URBAN YOUTH SPORTS

A Partnership between the Harvard Prevention Research Center
and Northeastern University's Center for the Study of Sport in Society

Goals:

Increasing physical activity levels is an important national health goal because an active lifestyle reduces risks for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and at-risk behaviors. Among children and youth, physical activity levels reflect personal, household, cultural, community and environmental factors.

Unfortunately, many studies have identified substantial regional, racial, ethnic, gender and age-related inequalities in physical activity.

What can we do to ensure that all children and youth have an equal opportunity to be physically active?

While a number of studies have identified individual and family characteristics associated with increased physical activity, studies of the impact of community and environmental factors on participation rates are limited.

The Harvard Prevention Research Center, based at the Harvard School of Public Health, in collaboration with Northeastern University's Center for the Study of Sport in Society, has received funding to address this knowledge gap in Boston.

This collaborative project provides the opportunity to respond to the community's need for a baseline assessment. The project partners with branches of city government and community agencies to create such an assessment, as well as an on-going monitoring system that documents physical activity and sports resources in Boston. Our findings will help to improve physical activity opportunities among youth, and thus reduce disparities.

Background:

Play Across Boston, a partnership with the Harvard School of Public Health's Prevention Research Center, is in its second year of funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Harvard Project Directors Dr. Steve Gortmaker and Dr. Jean Wiecha selected Urban Youth Sports as its primary partner due to our expertise in community sports.

This joint project will result in a Needs Assessment Survey with the resulting map of all youth sport resources to be made available to each community of Boston. Many other dimensions including neighborhood, race, gender, ability, and are being assessed. Public and private programs are eagerly awaiting these results.

CLICK HERE
To read about the 1997-98
Needs Assessment Survey

Ms. Alfreda Harris, known for her leadership in community youth sports in Boston, has joined Urban Youth Sports on a part-time basis to provide leadership to this project. Ms. Harris is also vice-chair of the Boston School Committee, and her involvement has greatly influenced community participation in Play Across Boston. She works with program specialist Linda Keefe, Harvard coordinator Cindy Hannon, and field specialist Robin English to develop plans for collecting the needed information on a program-by-program throughout the city.

Benefits:

Document available sports and physical activity facilities and programs
Expand our understanding of how community resources affect youth participation in physical activities and sports
Identify potential solutions for gaps in resources, programs and barriers to participation
Help monitor youth access to and participation in sports and physical activity

Main Steps

Develop a computerized map of resources and update annually.
Conduct a thorough survey of facilities and physical activity and sport programs.
Survey a sample of Boston's youth.

Contact Information:

Alfreda Harris, Project Director - (617.jpg) 373-3373.

Linda Keefe, Project Specialist - (617.jpg) 373-3373. E-mail: [email protected]

Cindy Hannon, Project Coordinator - (617.jpg) 432-4679. E-mail: [email protected]

PLAY ACROSS BOSTON SURVEY RELEASED!