Gameplan

Gameplan is a free handbook, aimed at practitioners for maximising the social impact of their events. It is the accumulation of five years work, research and learning of how to maximise the social impacts of hosting major events in local communities.

Never has it been more important to understand how to align major sporting events with genuine local needs and to use those events as a vehicle for change, that is experienced by local people in local places and not just at the time of the event itself.

Gameplan intends to stimulate consideration for the wider social impact that major sporting events can have and provides a framework for event planning with sustained community engagement at its heart. We have distilled what we have learned so far into a four-step process (Ready, Set, Go, Next), designed to help event organisers develop a social impact Gameplan. Gameplan contains 25 tactics that provide guidance, or 'helpful hows', for implementing this approach in practice. There are also 10 downloadable templates below to support you through the process.

You can read Gameplan using the online reader below or download your own copy.

You are also welcome to contact us to request a hard copy and we will post one out to you at no charge: getdoncastermoving@doncaster.gov.uk

Gameplan was co-created by Doncaster Council's Get Doncaster Moving team and Leeds Beckett University's School of Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management and Carnegie School of Sport. This research was made possible through funding from Sport England's Local Delivery Pilot.

It is recommended that Gameplan is read from start to finish. However, it has been designed to be flexible to individual needs and interests. For example, you may be particularly interested in tactics from the "Go" phase and start reading this section first. Whatever you decide, there are four helpful design elements that will assist your navigation of Gameplan.

1. Colours - Colours indicate the stages of Gameplan. Headings, sub-headings, page borders and templates are coloured depending on the Gameplan stage.
2. Underlined text - Underlined text refers to another tactic that is referenced within a tactic's content. If you are using the electronic version embedded below, you can click on the underlined text to be redirected to that tactic.
3. Bold text - Bold text refers to glossary terms which can be found on pages 74-75.
4. Graphics - Graphics help to visually summarise the tactic content.

The templates below are recommended resources freely available for you to download to support you with your own Gameplan.

Underpinning Gameplan is five years of research undertaken in partnership with Leeds Beckett University's School of Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management and Carnegie School of Sport.

Each event has built on the work of its predecessor; refining the theories and tactics, as well as introducing new approaches as learning has developed and barriers have been identified that need challenging to enable our communities to make the most out of hosting major events.

Our Major Events page (link below) contains the detailed research reports for each event and associated activities. Proving an in-depth appraisal of our work across the events.