UKBouldering.com

Participation discussion split from Changing the BMC topic (Read 46349 times)

Oldmanmatt

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • At this rate, I probably won’t last the week.
  • Posts: 7097
  • Karma: +368/-17
  • Largely broken. Obsolete spares and scrap only.
    • The Boulder Bunker climbing centre
Why dismal?

Hardly makes for a friendly sport/community/club where new participants are not welcome. More like an exclusive, self interested and unfriendly one of the type I despise.

Maybe I’m naive or blind but they are characteristics that I don’t generally recognise when I go climbing but seem to be in abundance from the BMC 30 et al and I didn’t expect it here.

I don’t believe that’s what you have been reading.
I was trying to point out that it sounded like that, if you add up the various slivers from individual arguments; but I think, individually, each of the commenters here would be more than happy to assist, educate and welcome a newcomer.
It’s more a fear (yes, fear) that a generic horde of ignorant buffoons are imminently poised to sweep down upon the crag and wreak havoc.
I think that fear is unfounded, as old as the sport itself and perfectly understandable.
It’s a monster under the bed.
Incredibly real in the abstract, absent in empirical inspection.

Again, all that really needs to be said, is that “pro-participation” should mean breaking down barriers, education and some form of “control” or ethical guidance. And access to “facilities” is crucial to participation anyway...
 

mr chaz

Offline
  • ***
  • obsessive maniac
  • Posts: 452
  • Karma: +59/-0
+1 what Davo said

asmallman

Offline
  • *
  • newbie
  • Posts: 15
  • Karma: +2/-1
+1 to Matt and Davo, think Shark you have rather missed the point. 95% if not more of the comments on here have been in favour of being welcoming to new climbers regardless of whether or not they agree with the BMC promoting participation. Those against it simply believe that the BMC don't need to promote participation and should focus on remaining relevant and visible within the community.




Offwidth

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 1767
  • Karma: +57/-13
    • Offwidth
+1 to Matt and Davo, think Shark you have rather missed the point. 95% if not more of the comments on here have been in favour of being welcoming to new climbers regardless of whether or not they agree with the BMC promoting participation. Those against it simply believe that the BMC don't need to promote participation and should focus on remaining relevant and visible within the community.

The 'climbing game' with most participants in the BMC membership is hill and mountain walking. The sub-game within the remit of the BMC with the fastest growth is almost certainly indoor bouldering. It is perfectly possible to look to increase participation to improve things like health, diversity and enjoyment of life. Where this might impact the outdoors I really see no indication whatsoever the broad membership would accept that environmental and conservation concerns would not take precedent, nor any sign in the slightest that the BMC will drop the risk participation statement that climbing is dangerous and that particpipants must understand that before undertaking the activity  https://www.thebmc.co.uk/risk-and-safety   . As Matt rightly says, it's a monster under the bed.

abarro81

Online
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 4288
  • Karma: +341/-25
+1 on what Davo said, and I'll reiterate my +1 to this:

Personally I am very willing to share my toys with others who already want to play, but with a limited number of fragile toys to go at I am not going to go wandering the neighbourhood looking for people who probably aren't as interested in playing and are more likely to lead to the toy breaking.


More like an exclusive, self interested and unfriendly one of the type I despise.
Climbing is totally self-interested and selfish, we ain't saving the world here, we're actively damaging it in all sorts of ways.

JR

Offline
  • ****
  • forum abuser
  • Posts: 702
  • Karma: +22/-2
Worth looking at today's Sport England data release with all this in mind...

https://activelives.sportengland.org/Result?queryId=2444

Participation in the last year - yes or no - Participated in the last year - Active Lives Survey May 16/17
Climbing or Mountaineering: 8,185,800
Football: 4,827,600

Participation in the last 28 days - At least twice in the last 28 days - Active Lives Survey May 16/17
Climbing or Mountaineering: 2,377,600
Football: 2,299,700

highrepute

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 1288
  • Karma: +109/-0
  • Blah
8 million people have "climbed or mountaineered" in the last year. But only 25 % of that have done so in the last month. Sounds like a lot of part timers.

SA Chris

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 29221
  • Karma: +630/-11
    • http://groups.msn.com/ChrisClix
Yup, seems like lots of people going for a yomp up a hill when on holiday once a year.

Oldmanmatt

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • At this rate, I probably won’t last the week.
  • Posts: 7097
  • Karma: +368/-17
  • Largely broken. Obsolete spares and scrap only.
    • The Boulder Bunker climbing centre
8 million people have "climbed or mountaineered" in the last year. But only 25 % of that have done so in the last month. Sounds like a lot of part timers.

But that’s exactly the reality!
Who’s got kids?
Who’s kids went on a residential in the last 12 months that involved outdoor pursuits, including some form of climbing?

Now, being climber’s kids, this was a busmans holiday for them, but how many class mates were there?
30? 60?
I took a group of year sixes, the week before last, who missed out on the residential for their academy. 25 of them (so they all still went “climbing”), the rest of the year group?
80!

Just one example of how those numbers might be misleading.


JR

Offline
  • ****
  • forum abuser
  • Posts: 702
  • Karma: +22/-2
8 million people have "climbed or mountaineered" in the last year. But only 25 % of that have done so in the last month. Sounds like a lot of part timers.

I took a group of year sixes, the week before last, who missed out on the residential for their academy.
80!

Just one example of how those numbers might be misleading.


Yes, of course, you need to take the stats in context and review cautiously, for example, they're only counting age 16+

https://activelives.sportengland.org/Result?queryId=2536

Murph

Offline
  • ****
  • forum abuser
  • Posts: 653
  • Karma: +66/-0
I wonder if fingerboarding counts as participation.

Obligatory +1 to davo

Oldmanmatt

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • At this rate, I probably won’t last the week.
  • Posts: 7097
  • Karma: +368/-17
  • Largely broken. Obsolete spares and scrap only.
    • The Boulder Bunker climbing centre
8 million people have "climbed or mountaineered" in the last year. But only 25 % of that have done so in the last month. Sounds like a lot of part timers.

I took a group of year sixes, the week before last, who missed out on the residential for their academy.
80!

Just one example of how those numbers might be misleading.


Yes, of course, you need to take the stats in context and review cautiously, for example, they're only counting age 16+

https://activelives.sportengland.org/Result?queryId=2536

Touché!

petejh

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 5778
  • Karma: +622/-36
Why dismal?

Hardly makes for a friendly sport/community/club where new participants are not welcome. More like an exclusive, self interested and unfriendly one of the type I despise.

Maybe I’m naive or blind but they are characteristics that I don’t generally recognise when I go climbing but seem to be in abundance from the BMC 30 et al and I didn’t expect it here.


Yep +1 Davo in answer to this.

No-one on this thread as far as I can tell is anti new participants. Anti 'actively seeking participants' yes. I'm surprised you can't see that Shark.

 

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal