Children in Boston want to be active, but many face barriers that prevent them from taking part once the school day ends, according to new research by Active Lincolnshire.
The research forms part of Active Lincolnshire’s work in Boston, supported by Sport England, to better understand what helps or prevents local children and young people from being active.
While schools across the town are providing good opportunities for children to be active, participation drops sharply once the school day ends. The findings suggest the issue is not a lack of motivation among young people, but the barriers many families face in accessing opportunities close to home.
Insight was gathered by Active Lincolnshire’s Community Connectors, who have been spending time in local communities speaking directly with children, young people and families to better understand their experiences, barriers and priorities.
The research involved around 200 children through pupil voice sessions, alongside nearly 300 pupil surveys and feedback from more than 130 parents.
Many children described being active as fun and important for their health and wellbeing. However, families reported that the cost of clubs, equipment and travel can make regular participation difficult, particularly during a period of ongoing financial pressure.
The study also found that concerns about anti-social behaviour, poor lighting, litter and damaged facilities discourage young people from using local parks and open spaces independently. As a result, children often feel most comfortable being active in structured and supervised environments such as schools.
Erin Peak, Head of Insight and Evaluation at Active Lincolnshire, said: “The issue isn’t whether children want to be active. They do. The challenge is making sure they can access safe, affordable opportunities close to where they live.
“We’ve heard directly from local children and families, and their message is clear. We need to make it easier for young people to be active beyond the school gates.”
The findings suggest that Boston already has many of the facilities and organisations needed to support active lifestyles, but stronger links between communities, local spaces and activity providers are needed to help families access them.
Active Lincolnshire will now use the insight to help shape the future direction of its work in Boston, working alongside local partners to develop activity, investment and support based on what children, young people and families have said they need. The findings will also help identify ways to strengthen connections between community organisations, local spaces and residents to help more young people lead active lives.
