Rugby League World Cup 2021 (RLWC2021), in partnership with UK Sport and Sport England, has today (Wednesday 7th August) announced its selected partner to undertake the evaluation of their legacy programme, InspirationALL. The Sports Consultancy, in partnership with Substance, have been appointed on a long-term contract to undertake an evaluation of the impact of the legacy programmes effectiveness before, during and after the tournament in 2021.
RLWC2021, in partnership with the RFL, UK Sport, DCMS and Sport England, have created a variety of programmes designed to empower and inspire individuals and groups alike. Programmes range from community focused schemes such as ‘mental health and wellbeing initiatives’ and ‘Educational resources’, both designed to achieve local engagement while changing the attitude towards rugby league by championing inclusivity; to larger, internationally driven programmes, such as the International Development Programme. By employing a partner to undertake the evaluation of these schemes more than 800 days before the tournament kicks off, RLWC2021 hopes to ensure the legacy left is a positive one.
Jon Dutton, Chief Executive of RLWC2021, commented: “The Legacy Impact Evaluation is a significant piece of work for us. It is vital that we measure the impact of our work, particularly around making a positive impact on people’s lives.
“Together with our partners, we are 100% committed to ensuring that RLWC2021 leaves a positive and long-lasting impact on communities. Our InspirationALL programme is not a traditional major event legacy programme and we are delighted to partner with The Sports Consultancy and Substance to develop an innovative approach to measuring success and sharing that knowledge with government, the rugby league community and future rights holders who are in a similar position to us.”
Matt Wilson, Director of Consulting, The Sports Consultancy added; “As host towns and cities begin to look beyond purely economic impact in justifying their hosting decisions, the appetite for delivering meaningful figures to demonstrate the social impact legacy is growing rapidly. We are excited to be at the forefront of this change and working in partnership with pioneers, Substance, in extending our consultancy with RLWC2021 to deliver the first such study for a major event.”
Tim Crabbe, Chief Executive, Substance said: “RLWC2021 is really breaking the mould, both in terms of the ground breaking social programmes surrounding the event and the commitment shown to capturing the impact they will have in host communities in the build-up to the tournament. It is an absolute privilege to bring our experience of assessing the wider social benefits of sport to help the team achieve these goals.”
In 2021, England will welcome nations to the 16th Rugby League World Cup, where for the first time in history, the men’s, women’s and wheelchair games will be played concurrently – championing inclusivity, which has been at the forefront of RLWC2021 planning. Destined to be the most attended and viewed World Cup ever, RLWC2021 organisers are dedicated to providing a positive and long-lasting effect on the host towns and cities, as well as UK Sport in general.
