Data, Insight & Learning

Two of Get Doncaster Moving's principles are

Using data, insight and evidence
Learn by doing and share it with others

In this section, you can find links to data, insights, evidence and learning that is being used to inform Doncaster's approach. Please note that some links are to external sources, so you may be directed away from this page.

The Get Doncaster Moving (GDM) team receive a high volume of requests for information and support from the GDM Network of partners and wider stakeholders, and from a wide range of organisations and sectors. Sharing our learning – and learning from others – is a fundamental value of Get Doncaster Moving and we welcome and encourage requests to share our learning and our approach.

We house many of our learning resources on our website. You can take a look at the resources below, or search our Resource Library for data, insights and learning related to physical activity.

If you can't find what you are looking for, or wish to contact the team about these resources, please complete this short request form: Request for support

Our strategies

Get Doncaster Moving Strategy (PDF, 16.8 Mb)
The Get Doncaster Moving Strategy outlines how we will collectively achieve out ambition for 'Healthy, vibrant communities through movement, physical activity and sport'.
Get Doncaster Cycling Strategy (PDF, 533 Kb)
The Get Doncaster Cycling Strategy outlines the action needed for Doncaster to be a cycling town where people find it easy, safe and enjoyable to travel by bike.
Get Doncaster Walking Strategy (PDF, 384 Kb)
The Get Doncaster Walking Strategy outlines the action needed for Doncaster to be a place that's designed for people to walk throughout their day to day lives.
Get Doncaster Dancing Strategy (PDF, 1.2 Mb)
The Get Doncaster Dancing Strategy outlines our ambitions to changing behaviour and inspiring people to get active through dance.

Behavioural Insight

Get Doncaster Moving partnered with the Behavioural Science Consortium to design and deliver the first three stages of a behavioural insights approach, that uses the COM-B behaviour change theory. This piece of work has been an important part of our journey; bridging the gap between our initial thoughts, and identifying an approach to work with our communities to test solutions. It includes a survey of almost 1200 Doncaster residents.

Behavioural Insight Phase One (PDF, 1.2 Mb)
This reports includes a survey of almost 1200 Doncaster residents (Feb 2019).
Behavioural Insight Phase One - Summary report (PDF, 7.5 Mb)
This reports provides a detailed summary of the phase one report (March 2019).
Behavioural Insight Phase Two (PDF, 778 Kb)
This reports includes the training of Community Explorers to have recorded conversations about physical activity with people in their community (May 2019).
Behavioural Insight Phase Three (PDF, 2.7 Mb)
This report includes information about events where members of the community identified things that help them to be active where they live (Sept 2019).

Resident Panel

The Get Doncaster Moving Residents Panel is a virtual panel of 280 Doncaster residents who respond to surveys and polls, to measure attitudes and perceptions of residents towards physical activity in order to evidence change. It is funded by investment from Sport England until March 2025 and is managed by CFE Research Ltd (CFE).

Resident Panel survey - Activity levels (Document, 418 Kb)
Physical activity levels within Doncaster (Survey, April 2020).
Resident Panel Poll - Active travel (Document, 193 Kb)
Findings from a Resident Panel poll on active travel (August 2020).
Resident Panel Survey - The impact of the second covid-19 lockdown (Document, 4.9 Mb)
Findings from a Resident Panel survey on the impact of lockdown on activity levels (December 2020).
Resident Panel Survey - Activity levels (Document, 197 Kb)
Findings from a Resident Panel survey into the activity levels of children and young people (February 2021).
Resident Panel Poll - Plans post covid restrictions (Document, 511 Kb)
Findings from a Resident Panel poll to determine residents' plans as covid-19 restrictions eased (April 2021).
Resident Panel Survey - Parks and open spaces (Document, 262 Kb)
Findings of a Resident Panel survey on residents' views on Doncaster's parks and open spaces (July 2021).
Resident Panel Survey - Active travel (Document, 835 Kb)
Findings from a Resident Panel survey about residents' views on active travel in Doncaster (July 2021).
Resident Panel - Impact of the cost of living crisis (PDF, 936 Kb)
Doncaster residents' views on the impact of the cost of living crisis.
Residents Panel - physical activity as part of healthcare interventions (PDF, 262 Kb)
Findings from a Resident Panel survey on physical activity as part of healthcare interventions (July 2023).

Case studies

GDM uses case studies to capture and share what it has learned from its work to deliver the GDM strategy. This could include how it has worked with local communities to understand and address their needs and what difference has been made to the lives of local people.

Doncaster Council Position Statement (LGA Peer Review) (PDF, 4.6 Mb)
A case study of GDM’s whole system approach to reducing inactivity featured in a Doncaster Council self-assessment submitted to the Local Government Association (LGA) in 2022. This was to support an LGA ‘peer review’ of the council’s performance (see pages 40-42).
GDM response to Fairness and Well-being Commission (PDF, 4.9 Mb)
In November 2022, GDM submitted evidence to Doncaster’s Fairness and Well-being Commission. It includes a case study of Doncaster’s Future Parks Programme (see pages 12-17).
Askern Leisure Centre - Decarbonisation and Transformation (PDF, 3.5 Mb)
The lessons learned from a £6m project that transformed the country’s last coal-fired leisure centre into a multi-purpose wellbeing centre for its local community, integrated within a country park and powered by green energy.
Hexthorpe Park - Doncaster Future Parks (PDF, 1.3 Mb)
Key learning from partnership working in Hexthorpe Park.
Community Engagement - Doncaster Future Parks (PDF, 409 Kb)
A summary of key learning from Doncaster Future Parks regarding successful engagement with communities.

Our journey so far

Each year we document the Get Doncaster Moving journey, highlighting key milestones and achievements along the way.

Other valuable data, insight and learning work

Framing Physical Activity (PDF, 317 Kb)
The FrameWorks Institute developed evidence-based guidelines to change the frame of our campaigns and communications. Lots of detail in the attached document to support better framing for behaviour change.
Community Engagement Review (PDF, 742 Kb)
Desktop evidence review undertaken by Sheffield Hallam University of Community Based Participatory Research approaches in the promotion of physical activity.
Active lives analysis (PDF, 1.4 Mb)
Research undertaken by our partners CFE to understand the levels of physical activity across Doncaster.
Pen portraits - Activity levels of children and young people (PDF, 749 Kb)
The stories from 12 Doncaster parents who talked to us about their children’s physical activity levels (Aug 2021).
The importance of tackling physical inactivity in Doncaster (PDF, 276 Kb)
An overview of Doncaster's key statistics on physical activity levels.
Physical Activity in Early Years Toolkit (PDF, 4.1 Mb)
A toolkit for Early Years Practitioners to support with the physical activity guidelines for children under five.
Doncaster Play Parks Infrastructure Policy - Executive Summary (PDF, 11 Mb)
This policy sets out a positive vision to foster healthy communities through good quality play parks that provide opportunities for informal play and enable our children and young people to live healthy active lives. This document summarises the full technical policy document.
Doncaster Play Parks Infrastructure Policy (PDF, 18.8 Mb)
This policy sets out a positive vision to foster healthy communities through good quality play parks that provide opportunities for informal play and enable our children and young people to live healthy active lives. This is the full technical policy document.

Physical activity & long term health conditions resource packs

The Richmond Group of Charities have developed a series of Physical Activity and Long Term Health Conditions Resource Packs aimed at the sport and physical activity sector, health and care organisations and the health and care workforce. Find out more

Dance

Exploring the health and wellbeing benefits of dance for older people. A research study conducted by the University of Leeds with darts and Yorkshire Dance's Dance On programme: Read the Dance On Research pamphlet.

Mapping of the physical activity system

Cavill Associates were commissioned to support Doncaster to take a 'systems approach' to promoting physical activity across the Borough. Stakeholders (including residents and partners across Team Doncaster) have worked together to identify the factors that affect population activity levels in Doncaster.

Through a Systems Mapping approach (developed from the WHO Global Action Plan for Physical Activity), we can see that many of the things that stop people from being active are not in their power to change. The places, policies and spaces that make up the system we live in, have a large role in shaping our behaviour and the choices we make. This is a continuing approach, and we are starting to use our map to communicate the multiple factors and cross-sectoral nature of the influences on physical activity, and that this needs to be achieved across a variety of policy areas – not solely the responsibility of leisure or health.

Social Network Analysis

Jodie Bridger (Local Delivery Pilot Programme Manager, Get Doncaster Moving) and Sarah Leonardi (Associate Director, CFE Research) share how Social Network Analysis can be used to understand the connections between people, groups and organisations within a complex system. Watch the presentation below:

Activity Alliance

The Activity Alliance is the national charity and leading voice for disabled people in sport and activity. You can access lots of useful information and resources on their website to help you to engage more disabled people in sport and activity: https://www.activityalliance.org.uk/how-we-help/resources