g. other areas where cuts have
police, government, politicians disproportionately affected
certain people)
Tackling racism at the grassroots | 03Systemic racism
Quotes “When you say
you’re a club from
Bradford, there’s
“If you’re a black a certain stigma
leader you’re around that.”
questioned twice
as much. It goes like
this… ‘yeah but who’s
“It’s not until they invite
me into the conversation the manager?’ ‘I am’ “We’re not
‘Oh…’”
trusted with
that they realise the valid
contributions we are
making. We shouldn’t
have to work so hard to
prove ourselves before
money.”
we even get invited to the
discussion.”
“If you’re Black
and challenging,
you’re not
going to get an “It’s not a
“As a Black opportunity.” unique thing,
it’s a universal
experience.”
boxing coach,
“If we were you get “That fear is
all white, our based on the
journey would patronized quite way I’ve been
have been much
easier.”
a lot.” treated, indirectly
throughout my
lifetime.”
Tackling racism at the grassroots | 04Current approach
to tackling racism
Challenges
People and organisations use
words like ‘diversity’ but don’t Needs
really understand what it means More than cynical gestures Solutions
Continue discussion around
London centric approach to Organisation have been tackling terminology with appropriate
diversity – outside of London is racism for years, but still feel like stakeholders, consider how BAME,
quite different they have to prove themselves NEET etc. can feel like a label
People feel labelled Stakeholders to develop a deeper Link to Race Equality specialists to
more authentic understanding of inform advice and guidance
Diversity and equality positions cultural differences and how they
usually filled by white women might lead to specific barriers Teach more diverse history
access services/resources in schools
More money in other areas of
equality – people feel more Address and tackle racist
comfortable talking about incidents properly
gender than race
Tackling racism at the grassroots | 05Current approach
to tackling racism
Quotes
“There’s a lot of
corruption behind the “There was a racist
scenes. We don’t want to incident a while back.
“Their review of
have to kowtow to those
diversity – it was
people, but there are BME The referee who was
wholly London
centric. Our organisations who will do involved, he’s still
experience in that because it will keep involved. Nothing’s
the north is quite them in existence.”
different.”
changed in 10 years.”
“People in these “When they do
positions, they these reviews,
“It’s far easier to
don’t know what it’ll be interesting feel the empathy
to see who they with people fighting
diversity is all for other causes,
contact.” everything other
about.” than race.”
Tackling racism at the grassroots | 06BLM
agenda
Challenges
Other people jump on our
Solutions
agenda, they say ‘what about x?’
Sported to support members to
(e.g. gender)
get their feet in the right doors
Needs
Community Sport Organisations
Sports sector to acknowledge Facilitate connections with other
are frustrated with the constant
commitment of organisations to organisations working towards
request for information, but with
anti-racism in the past same agenda
no perceived outcomes and not
sure of outcomes that would
Safe spaces (like the Sported focus Support to formalise any working
benefit the police, government,
group) to discuss ideas groups etc.
politicians
Ensure consultations have clear
Great to see commitment, but
outcomes
some are just jumping on the
bandwagon
Tackling racism at the grassroots| 07BLM Agenda
Quotes “I’ll talk about
solutions but pay
me a proportion
“We recommend
of your salary and
Sported gets then we can talk
involved in the solutions.”
review of the Sports
Councils, and make
“The experiences sure something “It’s not a subject
I had growing actually changes.” I can talk about
in a rational or
up, I don’t want concise way.
It hurts.”
that for the next
generation.” “Can Sported help?
Well, who are Sported
accountable to?”
“I was quite cynical
about this, but as long
“We don’t go into as what comes out of
women’s forums and say this - we own.”
‘well what about Black
people?’ but for some
reason everybody think’s
it’s fine to jump onto our
agenda and say well
what about us?”
Tackling racism at the grassroots | 08Representation
in sport
Solutions
When discussing and challenging
representation, communicate
with named individuals in senior
Challenges
positions - means they can’t hide
Not enough representation
within an organisation
on NGBs, Sports Councils, or Needs
management/ director positions CEOs, leaders of NGBs, Sports Send open letter of this nature to
of sports clubs Councils and sports clubs to Sports Councils and NGBs (from
commit and to be held to account group of Community Sports
Disconnect between participants
Organisations)
& overall leadership All NGBs need to recognise and
reflect on the demographics Identify leaders within sport from
Many Black leaders of groups of people who play their sport. Black, Asian and minority ethnic
set up the organisation & created Identify true minorities, work to be communities (sports people,
the opportunity for themselves inclusive and increase diversity journalists, sports managers,
– not by progressing through
board members, etc.) Provide
existing channels
platforms/spotlights to elevate
their voice as role models.
Additionally, provide channels for
community groups to connect
with these individuals
Tackling racism at the grassroots | 09Representation “whatever we
in sport feed in, the
Quotes
“I want to hear from CEOs strategy will still
– they need to be held to be played out
account. Not this officer through a white
lens.”
who’s delegated with this
issue. They need to be “All the
“I’d love to see a
named. It’s happened on
their watch – they need to judges, all
the referees,
accept responsibility.”
list of the heads
of the NGBs. And
we send an open “I want to see they’re all
letter to them all.” more Black faces white.”
in positions of
“I want to be
power, who are involved in the
there to influence decision-making,
the governance
“People like us and are there for of football. But I
should be in the long-term. am not the right
shade.”
there making “Football is the
You look at the
NGB’s, there’s not
the strategies” richest sport on
a Black man in the planet. Yet the
there.” government and
“I even ask that the management is
question of all white.”
Sported. How
representative
is Sported?”
Tackling racism at the grassroots | 10Funding
Challenges
Who gets funding doesn’t seem
to match up with who’s doing
good work
Needs
Empowerment of Black, Asian
Solutions
and minority ethnic communities
Diversity funding streams not Review how funding streams are
into higher positions at funding
designed by diverse group of written, ensure they are written by
organisations
people – got to write a funding bid and appropriate to the audience
to overcome racism, but through a they are aimed at
Shift from short-term to longer-
white lens – funding goes to white-
term funding to cover core costs
led clubs Transparency over who is on
- shouldn’t need to still prove that
assessment panel
it works
Short-term funding, small pots
don’t create change Transparency over criteria – if it’s
Greater distinction between
ring-fenced, really make it ring-
funding for black-led clubs & those
See ideas they’ve put in funding fenced & be specific
working with black YPs
applications, copied and
replicated elsewhere Copyright applications so others
Groups to have more confidence
don’t copy ideas
of their worth & not change to
‘Working with Black, Asian
please a funder – sometimes most
and minority ethnic participants’
powerful thing can be to say NO!
too broad as a criteria
Tackling racism at the grassroots | 11Funding
Quotes “Do Black people put
together funding
strategies? No. It’s “I don’t want another
put together through grant application form
a white lens, so we to fill out. You know, 11
have to adjust what years later, 55,000 hours
we do so it fits.”
every 2 years, I shouldn’t
need to prove it works
anymore – it works. Give
me the money to develop
the organisations.”
“When I do proposals
“I’m over applying for funding now, I put copyright.
for the next year – that’s short- My proposal was
termism. Charitable status - I had taken, and the work
to sign to say my home could be on was given to a
the line - the foolishness that we’ve
company - my exact
had to go through. Community
leaders running around to explain
teaching structure.”
their group and prove themselves “I find there’s an
over and over. We need investment inequitable distribution
of funding. I helped the
for minimum five years.” borough to complete
the application form,
but since then our little
organisation hasn’t
received anything.”
Tackling racism at the grassroots | 12A Successful model
Challenges:
Community In order to befriend local
Police authority and eliminate
One off event, challenge is to continue
initiative throughout the year
cohesion cup friction between Black,
Asian and minority ethnic
Don’t have close links with local
decision makers & difficult to get
communities and Police: funding
Create football tournament, Those areas where Black, Asian and
where teams represent different minority ethnic communities are
The organisation: nationalities, along with team a small minority, difficult to get the
based in deprived area, high from police numbers for such an event
proportion of Black, Asian and
Minority Ethnic people Provide kit etc., winners play at Would like to expand, and link up with
a large stadium, with a lot of other similar models across the UK
provides support in terms of supporters
employment skills & volunteering Impact:
opportunities (along with sport or Also have different organisations • Overcome barriers
physical activity) demonstrating their services (e.g.
fire service) • Increase community cohesion
Lottery funding and fundraising
• More Black, Asian and minority ethnic
activities such as bag packing people volunteering with police
Factors of success:
Popular amongst African diaspora • Overcome prejudice against Black, Asian
and minority ethnic communities
The sport element unites people,
and overcomes barriers
Tackling racism at the grassroots | 13Recommendations
for Sported 3. Generate multi-media
content, including case
studies, that shows our
1. Allow capacity for BLM • Challenge Sports Councils members successfully
and NGBs to review their tackling racism in their
working group to discuss representation and pathways
findings and take actions communities
to certain positions, (e.g. by
forward supporting small set of groups
to draft open letter) 4. More appropriate
2. Consider main representation in Sported
recommendations from • Identify leaders within sport at all levels (Trustees, staff,
from Black, Asian and minority and especially volunteer
focus groups: ethnic communities (sports team)
people, journalists, sports
• Continue safe spaces (like the managers, etc). Provide
focus groups) for groups to platforms/spotlights to elevate 5. When having
discuss and share experiences their voice, provide channels conversations about race
for community groups to and inclusion, we should
• Consider establishing working connect with these individuals. start with participants
group of members to develop
some ideas from the focus describing their own
• Encourage review of potential
groups, (e.g. to support linking bias in funding streams,
identify (including some
up Community Cohesion questioning if they are really protected characteristics)
football tournaments across written for the audience they and say “I agree to be
the UK) are aimed at open and honest”
Tackling racism at the grassroots| 14Thank
You!
To the group leaders who
took part in focus groups:
Aspire Boxing
To volunteers who
Creative Academies Network To the group leaders facilitated the sessions:
Highfield Rangers FC
who took part in 1 to 1
conversations: David Williams
KB in the Community & Warriors BB
David Cope
Boots and Beards
Oldham Boxing and Personal
Development Centre Great Horton Church Cricket Club
Muslim Women’s Association of To Sport England
Horn Development Association
Edinburgh who funded the research.
Street Soccer NI
RollaDome All Skate
Preston United Youth
SchBall School of Basketball Development Project
The Race Equality Centre
The Blair Project
Unity Boxing Club/ Mannngham Mills
Tackling racism at the grassroots | 15You can also read
