Community sports development within a local authority setting: a case study of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to develop an understanding of the concept of community sports development, and by adopting a case study approach, place it within a local authority setting. In considering the methodology for the study no one single approach has been adopted. Given the evolving nature of the research, the study principally used the constructivist interpretation of grounded theory, but also draws influence from action research and applied ethnography. Taking a communitarian perspective, the study aims to explore the research participants' perceptions about the nature of community sports development, and the way in which their work involved the community, cultivating social citizenship. The central themes that emerged from the data are grouped under three main categories relating to a community development perspective, social citizenship and service provision. Each category and its related themes are discussed in relation to theory and literature. Based on the findings, the study highlights the complexities surrounding community sports development, and the scope to develop further our understanding. Building on the work of Hylton and Totten (2001) an enhanced model is proposed that embraces both the private and public interests that are evident. In this way, the model provides to some extent a different perspective, and suggests a new framework that can be adopted by professionals in the field.