Young people in Utrecht #beterinbeweging (#betterinmotion)

There’s no shortage of sports programs in Utrecht—what’s missing is youth participation. Our mission: shine a spotlight on the local sports offering and spark excitement for SportUtrecht’s special ‘Beweegweek’ (Move Week).

For many young people, being active after school or joining a sports club isn’t a given and often, it’s not by choice. Especially in neighborhoods like Overvecht, Kanaleneiland, and Leidsche Rijn. Cultural and ethnic backgrounds, smartphones, and financial barriers all play a role in keeping them on the sidelines. SportUtrecht wants to change that.

With the launch of ‘Beweegweek’ (Move Week), young people were invited to explore sports in their own neighborhoods—completely free of charge. And they showed up!

Assumptions are the mother of all screw-ups. So we started with a deep-dive into the target group: what keeps young people from getting active? What do they need and how do we reach them?

The analysis revealed that their immediate social circle—family, friends, familiar faces, and local activities plays a major role in whether they participate in sports or movement. And when it comes to communication? Snapchat and Instagram are their go-to platforms.

Time to put the findings into practice. During the campaign, young people were directly addressed by their role models and peers via eye-catching posters and shelters in the neighborhood, on social media and WhatsApp. The SportUtrecht network was also called up to highlight the sports offer. I'm looking for you! Let's move.

By keeping the campaign personal and close to home, young Utrecht came into contact with the range of exercise in their neighborhood. The result:

• Lots of sweat!
• No less than 190,500 young people reached via Instagram and Snapchat.
• The PR package has been deployed en masse by Utrecht sports providers.
• SportUtrecht (with their new branding) has been put on the map in a fresh and innovative way.
• Sports clubs that are already signing up for next year.

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