What will I learn on this module?
The third sector is an umbrella term for a wider variety of organisations. It includes social enterprises, charities and the voluntary and community sector which is one of the largest providers of sport in the UK (and many parts of the globe). This module provides comprehensive understanding of third sector sport management through three integrated blocks.
Volunteering and Workforce Management: You will explore who volunteers in sport and why, examining motivations, barriers, and demographic patterns through sociological and psychological lenses. The module covers practical volunteer management including recruitment strategies for underrepresented groups, inclusive induction and training approaches, recognition and retention methods, and supporting volunteer wellbeing and preventing burnout. You will understand workforce strategies and volunteering policies, examining how national frameworks translate to local practice. Critical attention is given to managing hybrid workforces of volunteers and professionals, understanding role boundaries, expectations, and potential tensions. Throughout, issues of emotional labour, class dynamics, and cultural differences in voluntary action are explored.
Policy, Governance and Operations: This block examines the political and policy environment, including impacts of austerity on voluntary sport, Civil Society strategies and their implementation, resource dependency and power dynamics, and relationships with state and commercial sectors. You will understand different organisational forms including charitable incorporated organisations, community interest companies, sport club foundations, and social enterprises. Financial management focuses on practical approaches to income diversification, grant dependency and alternatives, managing restricted funds, and financial sustainability during economic uncertainty. Partnership working is explored through real examples, understanding forced collaboration, competitive tensions, building effective networks, and managing power imbalances.
Inclusion, Innovation and Future Challenges: The final block addresses equality, diversity and inclusion in depth, examining intersectional barriers including race, class, disability, gender, sexuality, neurodiversity, age, and socio-economic factors. You will explore accessibility in its broadest sense, as physical, cultural, financial, and social, developing co-production approaches with excluded communities and anti-oppressive practices in voluntary sport. You will explore community asset transfer as opportunity and challenge, digital transformation and its inclusion implications, climate change and environmental sustainability, and international models of voluntary sport provision. Impact measurement is addressed practically, understanding funder requirements whilst maintaining community-centred definitions of success.
How will I learn on this module?
Teaching combines interactive lectures with practical application and real-world application. Weekly lectures introduce concepts, theories, and frameworks using case studies from across the third sector sport landscape. Guest speakers include leaders from across the third sector spectrum, share current challenges and innovations, providing sector insights and networking opportunities. Seminars employ problem-based learning using real scenarios facing third sector sport organisations. You will work collaboratively on challenges such as: developing inclusive volunteer recruitment campaigns; responding to funding cuts whilst maintaining services; managing tensions between volunteers and paid staff; and creating accessible programmes for disabled participants. These sessions develop practical skills in facilitation, problem-solving, and collaborative working essential for third sector leadership.
Throughout the module, you will analyse real organisations using publicly available information, understanding how theory applies to practice. This might include examining volunteer strategies of national governing bodies, analysing financial sustainability of local sports clubs, or evaluating inclusion practices of sport foundations. Independent study involves engaging with academic literature, sector reports from for example, Sport England, National Council for Voluntary Organisations, Association of Volunteer Managers, UK Sports Volunteering Research Network and policy documents. You will also prepare for your assessed peer-teaching session, developing expertise in a specific aspect of third sector management. The module embraces Universal Design for Learning, offering multiple ways to engage with content, express understanding, and demonstrate learning. This inclusive approach models best practice for third sector organisations serving diverse communities.
How will I be supported academically on this module?
The module team provides comprehensive support and recognise diverse learning needs. Office hours offer individual consultation on academic work, assessment preparation, and third sector career planning. The eLP site hosts the lecture recordings, workshop materials, case studies, and assessment guidance, with materials available in multiple formats for accessibility. Assessment support includes a structured preparation timeline, formative feedback opportunities, practice sessions in seminars, and technology training for different delivery modes. For students with an accessibility plan, individual learning needs will be accommodated whilst maintaining academic standards.
Guest speakers provide sector insights and informal mentoring. The Careers Service offers specialist support for third sector career paths. Library services provide access to specialist databases and sector publications. Drop-in support sessions will be used to address any queries/support needs. Peer learning groups are encouraged, with bookable spaces for collaborative work.
What will I be expected to read on this module?
All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)
What will I be expected to achieve?
Knowledge & Understanding:
• Critically analyse the political, policy, and funding contexts shaping third sector sport organisations in the UK and internationally
• Evaluate different approaches to volunteer management, development, and support, understanding the sociological and psychological factors influencing voluntary action
Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
• Design and critically evaluate strategies for inclusive volunteer engagement, funding diversification, and partnership development appropriate to different organisational contexts
• Apply theoretical frameworks to analyse real third sector challenges, proposing evidence-based solutions that balance mission with sustainability
Personal Values Attributes
• Demonstrate critical understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion issues in third sector sport, including race, class, sexuality, disability and neurodiversity
• Synthesise understanding to propose interventions that navigate political dynamics whilst maintaining organisational mission and values.
How will I be assessed?
Single Assessment:
Collaborative Third Sector Workshop (100%)
(80% individual mark/20% group mark)
(All MLOs addressed)
Working in groups of 3-4, you will deliver a 45-minute interactive session on a third sector sport management issue. This innovative assessment develops both subject expertise and facilitation skills whilst embracing inclusive practice through Universal Design for Learning principles.
Assessment Components:
• Interactive Lecture (20 minutes) - 40% of marks (individual)
o Issue identification and third sector relevance
o Application of theoretical framework
o Contemporary evidence and critical analysis
• Practical Workshop (25 minutes) - 40% of marks (individual)
o Interactive learning activities
o Practical skill development or problem-solving
o Inclusive facilitation techniques
• Group Process and Documentation 20% of marks (group)
o Session coherence and flow
o Time management and organisation
o Evidence of collaboration and role allocation
o Reflection on group learning
o Accessibility considerations
Universal Design options include:
• Pre-recorded lecture with live facilitation
• Online synchronous delivery via Teams
• Alternative formats for different accessibility needs
• Flexible submission formats for documentation
Feedback will be provided on your summative assessment via qualitative comments and use of an assessment rubric.
Module abstract
The third sector delivers the majority of grassroots sport participation globally through diverse organisational forms; voluntary clubs, charities, social enterprises, and sport foundations. This module develops practical understanding of how to manage these organisations effectively whilst navigating challenges of volunteer engagement, funding pressures, and increasing demands for social impact. With charitable trusts and national governing bodies increasingly dominating sport and leisure service delivery, and a significant proportion of Sport Management graduates entering third sector roles, employers urgently need graduates with specialist competencies in charity governance, fundraising, social enterprise, and volunteer workforce coordination, expertise rarely taught comprehensively in UK degree programmes. This module provides the in-depth understanding of volunteer behaviour and third sector-specific management approaches that give graduates a clear employability advantage in this growing sector.
You will explore volunteer management as the foundation of third sector sport, understanding motivations, barriers, and strategies for inclusive volunteer engagement. The module examines how organisations operate within political and policy contexts, including workforce and Civil Society policies and strategies, and the ongoing impacts of austerity. Through analysis of real organisations, from Parkrun to professional club foundations, you will understand different models of third sector provision and their roles in addressing inequality and promoting inclusion.
The module emphasises practical skill development alongside critical analysis. You will learn to recruit and support diverse volunteers, develop funding applications, measure social impact, and build effective partnerships. Issues of equality, diversity and inclusion are central, examining how class, race, ethnicity, sexuality, disability, and neurodiversity shape participation and provision. The module prepares you to work effectively across the third sector sport landscape, understanding governance requirements, political dynamics, and when conventional management tools versus alternative approaches best serve organisational purpose. Through an innovative peer-teaching assessment using Universal Design for Learning principles, you will develop facilitation and communication skills essential for third sector leadership whilst accommodating different learning needs and preferences.
