Abstract
A considerable number of adolescents in Western societies live in socially vulnerable situations. Approaches to improve this situation ultimately aim to make institutional changes through a focus on individual development. With regard to the latter, there have been high expectations regarding sport volunteering’s contribution to human capital development. Nevertheless, little understanding of the underlying conditions for, and possible outcomes of sport volunteering exists. This study’s aim was twofold: (1) to assess the conditions necessary to develop the human capital of disadvantaged adolescents through volunteering in community sport, and (2) to assess to what extent human capital can be developed. A qualitative research design was used to attain deeper insight into these conditions within eight community sport programs in Flanders (Northern Dutch-speaking region of Belgium), a setting that is not often used for youth developmental practices. Data were collected on repeated occasions over the course of each program through qualitative methods with local sport services and social partner organizations (N = 26) and participating adolescents (N = 26). Inductive analysis identified two categories of necessary conditions, (1) valuing and recognizing adolescents, and (2) informal and experiential learning. Results further showed the achievement of two types of perceived human capital developmental outcome (i.e., personal and interpersonal competences) through the fulfilment of these conditions. Findings also showed that although two of these programs made use of a more critical pedagogical approach to youth development by encouraging participants, not only to reflect on, but also to critically take part in the transformation of their own position within society; critical youth empowerment was not reached in the majority of the programs.
Highlights
The purpose of the present study was: (1) to gain insight into the sufficient conditions needed to achieve human capital development of disadvantaged adolescents through volunteering in community sport, and (2) to assess to what extent human capital can be developed
The purpose of the present study was twofold: (1) to assess the conditions necessary to development the human capital of disadvantaged adolescents through volunteering in community sport, and (2) to assess to what extent human capital can be developed
The need for this study was prompted by the current, limited, empirical evidence concerning sport volunteering’s potential for human capital developmental of vulnerable adolescents and the underlying conditions required for such a development
Summary
Apart from an approach at the individual level to counter adolescents’ socially vulnerable situations, there is a need for another strategy that primarily relates to working towards structural changes at institutional levels (Coakley, 2011; Hartmann & Kwauk, 2011; Haudenhuyse et al, 2012; Haudenhuyse, Theeboom, & Nols, 2013a; Kelly, 2011; Vettenburg, 1998) This involves, for example, rebuilding strong community-based social institutions, and re-establishing the resource base of young peoples’ communities (Coakley, 2011). It relates to increasing access to socioeconomic resources, such as family income, education and employment, housing quality and neighbourhood status (Haudenhuyse et al, 2013a) In this respect, some researchers argue that development at the individual level might cause changes at the institutional level (Ginwright & Cammarota, 2002; Hartmann & Kwauk, 2011). Different researchers argue for the investment in the human capital of socially vulnerable adolescents
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