Independent evaluation by the University of Essex has demonstrated how Sport for Confidence’s Learning Arena is strengthening workforce capability, changing practice and building partnerships to embed inclusive physical activity across health, social care, education, sport and community settings.
Created by Sport for Confidence CIC and funded through Essex County Council’s Public Health Accelerator Bid Programme, the Learning Arena was established to build the knowledge, confidence and capability of professionals to embed inclusive physical activity into everyday practice.
Drawing on learning from the Prevention and Enablement Model, a two-year Sport England-funded Test and Learn pilot delivered by Sport for Confidence, the programme combines eLearning, workshops, mentoring, host days and practical experiences, bringing together occupational therapy, physical activity expertise and lived experience.
An independent evaluation, conducted by researchers at the University of Essex between April 2025 and May 2026 using the RE-AIM framework, found positive outcomes across the workforce, community and wider system.
By May 2026, 1,488 individuals had engaged with one or more of 94 Learning Arena opportunities, while 158 had enrolled on the programme’s eLearning platform. Participants came from sectors including adult social care, education, health, community and voluntary services, sport and leisure.
The evaluation found evidence that learning was translating into practice, with professionals reporting more conversations about physical activity, better signposting and referrals, and greater confidence to act. It also identified wider adoption of inclusive, person-centred approaches.
Hayley Chapman, Relationship Development Lead, Active Essex, says: “The Learning Arena has demonstrated how targeted investment in learning and development can have a much wider reach, equipping professionals across different settings with the knowledge and confidence to make physical activity part of the conversations they are already having with the people and communities they support.
“By bringing professionals together, the programme has also helped build a shared understanding and stronger connections between services, creating a more joined-up approach that can continue beyond the original programme.”
The impact extended beyond individual professionals. The evaluation identified organisational changes, including greater prioritisation of workforce development, allocation of resources and time, and cultures that better support activity and wellbeing. Stronger partnerships across health, social care, education, sport, leisure, local government and community organisations have also supported knowledge sharing and expanded referral pathways.
Ultimately, these changes are contributing to better experiences for communities and service users, with evidence of improved health, wellbeing and inclusion, alongside greater opportunities for movement, connection and belonging.
The evaluation also highlighted the need for accessible and practical learning, with 36% of survey respondents reporting that they had undertaken no previous training or education focused on physical activity recommendation and guidance.
Emily Wingate, Business Development Officer, Sport for Confidence, says: “The Learning Arena has achieved far more than we could have hoped during this initial phase of funding. In just over a year, 1,488 people have engaged with our learning opportunities, but this number only tells part of the story. What is particularly significant is the change we are seeing in confidence, practice and collaboration, with professionals across health, social care, education, sport and community settings increasingly recognising physical activity as a valuable tool to support the people they work with.
“The Learning Arena has also given us the opportunity to take everything we have learned through our work, including through the Prevention and Enablement Model, and translate it into practical, accessible learning that can be widely shared. We have built a growing library of resources, developed new partnerships and seen increasing demand from organisations wanting to build their own capability.”
The funded phase concluded in April 2026, but the Learning Arena is now operating independently and has continued to grow. Four months on, the Arena is working with partners to develop bespoke learning materials and resources, responding to demand for further learning and mentoring, and building on relationships across regional and national organisations.
With the Arena now established as a sustainable learning platform, Sport for Confidence is continuing to develop its offer and extend its reach, sharing the learning, resources and expertise generated through the programme with an ambition to support professionals and organisations nationally.
The full evaluation and accompanying infographic provide further detail on the Learning Arena’s impact, methodology, success factors and recommendations.
Access the evaluation report – LA-Evaluation-Summary-v2.2
See the evaluation infographic here – LA-Evaluation-Infographic-v2
For more information visit: https://sportforconfidence.com/what-we-do/sfc-learning/
