Introduction: Are reopening solutions centering those who are traditionally farthest from access?
As part of the King County Play Equity Coalition’s COVID-19 response, we created Equity Considerations for Return to Play Resource for sports and recreation leaders to read and consider as they reopen and return to play. These considerations are not exhaustive but are the first step in viewing reopening through an “equity lens” and taking this opportunity to remedy inequities.
Without an equity lens, the pandemic is likely to exacerbate existing inequities in access to sport and play. Prior to COVID-19, only 19% of King County youth were getting the CDC’s recommended amount of physical activity: 60 minutes, seven days per week. This rate drops to 11% among youth who do not speak English at home, and participation in physical activity, organized sport, and outdoor recreation is predictable by race, affluence, gender and geographic residence. As public agencies, community based organizations, and other youth leaders and representatives plan for reopening and restarting youth physical activity programs, we have a unique opportunity to address these disparities by intentionally reshaping practices and policies.
The next few blog posts will provide suggestions for ways leaders can intentionally address equity as they grapple with budget, space, and health constraints. This first blog post will focus on the following question:
The Challenge
Even before this global pandemic, low-income youth lacked access to organized sport due to cost, while some nonprofit programs serving communities of color had limited funding to secure field or facility space for organized activity (Cohen, 2019; Aspen Institute, 2019). Free play (where “free” means both no-cost and unstructured), especially now that schools are closed, is often the only physical activity for many youth. Therefore, municipalities must ensure nonprofits and youth have access to fields, parks, and facilities to remedy disparities, and program providers must rethink access to fee-based systems.
As programs and facilities reopen, health and safety protocols mean there will be more constraints bringing youth and families back. Programs will need more space to serve the same number of kids in order to socially distance, for example. Athletes who might not have taken advantage of a scholarship previously may need that support now. Extra communication and new waivers will be challenging for families without reliable internet and those who are non-English-speaking. This means leaders need to intentionally think about how to engage those families who will be hit hardest by the constraints.
Ideas to Consider
For municipalities:
Learn about the programs who typically use your facilities and prioritize those serving low-income communities. If they are mostly nonprofit organizations serving low-income communities, consider that they may not be able to pay the typical reservation fees they have been able to before. While you may give field space to those who can pay, consider waiving fees and ensuring that nonprofit programs serving youth traditionally furthest from access have first priority to use fields and facilities.
Make time for free play. Many youth who participated in organized activity before may not have the means to do so now. These youth, fortunately, can still play freely in parks and outdoor spaces – if they are allowed to, and if there is room. Ensure that there are windows of time in your field or facility that are specifically reserved for unstructured play, and do not allow organized programs to make reservations during this time.
For program providers:
Think outside of practice time; consider new transportation needs and challenges. Once you have decided to restart programming, keep in mind that youth may be limited by new transportation challenges, such as their family’s loss of a vehicle or limited bus service. Make sure that transportation doesn’t limit participation by safely coordinating transportation for those who need it.
Reconsider participation fees. If you charged fees for your program before, consider changing those fees or initiating payment plans to accommodate unemployment and reduced resources for many families as a result of COVID-19. Simultaneously, seek out other resources that can supplement lost income from lost fees. Consider who you may reach out to for help applying to grants or requesting funding, or reaching out to families who may be willing to contribute more to cover a low-income participant’s fee.
Consider participants’ families. Think about if certain participants’ family members are at high risk for complications from COVID-19 or disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Consider extra precautions you might take or modifications to practices you might make to protect these participants and their families that still allow them to participate.
The King County Play Equity Coalition can serve as a resource for youth physical activity leaders and representatives across all sectors during this time. We welcome the opportunity to discuss these considerations with individuals and organizations and direct you to resources to help dismantle inequitable systems during this unique policy window that is COVID-19.
References
Aspen Institute (2019). State of Play Seattle-King County Analysis and Recommendations. Retrieved from https://assets.aspeninstitute.org/content/uploads/2019/08/2019-SOP-Seattle-KingCounty-Web-FINAL.pdf
Cohen, K. (2019, August 11). Kids aren’t playing enough sports. The culprit? Cost. Retrieved from
https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/27356477/kids-playing-enough-sports-culprit-cost