We’re delighted to share an update from Erica De La Garza, PhD researcher at the University of Essex, who is working in close partnership with Sport for Confidence on an ambitious three-year systems-thinking evaluation. This collaboration forms a key part of our work within the National System Partnership with Sport England, helping us better understand how communities, organisations and services interact to support inclusive access to physical activity.
Erica’s research is already offering valuable insight into the dynamics of the Basildon and Brentwood system — highlighting where change can make the biggest impact, how collaboration can be strengthened, and how we can collectively create more equitable pathways into activity. Her work is grounded in co-production, cross-sector engagement and a commitment to amplifying lived experience, all of which align closely with our values and approach at Sport for Confidence.
We are grateful to everyone who has contributed to the workshops and engagement sessions so far. Your expertise and participation are helping shape an evaluation that will not only inform local improvement but also influence wider practice nationally and internationally.
Over to you, Erica!
My name is Erica De La Garza, and I am a PhD researcher within the University of Essex’s School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, working in partnership with Sport for Confidence. Over the course of this three-year collaboration, we are leading a whole-systems evaluation designed to strengthen community engagement in physical activity by understanding how agencies, services, and people interact across the system. The aim of this research is to identify where change can be most effective, improve collaboration, and ultimately support more inclusive and accessible pathways into activity.
As part of our ongoing evaluation of the National System Partnership with Sport England, we are utilising an embedded systems-thinking research approach to better understand how organisations, processes, and people across the Basildon and Brentwood system interact. This work aims to highlight where change can have the greatest impact and to support more effective collaboration across partners in other areas of the country and internationally.
The evaluation is structured into five ongoing and iterative stages:
1. Planning & Design – establishing aims, identifying interest-holders, and shaping the evaluation structure.
2. Mapping the System – gathering insight into how the system currently functions, including strengths, barriers, and interdependencies.
3. Implementing Change – identifying and acting on leverage points within the system to drive improvement.
4. Monitoring & Reflection – observing how the system responds to change in real time.
5. Evaluating Outcomes – assessing overall impact and learning to inform future development.
We have now successfully completed Stage 1: Planning and Stage 2: System Mapping. These stages were delivered through collaborative workshops involving a broad range of voices and partners, including Everyone Active, Sport for Confidence staff and volunteers, Basildon Council, and the University of Essex.
During the mapping workshops, participants visually mapped relationships, processes, strengths, and leverage points within the community engagement system in Basildon and Brentwood. These maps have now been digitised into a specialist systems-thinking software, which will be used to analyse patterns, identify impactful intervention points, and guide where in the system we can most effectively target change.
Participation across workshops was highly engaging, with extensive discussion, shared learning, and strong collaboration. Many attendees have chosen to stay involved, contributing ongoing insight as we move into the next phase. We are on track to begin Stage 4: Change Implementation, early in the new year, supported by continuous learning and reflection. Data collection and monitoring will continue through late summer, ahead of final outcome evaluation and reporting near the last half of 2026.
Thank you all for your continued support, interest, and willingness to share your expertise. The enthusiasm across teams and partners has shaped the richness of this work and continues to make the process not just productive, but genuinely enjoyable.
Erica De La Garza
University of Essex
December 2025
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