The role of physical education among adolescents resident in an industrial town, with particular reference to Sunderland

Abstract

This thesis is an attempt to examine and evaluate the physical activities available to the young people of Sunderland, an industrial town in the North-East of England. At the same time it sets out to answer other questions that arose during the investigation - what are the needs of young people in modem industrialised society?; how is modem society affecting young people?; what is the real meaning and purpose of involvement in activities?; what should society do for its young people at what, for some of them, is a more difficult time than for others?; does Physical Education have any special significance in the life of young people at the present time and has this always been so? In finding answers to some of these questions it seemed possible and important to come to some common idea of what a community programme of Physical Education should involve so that eventually the situation found to exist in Sunderland could be compared to it. To give a clear picture of the situation in Sunderland, it was decided to look at all the possible organisations that encourage their young people to participate in physical activities, thus illustrating facilities and activities available, and the degree of participation and interest of the young people. Indeed, one clear conclusion from this work is that in Sunderland there is plenty of scope for young people to pursue an interest and particular expertise in physical activity.