outdoors-participation-report-v2

Outdoors Participant
Profile
Why and Why Not
This section covers the motivations for accessing outdoors activity, all of which vary
across ages and life stages. For some participation is about health, fitness and
looking good. However for others, participation extends beyond these functional
benefits to include having fun; connecting with nature; enjoying the feeling of
accomplishment; escaping the pressures of everyday life; keeping them feeling young;
allowing them to connect with themselves and those close to them; allowing them to
physically challenge themselves. These varying motivations have been used to create
eight individualised outdoor participant segments; groups of current and potential
participants who desire slightly different experiences from their involvement with the
outdoors. The segments are built around the motivations of each participant group,
as well as the factors that restrict involvement and present barriers. They are then
further individualised by overlaying their unique demographic characteristics (the
who), their locational preferences (the where), their participation patterns (the when)
and their type of activity preferences (the what).
This section also explains the overall barriers to participation as well as specific
barriers facing participant groups (families; BME; deprived
communities; disabled; elderly). In addition we
draw together the top influencing factors that
result in participants starting, stopping and
restarting across their life stages.
Sustained participation motivators
Although there are a number of influencing factors that differentiate participants
into segment groups (these will be explored in the following pages) there are
several key motivating factors that are commonly cited by outdoor participants,
these include:
To spend time with family
• 43% of participants first participated in their main outdoor activity with
parents/guardian/family - biggest influences in attracting new participants to
outdoor activity.
• Spending time with parents and family are the main reasons for participating
among youth outdoor participants. As youths get older, the influence of
parents, brothers, sisters and relatives is slowly overshadowed by the
influence of friends and their own interests.
- 70-80% of all participants feel participation strengthens family relationships.
- Parents of children who are active outdoors are twice as likely to become
active themselves. Similarly, the children of parents who are active outdoors
are twice as likely to become active themselves.
- Family participation is more likely amongst BME populations and 25 to
44 year olds.
- Those with a long-term illness or disability and those aged 55 are least likely
to participate as a family.
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