Creating an Active Black Country - a strategy to unite the Black Country to create active, healthier people and places - read more

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Wider Determinants

Our health is influenced by a wide range of issues, not all of which are as obvious as others. There are a diverse range of social, economic and environmental factors which impact on both physical and mental health, variations in which can lead to both social and health inequalities.

These include;

  • Educational Attainment: This is linked to health behaviours throughout a person’s life. The gap in the proportion of young people achieving 5 A*-C GCSEs between the most and least deprived areas is considerable. Evidence from various studies has demonstrated the link between active lifestyles and higher levels of attainment.
  • Built and Natural Environment: Air quality, quantity and quality of green spaces and housing quality all impact on a person’s health. Active Black Country are working closely with Local Authority partners and the Local Enterprise Partnership to ensure, wherever possible, the principles of Active Design are embedded into funded projects.
  • Income: A person’s income level is closely connected to their health. Average wages in the Black Country are lower than the national average and it would require an additional £4,364 per year per person to close the gap.
  • Access to Employment: The benefits that quality employment can bring have a substantial impact on health levels. The employment rate in the Black Country is lower than the national average and a major contributor to the area’s productivity gap. Developing the workforce is a key objective for Active Black Country. Go to our Insight Hub Learnings to find out about a project we undertook with DWP to increase access to the jobs market through volunteering in sport.
  • Crime: Both crime and the fear of crime have a negative impact on people’s health. Police records show violent crimes and violent sexual offences have increased in recent years, with a larger increase in the most deprived local authorities.

If you have any questions for us, or would like further information please email Mike Salmon.

INSIGHT HUB

Timely data and learnings in relation to physical activity and sport in the Black Country and the added value we can offer.

Read more about the Insight Hub

WATER SAFETY PROGRAMME

Get your school involved in our free programme to increase the number of children who are water safe and boost their enjoyment of swimming.

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ACTIVATION ACADEMY

Resources and training material to support the Black Country sport & physical activity workforce

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