University College Cork has launched The Global Design Challenge for Sport and Physical activity, which is a worldwide search for ambitious, innovative ideas to get people physically active.

The challenge being led by University College Cork, in association with Sport Ireland, under UNESCO patronage and supported by national, European and international sports and physical activity related organisations.

The challenge is free to enter and there are development grants of up to €10,000 for the best concepts.

Following over a year of lock-down and restrictions, participation in sport and physical activity has plummeted. The challenge is to design innovative ways of increasing participation in sport and physical activity in an inclusive, sustainable and fun way!

There are 8 specific challenges and categories that they are particularly interested in and want innovative ideas of how to:

• Inclusion – Increase opportunities for engagement in sport and physical activity ensuring that it is accessible to everyone of any ability, age, race or socio-economic background.
• Community – Inspire community-level engagement in sport and physical activity for all ages.
• Fans and Volunteers – Bring participants, volunteers, and fans back to sport and physical activity.
• Policy – Focused – Use sport and physical activity to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals in a practical way.
• Sustainability – Re-imagine sport and physical activity (space and place; funding models) to make it more sustainable and resilient to shocks and change.
• Youth-Based – Motivate children and youth to engage in sport and physical activity, that leads to life-long interest.
• Technology-Based – Harness technology to radically change the way sport and physical activity are imagined.
• Lifestyle Physical Activity – Integrate sport and physical activity into leisure and lifestyle activities e.g., cycling for transport, gardening for food security.

The challenge runs from June 21st-June 27th and submission requirements are available on the website, along with webinars and supporting materials to help you.
Submissions will be judged according to:
• Creativity and innovation in sport and physical activity
• Impact on the identified challenge and towards the Sustainable Development Goals
• Feasibility of successful practical implementation of the idea