Harlow’s Sport England Place Partnership
Driving system change
Securing £1 million of dedicated investment and a further £1 million of system wide funding for 2025-2028, the Harlow Place Partnership is achieving significant milestones on their quest to drive long-term impact.
As established by a shared vision, determined by key system leads, Harlow partners want to ‘provide inclusive opportunities that inspire and empower residents to thrive and live active healthy lives, in a safe and supportive environment.’
Several community-based programmes, targeting inactive residents have been established over the past year, shaped by community engagement to improve access to green spaces and support local clubs to become more sustainable.
By leveraging the Sport England investment and local insight, it is helping to ensure interventions are being developed with an Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) approach, and are community driven in their decision-making. As a result, tailored programmes, such as family activity sessions, youth engagement projects and initiatives for older adults have added to the number of opportunities for residents to get active across Harlow.
There has been a real strong shared leadership and consistent collaboration throughout the first 18 months. Health, regeneration, community and voluntary sectors have built trust and momentum, enabling partners to overcome challenges and begin to deliver meaningful change.
Strong foundations had been built during the development phase, supporting local economic growth, and this has continued. The workforce has been strengthened by 2 new roles that complement the 3 existing positions that were pivotal in shaping the early stages of the programme.
With further roles planned for recruitment this year, workforce capacity and sustainable employment opportunities maintain their ambition to contribute to the area’s economic development.
What we’ve collectively been able to achieve in Harlow so far, is amazing, and we’re starting to see how physical activity is now being embedded into other health and wellbeing strategies. Building trust among stakeholders, collaborating on projects and convening partners has been our way of creating the conditions for change across the areas with the greatest need.Danielle Warnes, Active Essex Relationship Manager, West Essex
Key learnings
It's important to take time to reflect and understand the learnings from work undertaken, to focus on ways to improve in the future.
Coordination
Multiple funding streams and aligning priorities across sectors requires time and negotiation.
Shared leadership
Consistent engagement and shared leadership proved critical for momentum and sustainability.
Local landscape
Changes to sectors may reshape priorities and will require Place Partnership group to evolve.
An expression of interest has been recently submitted to Sport England, to support potential capital work. Alongside this, work is progressing to strengthen the strategic position through the development of a new Built Facilities Strategy and Outdoor Sports Strategy. This is being supported by a high-level feasibility study, exploring future wet and dry leisure provision.
This development represents a positive move towards better long-term planning, establishing a clearer direction, and creating the right foundations to support future growth and opportunity in the locality. Something the Harlow Place Partnership work is supercharging.
