Evaluation of the Urban Outdoor Adventure Initiative

The objective of this evaluation was to undertake a process and outcome evaluation of the Urban Outdoors Adventure Initiative (UOAIs) funded in 2017, 2018 and 2019, to understand to what extent LSPs who have rolled out the initiative, have achieved their intended outputs, outcomes and aims, and what contributed to their success.

In summary, UOAIs have been successful at increasing the diversity of sports within these urban communities and at bringing new people into these sports. Furthermore, engagement in these UOAI activities is widely appreciated at a participant and community level and some of the Initiatives have had a significant positive impact on participants personal development. Some UOAI have created awareness amongst other non-sports organisations as to the potential of these adventure sports activities as vehicles for the personal development of their clients and as a means to positively engage with targeted populations. The ongoing challenge is for the Initiatives to reach into the relevant communities and to maximise the distinctive potential of adventure sports beyond that of simple recreational adventure.

To learn more, please see summary document below or contact evaluation@sportireland.ie to request the full report.