Sport-based Programs Research Articles

Creating Sport Settings for Positive Development of Socially Vulnerable Youth

Considering the growing social and emotional pressures among young people in today’s society, it is crucial to provide them with meaningful developmental programs. For many years, sport settings have been considered beneficial platforms for counteracting the adverse influences on socially vulnerable youths. Utilizing sport in youth development programs can create meaningful experiences that are highly productive for the personal and social growth of socially vulnerable youths. Yet, just participating in sport-based programs does not guarantee positive outcomes. Thus, this article provides some useful strategies that practitioners (e.g., coaches, teachers, and/or community program leaders) should consider when they develop and apply sport-based development programs for socially vulnerable youths.

Using sport-based interventions for people with severe mental disorders: results from the European EASMH study

People with severe mental disorders report significantly poorer physical health and a higher mortality rate compared with the general population. Several interventions have been proposed in order to challenge this mortality gap, the promotion of physical activities represents one of the most important strategies. In fact, in people with severe mental disorders, physical activity can improve body composition, quality of life, personal functioning, self-esteem, cognition, and cardiorespiratory fitness, as well as reducing affective, psychotic and anxiety symptoms, cardiometabolic burden and increase the global recovery. While sport-based programs are consistently being proposed as an integral part of effective personalized treatment approaches for people with severe mental disorders, their routine implementation is hampered by poor working task integration among different professionals and the lack of training programmes for sport professionals focused on people with severe mental disorders. In this paper, we will: (a) review the efficacy of exercise/sport-based interventions for people with severe mental disorders; (b) describe the main difficulties in engaging patients with severe mental disorders in these interventions; and (c) report the results of the first study on the best practices available in Europe in the field of sport and mental health carried out in the context of the European Alliance for Sport and Mental Health (EASMH) project. According to the EASMH survey, sport-based psychosocial interventions are not frequently available in mental health services, with significant differences at the European level. In the near future, it would be advisable to promote the integration and collaboration between mental health professionals and sport professionals, in order to improve the dissemination and availability of sport-based interventions in routine clinical practice. The EASMH project aims to fill this gap by creating a network of collaborators, researchers and stakeholders with different backgrounds in order to improve the dissemination of sport-based rehabilitation interventions and by developing an innovative training programme for sport coaches in order to improve their skills in interacting and building an effective relationship with people with severe mental disorders.

Sport-for-development, critical pedagogy and marginalised youth: engagement, co-creation and community consciousness

ABSTRACT The principles of critical pedagogy proposed by Paolo Freire have been widely cited as presenting the necessary intellectual tools to underpin sport-based programmes that are targeted towards marginalised groups. Yet, despite the widespread advocacy for Freire’s educational philosophy, to date there have been few attempts to present theoretical articulations of how these pedagogical principles might be more precisely understood within the context of sport-for-development (SfD). One example, proposed by [Spaaij, R., & Jeanes, R. (2013). Education for social change? A Freirean critique of sport for development and peace. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 18(4), 442–457. https://doi.org/10.1080/17408989.2012.690378], offers a framework for ‘critical SfD education’ and emphasises the necessity for programmes that are co-created, inclusive and directive. However, there are an absence of studies that apply this framework directly to examine SfD programmes. This article seeks to offer some form of corrective in this respect by providing empirical insights which illustrate the utility of the principles outlined by Spaaij and Jeanes within the context of programmes that employ sport as a vehicle for individual development. The article draws upon the qualitative elements of two evaluations of sport-based programmes, both of which were concerned with providing support and vocational training for young people residing in areas of high deprivation in the United Kingdom. Findings reveal how the pedagogical methods employed within both programmes highlighted a co-created, inclusive and directive ethos, to demonstrate the benefits of adopting an educational approach that is community conscious and designed in concert with the themes and conditions of participant lives. Further studies are required to substantiate the suitability of Spaaij and Jeanes’s framework within SfD practice, and there is a clear necessity to develop and empirically test further theoretical frameworks that are infused by the tenets of critical pedagogy but are more specific to the realm of SfD.

The sport development and its socio-cultural and managerial aspects: an integrative review

Aim: The purpose of this study was to conduct an integrative review aiming to critically analyze the concept of sport development and the different variables that influence this process. Methods: We restricted the search to scientific journals in the area of sports science that published studies related to the social sciences and are indexed in the Scientific Journal Rankings (SJR). In total, 23 scientific journals were analyzed and the final sample of this review consisted of 65 articles. Results: Our findings highlighted that sport development is immersed in specific social, political, and economic factors that influence the extent to which different stakeholders can implement strategies and provide resources to improve participation and performance in sports. In addition to the quantitative aspect, researchers indicate the need for specific strategies that also enable the participation of women, people with disabilities, and other groups that historically have faced constraints to participate in sports. Despite the interesting criteria used to evaluate the sport development, they should be used with caution because most studies were conducted in English-speaking countries reflecting a tendency to report features only of the Western culture. Conclusion: The different stakeholders, strategies, and resources found in this review reinforce that there is no single way to develop sports, as different possibilities may be used according to the characteristics of each context. It also indicates the need to move research to unexplored fields and socio-cultural contexts to increase the reach that sport-based programs may have.

Psychological Benefits of a Sport-Based Program for Female Cancer Survivors: The Role of Social Connections.

In the context of sports-based interventions for improving health and quality of life in chronic patients, participants could develop meaningful social relationships that affect their well-being as much as intervention activities. In this study, 80 female cancer survivors participated in a running-based group intervention (2 sessions/week; 1.5 h), while 51 acted as controls. The intervention lasted approximately 5 months. Unfortunately, the length of the intervention was reduced and sport activities were altered by the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown mid-intervention, while the shared therapy sessions continued online. This possibly altered the results, as anxiety, depression, and physical aspects did not show significant differences between the experimental and control groups after the intervention. Participants reported positive comments on the experience as a whole, especially regarding the positive influence of the newly developed social connections. This was corroborated by significant correlations between group perceived cohesion and anxiety, depression, self-efficacy, and positive experience with the group psychological support. Overall, it is possible to suggest that in the program an important role was played by social connections and support, peer influence and the group experience, preserving positive experiential qualities of the intervention even if it was altered by external circumstances.

Rethinking pedagogical practices with care-experienced young people: lessons from a sport-based programme analysed through a Freirean lens

ABSTRACT Background: Several studies demonstrate the benefits of socially critical work in sport pedagogy, which value young people’s strengths, capabilities, knowledge, and resources. This body of research argues that young people have the agency to analyse their social contexts and to negotiate the forces that impede their choice of possibilities. While advocacy for a more transformative education process through sport has grown over the years, there is little research that aims to explore pedagogical practices with care-experienced young people (e.g. those who have been removed from their families and placed in the care of the ‘state’). Purpose: This article draws on Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy as a theoretical framework to examine pedagogical practices with care-experienced young people in a sport-based programme. Participants and settings: This case study took place at a football-in-the-community programme in the West Midlands region of England, which aimed to develop the skills necessary to support care-experienced young people’s transition from primary to secondary school. Participants included eight key adult stakeholders involved with the delivery, and ten care-experienced young people. Data collection/analysis: The research was conducted in two phases to understand the specific pedagogic practices employed within the programme. In the first phase, all adult participants took part in semi-structured interviews designed around their understanding of the programme and their perceptions about what care-experienced young people gained from it and why. For the second phase, observations of the programme were employed as well as a variety of participatory methods with young people such as drawings, mind mapping and photo-elicitation. Findings: The analysis resulted in the identification of three key themes relating to pedagogic practices: (a) problem-based learning with spaces of freedom; (b) contextualised learning activities; and (c) developing mutual trust and respect. By critically analysing a sport-based programme, this paper highlights how specific pedagogic practices might create spaces for empowering care-experienced young people, and the challenges and tensions in this process. Implications: We conclude by outlining how a Freirean critical pedagogy could be better utilised for care-experienced young people within sport-based programmes, in order to recognise their knowledge in naming, critiquing and negotiating barriers to their engagement in their sport context.

Social work in sport: Playmakers in the athletic arena

Summary An emerging area of social work practice is within sport and athletics. Due to the complex nature of sport and the diverse needs of sport participants, social workers are optimally positioned to be critical change agents. However, there is a lack of empirical research dedicated to exploring this unique area of practice. The current study explores the unique values, knowledge, and skills social workers use when working in sport, as well as describes the roles that social workers fulfill. Findings Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 social workers who work in youth sport, collegiate athletics, and professional sports. Their occupations ranged from psychotherapists to athletic counselors to coaches. Findings from the thematic analysis provide insight to the values, knowledge, and skills used in sport that social workers developed from their formal education. For instance, social workers, through their commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion, are trained to take a strength-based, person-centered approach when working with individuals and teams. Applications Findings highlight the dynamic and diverse roles social workers fulfill as change agents who aim to enhance human wellbeing within a variety of sport systems and settings. Social workers not only work in collegiate athletic departments, but they also provide needed services to youth who are socially vulnerable through sport-based programming and strength-based coaching. The current study helps to not only advance the field of social work, but also advocates for social workers in sport settings. Ultimately, social work professionals are optimally positioned to be playmakers in the athletic arena.

The Challenges of Promoting Social Inclusion through Sport: The Experience of a Sport-Based Initiative in Italy

Social inclusion is broadly recognized as a priority to accomplish at an international level. While the influence of sport toward this social mission has been largely debated, literature lacks contributions capturing the challenges of sport when promoting social inclusion. Based in case study methodology, the investigation explores the impact of a multi-stakeholder sport initiative developing social inclusion for socially vulnerable youth and the related challenges of the intervention through in-depth interviews with diverse program stakeholders. The main findings indicated the emergence of four challenges: limited transferability of program outcomes for youth in living conditions of severe vulnerability; drop-out of youth in living conditions of severe vulnerability; limited sustainability of program social workers; lack of sports club management skills. The work highlights some limits of sport-based programs for social inclusion and discusses some implications for practice to maximize the societal impact of such interventions.

Transforming whose lives? The portrayal of international sport for development volunteering by UK Higher Education Institutions

ABSTRACT This article critically examines the portrayal of sport for development (SfD) international volunteering by UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Volunteer tourism or ‘voluntourism’ is a popular experience in which individuals combine international travel with voluntary work in a destination typically in the Global South in a bid to offer support to those in need. A body of literature offers an optimistic view of volunteer tourism, suggesting that it can facilitate the development of cross-cultural understanding among volunteers and host communities. However, there is also critical literature which argues that if volunteer tourism programmes are not carefully developed and managed, they can lead to cross-cultural misunderstanding and reinforce negative cultural stereotypes; this latter critique provides both the justification and context for this article. Several studies have acknowledged the centrality of Global Northern volunteers to the delivery of sport-based programmes in the Global South under the banner of SfD [Darnell (2007). Playing with race: Right to play and the production of whiteness in ‘development through sport’. Sport in Society, 10(4), 560–579; Darnell (2011). Identity and learning in international volunteerism: ‘Sport for development and peace’ internships. Development in Practice, 21(7), 974–986; Lucas & Jeanes (2019). Ethnographic reflections of the role of global north volunteers in sport-for-development. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 55(7), 953–974]. However, given the pivotal role that UK HEIs play in marketing and facilitating such opportunities for students, there is a lack of research that critically examines how such volunteer opportunities are portrayed by HEIs. The article draws from a sample of thirteen UK HEIs to examine how they discursively frame SfD international volunteer opportunities. The findings illustrate how student volunteers benefit and even socially transform because of volunteering in poor Global South communities. The article concludes by outlining a series of recommendations for UK HEIs to consider regarding their portrayal of international SfD volunteering.

‘Stop mocking, start respecting’: an activist approach meets African Australian refugee-background young women in grassroots football

ABSTRACT If designed well, sport-based programmes may facilitate increased wellbeing, inclusion and feelings of belonging for refugee-background young people. An activist approach is a pedagogical way to co-create programmes with young people in order to better address their needs and aspirations. The aim of this study was to explore the process of co-creating a sport programme with refugee-background young women and what they, and the researcher, learned throughout this process. The project comprised a six-month participatory action research in a football programme in Australia. Participants included the first author and 13 African Australian refugee-background young women (including the second author). Data collection comprised: (a) observations; (b) collaborative meetings; (c) photovoice; and (d) generated artefacts. Data analysis involved both inductive and deductive processes drawing on critical pedagogy and feminist studies. The first eight weeks were designed with the intent of identifying what facilitated and hindered the young women’s engagement in sport. We identified the lack of female representation in the sport programme as their main concern. Given what we learned from them, we co-created and implemented a coaches’ workshop where the young women shared the data collected and brainstormed spaces for future change. The young women reported that they learned that ‘together we have power’, and the importance of ‘speaking up to those in charge’. We suggest that an activist approach can bring a much-needed strengths-based model to sport programmes and interventions with refugee-background young people, particularly young women who have historically been silenced and sidelined in sport-based interventions.

‘When you have the adrenalin pumping, it kind of flushes out any negative emotions’: a qualitative exploration of the benefits of playing football for people with mental health difficulties

Background Physical activity is a factor by which mental health can be improved. However, the association between mental health and physical exercise, in a “team-based sport” setting within the community, remains unclear. Aims The current paper aims to provide an evaluation of a football programme, implemented by Time to Change Wales, funded by the Welsh Government, to improve mental health. Methods Participants attended weekly 90–120 minute football sessions, held in local community venues across Wales, UK, with no requirement on the number of sessions that participants had to attend. A qualitative method was employed to explore the experiences of those who took part. Results Individuals who participated in the programme reported psychosocial and physical benefits, such as improved physical and mental health, improved social confidence and having a sense of purpose added to their day-to-day living. Factors affecting participation were also identified within the data, such as environmental barriers. Conclusion: The findings provide both support and contextual extension to previous research in this area; demonstrating the positive effects of sport-based therapy for those with mental health difficulties. Implications and conclusions should be used to inform future research into developing community sport-based programmes to improve mental health.

Between intentionality and reality to promote positive youth development in sport-based programs: a case study in Brazil

ABSTRACT Background: In many countries, sport programs have been designed in order to enhance young people's lives through the Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework and the teaching of life skills. In Brazil, there is a growing presence of programs that seek to meet these goals. Therefore, we conducted a case study to understand how one specific program operates such concepts in its guidelines and practice. Purpose: This case study examined the alignment between the guidelines of a nationwide Brazilian sport program and program delivery according to the PYD framework proposed by Petitpas et al. (2005, ‘A Framework for Planning Youth Sport Programs that Foster Psychosocial Development.’ The Sport Psychologist 19(1): 63–80. doi:10.1123/tsp.19.1.63.). Method: This study adopted a qualitative approach and a case study design. Participants were six technical directors and five coaches who were involved in program delivery. Data were collected through gathering program’s documents and semi-structured interviews. Interviews were structured according to the PYD framework dimensions proposed by Petitpas et al. (2005, ‘A Framework for Planning Youth Sport Programs that Foster Psychosocial Development.’ The Sport Psychologist 19(1): 63–80. doi:10.1123/tsp.19.1.63.), namely: (a) context, (b) external assets, (c) internal assets, and (d) research and evaluation. A deductive-inductive thematic analysis was conducted. Findings: Although the program’s guidelines included a PYD-oriented focus, they did not seem to be aligned with stakeholders’ conceptions in structuring and delivering the program. Thus, coaches seem to rely on their individual mindsets and initiatives, favoring implicit and unsystematic coaching strategies where PYD and life skills were left up to chance. The results indicate the important role played by technical directors in providing on-the-ground support for coaches to apply strategies that meet the main goals of the program. This seems to be a challenge that needs to be considered in order to ensure that actual reality is better aligned with the intentionality of the program.

Practice-based insights in developing and implementing a sport-based programme for girls

ABSTRACTParivartan Plus is a structured sports mentoring programme for girls, implemented in a Mumbai slum where social expectations around gender-appropriate behaviour and good parenting restricts girls’ mobility and visibility in public spaces. This article presents practice-based learning from developing and implementing programme theory to empower girls in achieving changes in their everyday social interactions at home and beyond. Gender and social norms theory were combined with local practical wisdom to turn main implementation challenges into opportunities. The article reflects on the strategies that gave visibility to, and achieved community endorsement for, the erosion of restrictive gender norms while ensuring community safety.

The effect of a sport-based intervention to prevent juvenile delinquency in at-risk adolescents

Despite the wide implementation of sport-based crime prevention programs, there is a lack of empirical knowledge on the effectiveness of these interventions. This study evaluated a Dutch sport-based program in N = 368 youth at risk for juvenile delinquency. Intervention effects were tested in a quasi-experimental study, comparing the intervention group with a comparison group using multiple sources of information. The study was conducted under conditions that resemble real-life implementation, thereby enhancing the relevance of this contribution to practitioners. The primary outcome was juvenile delinquency, measured by official police data. The secondary outcomes were risk and protective factors for delinquency, assessed with self- and teacher reports. A significant effect was found on one delinquency measure. The intervention group consisted of fewer youth with police registrations as a suspect than the comparison group (d = −0.34). We did not find an intervention effect on the number of registrations as a suspect in each group. In addition, no significant intervention effects were found on the secondary outcomes. Implications for theory and practice concerning the use of sport-based crime prevention programs are discussed.

Contesting restrictive mobility norms among female mentors implementing a sport based programme for young girls in a Mumbai slum

BackgroundHarmful gender norms are known structural barriers to many public health and development interventions involving adolescent girls. In India, restrictions on girls’ liberty to move freely in public spaces contribute to school dropout and early marriage, and negatively affect girls’ health and wellbeing, from adolescence into adulthood. We report on mechanisms of change among female mentors 18 to 24 years old who contested discriminatory norms while implementing a sports-based programme for adolescent girls in a Mumbai slum.MethodsWe adopted a prospective qualitative research design. Our analysis is based on case studies derived from two rounds of face to face, in -depth interviews with 10 young women recruited to serve as mentors for the project’s young female athletes. We combined both thematic and narrative analysis.ResultsThe programme created opportunities for collective action, increasing mentors’ ability to think and relate in a collectivized manner, and challenged the traditional female identity constructed for young women, which centres on domestic duties. The mentors themselves negotiated freedoms both in and outside their homes, which required careful and strategic bargaining. They changed the nature of key day-to-day social interactions with parents and brothers, as well as with neighbours, parents of their groups of athletes and men on the streets. They formed a new reference group for each other in terms of what was possible and acceptable. Demonstrating greater negotiation skills within the family helped win parents’ trust in the mentor’s ability to be safe in public spaces. Parents became active supporters by not giving into social sanctions of neighbours and relatives thus co-producing a new identity for their daughters as respectable young women doing ‘good work’. They effectively side stepped reputational risk with their presence in public spaces becoming de-sexualised.ConclusionsMentors contested mobility restrictions by taking risks as a group first, with collective agency an important step towards greater individual agency. This research provides important insights into addressing embedded social norms that perpetuate gender discriminatory practices and the social patterning of health inequalities.

Ahead of the game protocol: a multi-component, community sport-based program targeting prevention, promotion and early intervention for mental health among adolescent males

BackgroundThere is a recognised need for targeted community-wide mental health strategies and interventions aimed specifically at prevention and early intervention in promoting mental health. Young males are a high need group who hold particularly negative attitudes towards mental health services, and these views are detrimental for early intervention and help-seeking. Organised sports provide a promising context to deliver community-wide mental health strategies and interventions to adolescent males. The aim of the Ahead of the Game program is to test the effectiveness of a multi-component, community-sport based program targeting prevention, promotion and early intervention for mental health among adolescent males.MethodsThe Ahead of the Game program will be implemented within a sample drawn from community sporting clubs and evaluated using a sample drawn from a matched control community. Four programs are proposed, including two targeting adolescents, one for parents, and one for sports coaches. One adolescent program aims to increase mental health literacy, intentions to seek and/or provide help for mental health, and to decrease stigmatising attitudes. The second adolescent program aims to increase resilience. The goal of the parent program is to increase parental mental health literacy and confidence to provide help. The coach program is intended to increase coaches’ supportive behaviours (e.g., autonomy supportive behaviours), and in turn facilitate high-quality motivation and wellbeing among adolescents. Programs will be complemented by a messaging campaign aimed at adolescents to enhance mental health literacy. The effects of the program on adolescent males’ psychological distress and wellbeing will also be explored.DiscussionOrganised sports represent a potentially engaging avenue to promote mental health and prevent the onset of mental health problems among adolescent males. The community-based design, with samples drawn from an intervention and a matched control community, enables evaluation of adolescent males’ incremental mental health literacy, help-seeking intentions, stigmatising attitudes, motivation, and resilience impacts from the multi-level, multi-component Ahead of the Game program. Notable risks to the study include self-selection bias, the non-randomised design, and the translational nature of the program. However, strengths include extensive community input, as well as the multi-level and multi-component design.Trial registrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12617000709347. Date registered 17 May 2017. Retrospectively registered.

Changing the Game - Can A Sport-Based Youth Development Programme Generate a Positive Social Return on Investment?

This study examines a sport for development and peace intervention initiated by Grassroot Soccer South Africa that promotes youth employability and leadership. A results-based management approach and a social return on investment methodology were used to track the young people during and after the intervention. Preliminary results offer encouraging evidence of progress into employment, education and training with positive social returns for the youth and external stakeholders, suggesting that this investment is cost-effective and impactful. The results indicate that structured sport-based programmes can put young people to work and study in a constructive manner, thereby stimulating economic growth and development. It is concluded that initiatives using sport to promote youth work merit greater investment, recognition and research.

Supporting adolescent mental health: examining the effects of an internet-supported resilience intervention in adolescent soccer players.

Event Abstract Back to Event Supporting adolescent mental health: examining the effects of an internet-supported resilience intervention in adolescent soccer players. Colin J. Bray1* and Christian Swann1 1 Department of Psychological Science, School of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross University, Australia Aims: Organised sport has been highlighted as a promising setting in which to engage adolescents in mental health discourse. Psychological resilience (PR) is one important mechanism for individuals to deal with stress and produce appropriate responses to adversity in order to help them to maintain, or return to, mental health. Ahead of the Game (AOTG) is an evidence-based, multi-component, community sport-based program in improving mental health literacy, wellbeing and resilience among adolescent males. This study examines the efficacy of one specific AOTG component independently: an internet-supported intervention to improve resilience, wellbeing, adapted implicit belief and athletic engagement, lower psychological distress and athletic burnout in adolescent soccer players. Methods: A matched control repeated measures design was used with measurements at baseline and six week follow up. Participants (N = 83, females = 19, males = 64). The intervention group (n = 55) completed a one hour workshop and a 6-module interactive online program to promote resilience skills over a two week period. The control group (n = 28) were placed on a waitlist and received no additional treatment. Intervention effects were tested on measures of adolescent’s self-reported resilience (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale 10 item), psychological distress (Kessler-6), wellbeing (Keyes Mental Health Continuum Short Form) and adapted implicit belief, athletic engagement and athletic burnout questionnaires. Results: It was hypothesised that, compared with adolescents in the control group, adolescents who participated in the intervention would display increased resilience. It was further hypothesised that compared with adolescents in the control group, adolescents who participated in the intervention would display improved wellbeing and more adaptive implicit beliefs about managing adversity. Conclusions: Given the potential for organised sport as an engaging setting in which to improve mental health, supporting these hypotheses and demonstrating efficacy of this intervention could be important for promoting adolescent mental health. Keywords: adolescence, wellbeing, Sport, Online, matched controlled study Conference: 15th Annual Psychology Honours Research Conference , Coffs Harbour, Australia, 4 Oct - 5 Oct, 2018. Presentation Type: Research Topic: Abstract for 15th Annual Psychology Honours Research Conference Citation: Bray CJ and Swann C (2019). Supporting adolescent mental health: examining the effects of an internet-supported resilience intervention in adolescent soccer players.. Front. Psychol. Conference Abstract: 15th Annual Psychology Honours Research Conference . doi: 10.3389/conf.fpsyg.2018.74.00003 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 18 Sep 2018; Published Online: 27 Sep 2019. * Correspondence: Mr. Colin J Bray, Department of Psychological Science, School of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, Australia, c.bray.10@student.scu.edu.au Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Colin J Bray Christian Swann Google Colin J Bray Christian Swann Google Scholar Colin J Bray Christian Swann PubMed Colin J Bray Christian Swann Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.

Generating recognition, acceptance and social inclusion in marginalised youth populations: the potential of sports-based interventions

ABSTRACTIn recent years sport-based interventions have been implemented as a mechanism via which to target marginalised youth in relation to the development of social inclusion. Much of the political rhetoric surrounding social inclusion programmes highlights engagement with education, employment, or training, as key metrics. This has led some scholars to observe that conceptualising social inclusion in this way can act to further marginalise young people who fail to engage with these metrics. In contrast, this paper seeks to employ an alternative understanding of social inclusion, which uses the concepts of recognition and acceptance, to infer how participation in sports-based programmes may enable marginalised youth to meet mainstream societal expectations and aid with social assimilation. Drawing upon findings from two small-scale studies of sport-based interventions located in three UK cities, this paper places participant accounts at the centre of the analysis to explore broader notions of pro-social development in relation to recognition and interpersonal acceptance. The paper concludes by suggesting that within contexts in which young people are able to generate strong interpersonal relationships with key personnel (such as coaches), and which are built upon trust, recognition and developing self-worth, there is clear potential for sport-based programmes to incubate social assimilation.

Examining the educative aims and practices of decision-makers in sport for development and peace organizations

Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) policy-makers and practitioners continue to offer ambitious claims regarding the potential role of sport-based programs for promoting social change. Yet, it is important to put sport under a critical lens in order to develop a more balanced and realistic understanding of the role of sport in society. Whether SDP programs result in positive or negative outcomes depends on the structures and processes of the implementing organizations. Hence, SDP researchers are paying more attention to the organizational approaches of these agencies. Scholars also argue the outcomes of SDP programs depend on the relationship of these organizations with broader community education and health promotion efforts. Despite the claims of many SDP programs, little remains known about the educational goals of these programs and their relationship with broader educational efforts. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to critically examine the role of education among a randomly selected sample of nonprofit SDP organizations in urban settings across the USA. Findings from in-depth interviews with 17 executive directors indicate a broad range of educative aims, but also innovative organizational practices, highlighting a salient relationship between education and SDP in the USA. Prominent themes emerged related to program models and organizational approaches, academic enrichment programming, partnerships with educational institutions and education-focused nonprofits, and educational outcomes. These findings are examined and implications for future SDP research are also discussed. Although important work is emerging in SDP literature on how educational values are delivered in these programs [Spaaij, R., & Jeanes, R. [2013]. Education for social change? A Freirean critique of sport for development and peace. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 18, 442–457], findings from this study also help stimulate a critical dialogue on the educative aims and practices of decision-makers in SDP organizations.