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Spirit of 2012: Crafting Events That Matter

Spirit of 2012: Investing in happiness - Crafting events that matter (PDF, 14.0MB)

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Introduction

Spirit of 2012’s final report and national evaluation reflects on 12 years of funding projects in sport, arts, culture, volunteering and social action. It examines how inclusive events can strengthen community cohesion, wellbeing, inclusion and pride.

Findings

The report found that inclusive, purpose-driven events can bring people together, improve wellbeing, increase participation, strengthen communities and create lasting social impact.

Key takeaways include:

  • partnerships and volunteering amplify social impact

  • shared experiences galvanise communities and belonging

  • purposeful events improve wellbeing and confidence

  • inclusion requires removing participation barriers

  • events create lasting community legacies

Challenges include:

  • barriers limit participation and accessibility

  • inclusion requires deliberate action and engagement

  • lasting impact needs legacy planning

  • strong partnerships are essential for success

  • social impact can be difficult to measure

The report shows that purposefully curated, inclusive events can do more than entertain. They can strengthen communities, improve wellbeing and create a lasting social impact and legacy.