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Sport federation investment in health promotion: The healthy club project implementation

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  • Van Hoye, Aurelie
  • Regan, Colin
  • Lane, Aoife
  • Woods, Catherine

Abstract

Research on health promotion has largely investigated the activities of sports clubs, but less is known about the support provided by sports federations. The present study aims at analysing the success and barriers of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) Healthy Club Project scaling up process. A case study design incorporating document analysis, observation and 8 interviews was used. Data analysis was based on deductive coding using the viable system model. The results indicated a three-level structure (national, county, club). Six employees at the national federation level support the work of 32 volunteer County Health and Well-being Committees and 439 clubs. The strengths are the identification of a single national reference point for clubs and Counties, the learning process and openness to innovation, and the enhanced workforce through a County officer appointment acting as role model. The challenges being faced are resources allocation, the level of engagement of the County and club board, and the training of volunteers. The strengths of the management system include the composition of the steering committee and the proper use of evaluation. Key scaling up levers and barriers of the present program could inform other sport organisations on the scaling up process of their programmes.

Suggested Citation

  • Van Hoye, Aurelie & Regan, Colin & Lane, Aoife & Woods, Catherine, 2025. "Sport federation investment in health promotion: The healthy club project implementation," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:epplan:v:111:y:2025:i:c:s0149718925000461
    DOI: 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2025.102579
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Linda Ooms & Mette van Kruijsbergen & Dorine Collard, 2021. "Can Health-Enhancing Sporting Programs in Sports Clubs Lead to a Settings-Based Approach? An Exploratory Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-13, June.
    2. Preece, Gary & Shaw, Duncan & Hayashi, Haruo, 2013. "Using the Viable System Model (VSM) to structure information processing complexity in disaster response," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 224(1), pages 209-218.
    3. Christopher M. Seitz & Jennifer Lawless & Stacey Cahill & Aoife O’ Brien & Collette Coady & Colin Regan, 2020. "The Adoption, Implementation, and Impact of Smoke-Free Policies among Gaelic Athletic Association Clubs in Ireland: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-10, March.
    4. Alex Donaldson & Kiera Staley & Matthew Cameron & Sarah Dowling & Erica Randle & Paul O’Halloran & Nicola McNeil & Arthur Stukas & Matthew Nicholson, 2021. "The Challenges of Partnering to Promote Health through Sport," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-14, July.
    5. Aoife Lane & Niamh Murphy & Colin Regan & David Callaghan, 2021. "Health Promoting Sports Club in Practice: A Controlled Evaluation of the GAA Healthy Club Project," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-17, April.
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