PLAYDAGOGY IMPACT & OUTCOMES

1.1

The Project: Implementation & Impact

The project has achieved a number of its objectives to date. We have successfully trained
178 coaches across 18 different organisations in the Playdagogy methodology and fully
resourced them with Playdagogy kits to run the programme. Furthermore, over 1,000
children have participated in Playdagogy sessions. What is more, when we analyse the
numbers of disabled children that the trained coaches work with, the project has the
potential to impact over 950 disabled young people.
Analysing the impact on the children who have participated in the programme so far, from
a sample of 427 children, across 11 different programmes, including 73 disabled children,
we find that the programme has had a significant impact in a number of areas (see
Appendix 1). Most significant is how Playdagogy affects both disabled and non-disabled
childrens understanding of fairness and equality with 83% of children showing a
significant improvement and 100% showing some improvement. Playdagogy is also
extremely effective at increasing disabled childrens enjoyment of physical activity (83%)
as well enabling all children to understand the social and physical barriers that result in
exclusion and discrimination (100%). As a result, we observe increased levels of positive
interactions and behaviours among 100% of participants.
We are particularly proud of our training programme (accredited by Skills Active) and how
well-received it has been across different organisations, from professional football clubs to
community groups and school PE teachers (see Appendix 2). Our trainers are rated as
Excellent by 81% of participants, and Good or Excellent by 100%. We have been
convinced both of the necessity of continuing to provide education in this area (60% of
those we train have had no previous training in disability related areas), as well as the
efficacy and originality of our approach, 89% of those we train find our model Very
Effective for educating children about disabilities, 100% find it Effective or Very
Effective. When asked whether they wold recommend our training to a colleague, 100% of
training participants responded Yes. We found that even experienced practitioners who
have worked in inclusive sport or with disabled children and young people for many years
found the training refreshing and informative, as the following quote from the Queens Park
Rangers FC Inclusion Projects Manager Shows:
Thanks for delivering a great and interactive training course, I felt after the training day
that I would be comfortable in delivering the programme to a school. The trainers were
excellent, passionate and really engaged the group of coaches and volunteers. We were
provided with the games and equipment to use for our first school. I was impressed with
the debate part of the sessions and I feel this would engage young children and also raise
awareness of disability effectively in a group situation.
- Inclusive Projects Manager, QPR in the Community Trust

Testimonies from other organisations include:

The course gave me a more inclusive way of teaching, using physical activity to
understand the issues around disability and better confidence when discussing the
issues.
- Teacher, Thorntree Primary School, Greenwich
Great training and very worthwhile, it was a really useful learning experience!
- Salmon Youth Centre, Youth Worker, Southwark
A practical way of promoting inclusion and raising awareness that allows all children to
work together, discuss and be more aware.
- Teacher, Thomas Tallis School, Greenwich
Both Trainers were very helpful and made the day both entertaining and educational.
- Shepherds Bush United Football Club, Coach

1.2 Academic Evaluation

Our evaluative work with Leeds and Loughborough Universities has also enabled us to
gauge the impact of the project from the point of view of the end beneficiaries (the
children). We have recorded some fantastic interviews of how Playdagogy has affected
them and changed how they view the issues of disability and inclusion.
In their initial evaluation of the pilot project, Angharad Beckett (Leeds University) and
Rachel Sandford (Loughborough University) found that:
The Playdagogy programme seeks to convey educational messages via the medium of
games and physical activities, offering young people an active and fun pathway to learning.
Playdagogy has chosen to make disability discrimination the focus of its programme. This
is important because discrimination against disabled people remains a significant problem
within the UK. In seeking to challenge this form of discrimination via a sports-based
education programme, CH is a pioneer. To date, very little work has been undertaken
around anti-oppressive education and disability. Whilst some work has been undertaken to
conceptualise anti-disablist ... pedagogies, this work has yet to be traced through into
associated curricula, teaching and learning strategies.
Cambridge Houses Playdagogy Project is therefore an important and innovative
development ... We have noted children with a range of different impairments actively
involved in the games/activities and many positive interactions between peers who have
impairments and those who do not. As one non-disabled child commented, the best bit
about Playdagogy, in his view, was that it involved: having fun with my friends, and
learning new stuff. A disabled child stated that he had been included and when asked
what it felt like to be included, he said that he felt part of a team.
- Beckett & Sandford 2015: 1

1.3 Beneficiary Feedback

Some particularly poignant examples from our interviews with children include the
following quotes:
Q: Why do you think you are doing this project?
Saira (age 10): I think, to make us understand how other people, disabled people, feel.
Maybe other people in the class dont know how they feel. But us, the ones who are doing
the project, are learning. Sometimes its like, really bad if you dont help someone,
because you know, if you had a disability, youd want someone to help you. So thats why
we learn about disabilities, to help people.
Q: What have you learned during the project?
Brandon (age 11): I've learned that when we had the blindfolds on, like what blind people
experience, they have a guide, who tells them to go left or right and forwards or backwards,
I learned a lot How to listen, because you really, really need to listen and be quiet. Its
taught me that when someone has a disability, it can be hard for people and I should help
them.
Q: Have you noticed any differences in peoples behaviour during the project?
Tom (age 8): My friend used to not play with this disabled person and now, after the
sessions, my friend actually plays with him, like there's two of them, and he actually plays
with them and volunteers to help them with their work and look out for them.

1.4 APPENDIX 1 Graphs & Statistical Analysis of Pilot Programme

Graph 1

Improvement in Outcomes for Chilrdren

90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Positive Behaviour

Understanding social Pariticpation / Inclusion Enjoyment of Physical

barriers
activity
No change

Some Improvement

Sense of Fairness /
Equality

Significant Improvement

Graph 2

Educators comfort discussing disability

(end of programme)
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Very uncomfortable

A little
uncomfrotable

Neither

Comfortable

Very comfortable

Graph 3

Number of disabled children worked with per

coach
30

% of Coaches

25
20
15
10
5
0
1-5

5-10

10-20

20-50

50+

No. of Disabled children worked with

1.5 APPENDIX 2 Graphs & Statistical Analysis of Training Programme

Graph 1a

Confidence discussing issues related to disability before vs.

after training
Confidence Before Training

Confidence after training

60

% of Coaches

50
40
30
20
10
0
Not at all

A little

Unsure

Enough

Very Confident

Graph 2a

Percentage of coaches trained who have

previously received training in disability inclusion

Received previous training

41%

Haven't received previous

training

59%

Graph 3a

Confidence in being able to deliver an inclusive

session (after training)
70
60

% of Coaches

50
40
30
20
10
0
Not at all

A little

Unsure

Confident
enough

Very confident

Graph 4a

How good is Playdagogy at helping children

understand issues related to disability?
100
90
80

% of Coaches

70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Not at all

OK but not very

Unsure

Good

Very effective

Graph 5a

How did you rate the trainer?

17%

Very poor
OK but could be better
Unsure
Good

81%

Excellent