Open Data Manual
Contents Introduction from Jude Taylor
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What is open data?
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What is OpenActive?
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How will it help me?
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What is an open data platform?
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What does open data mean for sport and physical activity?
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What is Active My Way?
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How do I get started?
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What support is available?
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1
Introduction Jude Taylor, Together Active CEO
Sport and physical activity have faced some of their greatest ever challenges recently. The COVID-19 pandemic hurt clubs and groups both financially and in terms of membership and volunteering. But open data provides an opportunity to rebuild in a way which is inviting, inclusive, and future-proof. Together Active has invested in supporting open data as a tool for recovery for both our sports groups and for the wider population. Our healthcare systems have been under immense pressure. We know that an active population is a healthy population, and so we're focused on using open data to make that a reality. Encouraging people into physical activity is more important now than ever before. Open data is a vital part of enabling people to find routes to being more active, and it's only through embracing this technology that we can have the impact on activity levels which is really needed.
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What is open data? Sharing information about your group online can be time consuming and complicated. You may need to update details of your session in lots of different places, like your website, local community groups, and various social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Open data streamlines the process. By uploading information about your group, such as when and where you meet, to one platform, people can find you far easier through websites like Active My Way. People can also book and pay online, making it easier for you to keep track of who's coming and your finances.
Want to know more? 3
What is Open Active? The Open Data Institute and Sport England are working together to improve and open up information about physical activity and sporting opportunities across England. This project is called Open Active. Much of the information about activities – from which tennis courts can be booked to which dance classes are available – is hidden away in old-fashioned websites, social media groups, PDFs or printed flyers. Together Active is an Open Active Champion - that means that we're working with providers in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent to help them open their data. This data does not include any personal information, but will published in a consistent format that’s easy to create and use, through open data platforms. At any one time, around 26% of people in Staffordshire are inactive. They face many emotional and practical barriers – one being a lack of information on what’s available to them. Open Active will address this and encourage the development of new physical activity products and services, including apps, helping people to find the information they need easily.
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How will it help me?
New participants Reach new audiences and encourage new groups to try your activity without having to spend extra time and money on marketing.
Easier booking Participants can book a place at your group at the click of a button. You easily view registers and take payments online.
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Want to know more?
Fast updates Change class times, locations or leaders quickly. Once you update your platform, the information changes everywhere else it appears.
Healthcare GPs, physiotherapists, social prescribers and health visitors can easily direct their patients to activities that will help them be healthier.
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What is an open data platform? An open data platform is an online website or app which is able to share the information you input with websites, such as activity finders, which can access open data. They can be used if you don't already have an Open Active enabled booking system, or can be supplementary. Some of the platforms are free, but others charge a fee. They may have free introductory levels of access, and then charge for access to certain features. Deciding which platform is right for you and your club might seem daunting, but Together Active can support you and help you find your best fit. Contact hello@togetheractive.org to talk through the options.
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Open data platform examples Playwaze www.playwaze.com A popular site for organising sports as well as community activities. Free version available.
Clubspark www.clubspark.com Easy-to-use platform with lots of functionality for competitions, membership and booking. Free version available.
Upshot www.upshot.org.uk Developed by the Football Foundation, Upshot looks to solve the issues clubs face with first hand experience. Free version available.
Open Sessions www.opensessions.io Developed by London Sport, Open Sessions is great for clubs running fewer activities who want a fast way to open their data. Free to use.
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What does open data mean for sport and physical activity? Open data has the power to revolutionise how people interact with physical activity. It will make it easier to understand what the offer is locally, support the NHS to refer patients into physical activity for prevention and recovery of health issues, and improve accessibility for the almost 1 in 5 people in England who have a long-standing limiting disability or illness. When we say accessibility, your first thought might be about how accessible your venue is. But in most cases, the customer journey starts before someone arrives at your door, and activity providers need to consider inclusivity both offline and online. We know there are many barriers to people getting active, and one is not being able to find the right information online. Not only that, but clubs will be able to attract participants far easier, with information being shared in multiple locations from a single source.
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There is a significant prize to be won here if the sport and physical activity sector seizes the opportunity to embrace digital innovation and open up their data. Our recent survey showed us that at the moment there are too many barriers to entry. So, this is about giving the public the choice to find sport and physical activity in a way that meets the expectations they have in all other aspects of their lives. But it is also about creating the conditions for brilliant, creative start-ups and innovators across England to come up with big digital ideas and solutions that are as diverse as the needs of the public. Tim Hollingsworth, Chief Executive at Sport England
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What is Active My Way? Together Active
has developed their own activity
finder powered by open data to help support the residents of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent to be more active.
As well as activities, the site includes video exercises for all abilities, tips and information and resources for healthcare professionals.
www.ActiveMyWay.org
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Active My Way has the potential to be an incredibly valuable tool for residents, activity providers, leisure centres, local authorities and health professionals in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. We know that a barrier to access for many inactive people is not being able to find the information they need about what activities are available near to them that suit their needs. Active My Way will be a one-stop-shop for anyone looking to be more physically active. Having an option to use video streaming to exercise at home, having information about how to exercise safely with a variety of health conditions, and being able to book onto activities easily will have a huge impact on participant engagement. The wins are clear. But now we need the determination of our local sports groups to make it a reality. Charlotte Smith, Digital, Campaign and Health Manager, Together Active
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Getting started Opening your data is simple. If you don't use a booking system, or you take bookings offline using diaries or spreadsheets, all you have to do is use a platform which is OpenActive compliant. That just means that any information about your group you put there can be seen by websites like Active My Way. This will not include personal information, just times, locations and how to join. If you do use an online booking system, speak to them about OpenActive. Together Active can support you to have the conversation: contact hello@togetheractive.org to get the ball rolling.
Watch our webinar to find out how to get started on free platform Open Sessions 13
What support is available? Together Active is leading on open data in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, and is an OpenActive Champion. We can support you by helping you select a platform, walk you through set up, troubleshoot any issues, and talk to platform providers if required. For more information, please contact hello@togetheractive.org
OpenActive runs technical drop in sessions every two weeks, and are a great opportunity to ask both technical and non-technical questions about OpenActive to understand how to make the most out of this opportunity for your organisation.
Book your place
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www.togetheractive.org hello@togetheractive.org @TogetherActiv @TogetherActiv