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Table 5 Key factors influencing long-term sustainability of sporting programs aimed at inactive target groupsa

From: Sporting programs aimed at inactive population groups in the Netherlands: factors influencing their long-term sustainability in the organized sports setting

Main theme

Factors important to both NFSs and Sports clubs (common factors)

Factors important to NSFs (specific factors NSFs)

Factors important to sports clubs (specific factors sports clubs)

1. Program design

• Program alignment with needs inactive target group (+)

• Become acquainted with the sport in an easy and right way (+)

• Program adaptation (+)

• Program does not align with needs inactive target group (−)

• High program costs (−)

• Social aspect (+)

• Fun (+)

2. Implementation

• Training and education (+)

• Positive program effects (+)

• Recruitment inactive target group is difficult (−)

• Program evaluation (+)

• Low participant numbers (−)

3. Trainer/coach

• Knowledge trainer (+)

• Personal approach of participants (+)

  

4. Organizational setting NSF/sports club

• Compatibility of program with organization’s mission/activities (+)

• Benefits (+)

• Program financing (+)

• Support of NSF to sports club (+)

• No compatibility of program with organization’s mission/activities (−)

• No benefits (−)

• Lack of program financing (−)

• Program coordinator (+)

• Absence or leave of program coordinator (−)

• Enthusiastic and committed leader (+)

• Availability of professional trainers (+)

• Absence or leave of enthusiastic and committed leader (−)

• Lack of/dependence on volunteers (−)

• No support of NSF to sports club (−)

5. Broader community environment

• Partnerships (+)

• Popularity sport/program (+)

• Competing programs/activities (−)

  1. NSFs National Sports Federations
  2. aInductively added factors are presented in bold; (+) facilitating factor for sustainability; (−) impeding factor for sustainability