Background: In developing countries, participation and success in elite para-sports are relatively low primarily because of the numerous barriers para-athletes face. The objective of this study, which focused on elite para-athletes from Kenya, was to investigate their lived experiences and how they overcome these barriers to participate and excel at the international level. Methodology: A qualitative research approach was employed to collect data from the participants through virtual interviews. Five participants (three females and two males) were selected using a purposive sampling strategy and interviewed using semi-structured questions. The data obtained were analyzed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Findings: Based on the gathered data, four primary themes emerged: local para-sports events, a supportive environment, media, and international aid. These factors play a crucial role in enabling para-athletes to excel in their respective sports and achieve international recognition. Conclusion: The lived experiences of para-athletes shed light on strategies for approaching and overcoming barriers to para-sports participation, ultimately leading them to compete at the highest levels of para-sport events. This study provides valuable insights for para-sport practice, policy, and research and can guide the development of intervention programs for para-athletes in developing countries.
This study used the RE-AIM framework to evaluate the fullscale implementation of a sport-based positive youth development (PYD) program-the 1616 Program. The 16-week program was delivered to 88 ice hockey teams from North America who were introduced to PYD principles via storytelling by professional ice hockey players. Quantitative (retrospective pretest-posttest questionnaires [RPP]) and qualitative (e.g., focus groups) methods were used to collect outcome and process data, which were subsequently mapped onto each RE-AIM dimension. Reach-In total, over 1400 youth were registered in the program (participants were primarily boys who self-identified as White). Effectiveness-Although few significant pretest-posttest changes were observed, within-program RPP evaluations completed by a subsample of participants (n = 111) demonstrated significant changes in multiple dimensions of competence, confidence, and connection. Adoption-Whereas the majority of participants watched the program videos and completed the reflection activities, a 78% attrition rate for questionnaire completion was observed from pretest (n = 727) to posttest (n = 161). Implementation-Participants described having fun throughout the program and thought the content was relatable to their lives. Maintenance-Facilitators of program participation included the online delivery, while the length of the athlete surveys served as a barrier. This evaluation will inform future iterations and we put forth recommendations for similar program evaluation initiatives.
The Sport New Zealand Outcomes Framework (SNZOF) details the contribution of the physical activity (PA) system to national wellbeing. However, it is unclear whether the SNZOF meets the needs of the country's diverse populations. This paper aims to review the SNZOF to assess whether it adequately addresses wellbeing for M & amacr;ori and Pacific rangatahi (young people aged 12-17). We conducted a literature search of wellbeing frameworks for these populations and compared it to the SNZOF to identify gaps. Three themes were then formed by comparing similar gaps identified across the compiled literature; 1) the depiction of PA contribution to national wellbeing in the SNZOF is not adequately holistic; 2) the role of culture is not clearly detailed; 3) population autonomy is not included as a long-term outcome. To address the identified gaps, we made three overarching recommendations for future iterations of the SNZOF; 1) acknowledge all domains of long-term wellbeing equally as part of a more holistic approach; 2) make culture an overarching principle to the entire framework; 3) apply systems thinking to embed autonomy as a long-term outcome. Enhancing the SNZOF has positive future implications for equity across diverse rangatahi populations, creating a robust PA system and improving national wellbeing.
Research has shown that sports participation positively impacts the social development of people with Intellectual Disabilities. Sports Coaches play a vital role in fostering social change through sports programs organised by Special Olympics, but evidence supporting effective coach learning strategies are absent. A formative and utilization-focused evaluation was employed to examine the potential of assessment efficacy through the lens Bernstein's (1971) theoretical framework of three message systems. Five Special Olympics coach developers shared their perspectives through focus group interviews. Five principles of good assessment reflect their perspectives on the potential of assessment efficacy to enhance coach learning. These are: Assessment as a fluid and ongoing process; based on what a coach values the most; coaching practice in the context; with input from other coaches; and informed by transparent success criteria. Principles of good assessment provide guidance to Special Olympics coach educators and aim to encourage discussion about the potential value of assessment efficacy to coach learning.
Introduction: This study investigates the effectiveness of a 20-week Sport-Based Positive Youth Development (SBPYD) program aimed at enhancing resilience among inner-city adolescents. The research focuses on how participation in structured sports activities can improve key resilience factors, including self-esteem, self-efficacy, and sense of belonging. Methods: The intervention involved a combination of physical activities, small group remedial lessons in language, reading, and mathematics, and individual coaching sessions to set personal developmental goals. To assess the outcomes, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) was used to measure self-esteem, while the Sense of Belonging Scale from the OECD's PISA study evaluated adolescents' sense of belonging. Additionally, self-efficacy was assessed using the self-efficacy statements from the Sense of Mastery Scale. Participants completed surveys at the beginning and end of the intervention to capture changes in these constructs. Results: The findings indicated significant improvements in adolescents' self-esteem. Equally, participants reported a stronger sense of belonging in the intervention context compared to the school context. These results suggest that the SBPYD program effectively fostered resilience among adolescents. Discussion: The findings suggest that SBPYD programs effectively enhance resilience in adolescents by fostering self-esteem and a sense of belonging through structured sports activities. The study highlights the importance of such interventions in promoting positive youth development and suggests that future research should include control groups and larger sample sizes to further validate these results and explore the long-term impacts of SBPYD programs.
Trauma-informed care has shown promise as an intervention for preventing and mitigating the negative effects of childhood adversity. This study evaluated the impact of a trauma-informed sport training on youth sports coaches' attitudes related to trauma-informed care and how their experiences with a trauma-informed sport training explain their attitudes. Utilizing an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, the 35-item Attitudes Related to Trauma-Informed Care Scale (ARTIC-35) was used to measure coaches' attitudes towards trauma-informed care before and after a 90-minute trauma-informed sport training (n=16), and interviews with participants were conducted between 1-2 months after the training to further explain the quantitative data (n=10). Quantitative results demonstrated significant improvements in coaches' attitudes related to trauma-informed care and satisfaction with the training's delivery, content, fit, and value. Themes that emerged from the qualitative analysis of interviews included that the intervention: provided a new perspective on youth behavior; demonstrated the importance of trusting relationships and safe environments; offered complimentary approaches to current coaching practices; raised awareness about coaches' stress and its impacts; and increased knowledge of brain science and regulation. These study findings provide preliminary evidence supporting the impact of a trauma-informed sport training on coaches' attitudes.
Sport has the potential to play a valuable role within justice systems where the influences of institutionalized inequities are witnessed on a concentrated scale. Despite potential benefits, there has been found to be limited and varied access to sport programming across youth justice systems, and gaps exist in our understanding of how programs are implemented, including the factors that affect implementation in secure settings. Utilizing a theoretical framework from implementation sciences, this study identified important characteristics of implementation among a sample of exemplar sport programs in juvenile facilities. Findings highlight the value of using an ecological approach to understanding sport program implementation in a unique and non-traditional setting, such as the correctional system. Further, our findings reveal promising practices for the implementation of sport in juvenile justice to promote positive youth development and wellbeing and have implications for efforts to address inequitable access to sport and its related benefits among youth who are incarcerated.
This article explored rural Australia's community sport policy process, focusing on policy development and implementation issues alongside advocacy for community organizations involved with 'grassroots' sport. The analysis focussed on the significance of the relationships between community sport clubs (CSCs), national sporting organizations (NSOs), government, and other actors in the community sport policy process. Through an intervention, a group of CSCs (n=9) formed a coalition to lobby for their collective issues and needs. The research drew attention to the hierarchical nature of the community sport policy process, the implications for collaboration, and the role of CSCs in policy creation. Incorporating the evaluation of partnership theory in conjunction with the Advocacy Coalition Framework, a meso-level policy framework the overall objective herein was to assess the potential for advocacy structures in community sport through an ethnographic action-research approach based on observing a group of CSCs coalescing. It is posited that a localized coalition can offer CSCs a voice in the policy process and lead to a more accurate and equitable understanding of the policy landscape.
Alongside the progression of sport-for-development (SFD) internationally, there has been an increase in research into how sport can contribute to gender equity outcomes. However, within this body of literature, only a small number of studies have specifically explored SFD initiatives targeting gender focused outcomes in the Pacific Islands. Further, few have managed to explore perspectives of program beneficiaries or broader, processes to achieve long-term outcomes. As such, we aim to explore participant perspectives on initiatives throughout Pacific Island nations, with a focus upon the contribution of SFD towards supporting gender equity. Data were gathered over a six-year period and examined SFD programs across nine Pacific Island nations. These initiatives were funded by an Australian Government program - Team Up - which aims to foster inclusion and create opportunities for women. Local program leaders and staff collected data from program participants via a story- based evaluative method. Findings highlighted program impacts, including confidence, self-belief, and achieving goals; challenging gender norms; and employment pathways, skills, networks, and agency. By focusing upon locally collected data that elevates participants' experiences and voices, we enhance practical and empirical understandings of the longer-term outcomes of SFD programs, particularly those focusing upon gender equity in the Pacific Islands.
Sport for Development (SFD) offers a promising vehicle for intervention in the battle against the global mental health crisis. Sport on its own is not enough to support positive mental health and requires additional structuring to achieve such aims. One established 'plus' element to SFD is the concept of safe spaces, yet there has been limited robust exploration into the key aspects of safe spaces and their implementation. This study aimed to build consensus on key aspects of safe space facilitation through the use of the Delphi method. Coaches (n = 26) from varied SFD programs around the world (n = 12) were remotely and anonymously surveyed through initial open-ended questions. This was followed by three rounds of collaborative refinement of statements to build consensus. In total consensus was reached on 75 statements relating to the characteristics of safe spaces within SFD targeting mental health. These consensus statements have pragmatic implications for the implementation of safe spaces within SFD, while providing the starting point for further research and the development of targeted evaluation tools. Crucially the findings also highlight the complexity of safe spaces, and the degree of intentional planning, preparation, and effort they require within a SFD context.
Over the last 20 years, the growing recognition of sport as an enabler of sustainable development has allowed Sport for Development (SFD) to emerge as a dynamic research field featuring contributions from a wide range of scholarly disciplines. Within this research, evaluation has played a prominent role, especially against the background of omnipresent demands to 'prove impact' and legitimize the field. Despite the growth of scholarly activity, the field remains largely scattered with limited interdisciplinary engagement. This article presents an overview of the conceptualization and implementation of SFD research and evaluation, encompassing study types and methodological approaches. Findings were generated from a scoping review of publications on research and evaluation activities in the SFD field, guided by the newly proposed Evaluation Research Framework. They highlight that the field is suffering from terminological imprecisions that lead to vague and often undifferentiated debates about methodologies and approaches. Moreover, there remains a limited progression of theoretical advancements in SFD, with purposeful engagement across disciplines and innovative developments still being underutilized. We conclude that if SFD scholars remain within their disciplinary silos and do not move towards a common interdisciplinary research understanding, the field will continue to suffer from confusing theorization processes with limited prospects for further academic advancement and practical development.
South and North Korea have utilized Taekwondo1 demonstrations for soft diplomacy purposes for decades. Yet, there has been little discussion on the potential complications with using Taekwondo for diplomatic purposes. Despite their good intentions, the current Taekwondo governing bodies' proposals to hold competitions between their athletes ignores previous sport diplomacy theory, the organizations' successes, and hazards outlined in current sports diplomacy research. Moreover, there exists a possibly of increasing hostilities between the Korean peoples and possibly not influencing the target audience. This exploratory study discusses the complications currently existent in this strategy and offers a potential solution that focuses on Taekwondo's ultimate pedagogical goal: the building of peace. Sport diplomacy and peacebuilding both bring people together to create lasting relationships based on shared interests and values. The present study builds upon recent Taekwondo diplomacy research by suggesting Taekwondo actors adapt Galtung's (1973) conflict resolution theory (CRT) to avoid the pitfalls of sports diplomacy while building upon the successes of past Taekwondo cultural diplomacy efforts. CRT provides a framework in which Taekwondo can be practiced differently by South and North Korea with respect for the differences between their two peoples and cultures. It is suggested Taekwondo organizations adapt CRT from a practical peacebuilding concept to a theoretical framework for Taekwondo diplomacy to build upon their cultural diplomacy successes. As such, the present research intends to contribute to the broader debate on potential hazards that may harm inter-Korean relations.
This paper examines the influence of neoliberalism on the design, development, and delivery of a Sport for Development (SFD) programme in the United Kingdom and is the first to do so using an empirical case study globally focusing on military veterans. Drawing on an 18-month ethnography, this study reveals the neoliberal pressures faced by individuals working in SFD in relation to achieving programme aims, developing productive partnerships, and shaping delivery approach. We argue that the neoliberal context, within which this SFD programme is operating, limits the potential of such programmes to achieve their social justice objectives and the possible scope of their impact. Less attention should be placed on quantifiable measures and performance frameworks, and those working in SFD should challenge the neoliberal structures that limit their necessary and important work. We call for SFD programmes and staff to adopt alternative and sustainable approaches that allow them to address complex objectives, demonstrate this in participatory and innovative ways, and maintain productive partnerships. This paper offers an empirical example of the broader social forces limiting the potential of SFD for achieving their stated aims, and the novel policy challenges experienced by staff as they work to navigate neoliberal pressures and expectations.
Research surrounding Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) has examined the fund procurement for supporting sustainable activities. Even as importance is placed on sustainable SDP operation and the acquisition of financial resources for achieving the goals of a project, there is an emerging trend towards funding from the general public, who are not direct recipients of the SDP. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the evaluation of SDP projects from the perspective of citizens. We decided to apply Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) in this study, which enables evaluation including non-utilization values. The project subjected to a value estimation using CVM was a long-term project implemented in the city of Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture, which accepted athletes from South Sudan. The mean willingness to pay (WTP) with a certain degree of validity was calculated to be JPY 2,485, which we used to calculate the aggregate WTP for the study population (JPY [Japanese yen] 490 million). The fact that the funds collected for the implementation of this program was approximately 20 million yen per year suggests the possibility that more than ten times that amount in sociopsychological benefit was experienced by the citizens of the municipality.
Research has identified barriers to sport participation among girls and women from systemically oppressed groups (e.g., Black, Indigenous, low-socioeconomic status). However, relatively little is known about the effectiveness of programs designed to ameliorate or remove those barriers and influence girls' attitudes and behaviors toward participation. To address this complexity and context-specific factors, Marra's theory (2015) suggests exploring participant experiences by focusing on how participants discuss program features related to interdependence, adaptation, and self-direction. Through focus group data collection, 30 participants from under-resourced, urban settings were asked to discuss their experiences within sport-for- development 9-week programs. Several overarching themes framed their experience within this development program. Participants expressed a desire to be consulted on program choices and see their choices come to life within the program (adaptation). Racialized coaching staff were identified as an important element of programming when creating relationships with and between participants, but an element that must be effectively managed (interdependence). Participants identified a need to clearly define role parameters and sufficient training regarding program deliverables related to life skills (self-direction). Findings indicate that program administration should consider investment in preparation, coaching, and incorporating participant feedback into programming to maintain sustainability.
Over the past two decades, a plethora of studies have investigated gender distribution on the boards of national and international sport organizations. However, none of these have focused on sport for development and peace (SDP) organizations. The purpose of this paper was to examine gender distribution across the leadership and governance teams of SDP organizations, and the degree to which they have achieved a critical mass of women (a minimum of 30%). We used a quantitative survey in which 118 SDP organizations participated that were diverse in structure and geographic location. On average, the boards and senior leadership teams of the SDP organizations were gender balanced, with 47.71% and 48.92% female representation, respectively. Most organizations had a critical mass of women across their boards, leadership teams, and staff, and there were few differences in gender distribution across continental groupings. Drawing on critical mass theory, the findings imply that women influence legislation, policy, and decision-making within SDP organizations. Furthermore, gender balanced leadership and governance teams likely have a positive impact on SDP organizations' culture and performance. However, we call for qualitative research to further explore whether women with a seat at the table have a voice to make change within SDP.
Sports after-school programs have shown benefits for reducing children's internalizing and externalizing behaviors and improving their socioemotional skills development, positive peer socialization, and prosocial behaviors. Nevertheless, lack of participation remains a challenge for many programs. We conducted nine (9) interviews with parents, residing in a primarily Hispanic- populated city in South Florida, and who had a child enrolled (or were planning to do so) in a soccer-for- development program called F & uacute;tbol con Coraz & oacute;n (FCC). We based the qualitative inquiry on the Theory of Planned Behavior to understand motivations and barriers to parental engagement. We conducted a codebook thematic analysis, in which two researchers analyzed the transcripts independently, then discussed discrepancies to reach consensus. Findings revealed that the most relevant factors for improving parental engagement included soccer's cultural roots, perceived physical and mental health benefits for their children, and proximity to the park. The findings support a growing body of literature indicating that soccer related programs offer culturally sensitive approaches in addition to mental health promoting opportunities for Latino communities in the United States.
As sport for development and peace (SDP) initiatives have become more prominent, external stakeholders have adopted unrealistic expectations for program outcomes and funding models. Organizations are often left competing with other grassroots SDP organizations for grants with resource- affluent funders since funding streams have not kept pace with the growth of the field. Although some funders have begun adjusting their approaches, the purpose of this research note was to further explore how practitioners themselves perceive that funders can better support SDP efforts. Open-ended survey responses from grassroots leaders (n=122) highlight a need for long-term funding opportunities, investment in capacity building and overhead expenses, consideration of local contexts, strategic approaches to innovation and entrepreneurial pursuits, and improvement regarding trust and power dynamics.
This paper examines the utility of circular cooperation for the Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) field. Circular cooperation is a modus operandi used to address the Central Mediterranean refugee crises. This methodology is currently employed between Sicily, The Gambia, Senegal, and Mali. It relies on rehabilitating asylum-seekers crossing the Mediterranean, to then provide training towards a return to their country of origin. Returnees then establish start-ups that are functional in addressing the needs of their community of origin, while keeping a cyclical supportive partnership with their country of departure. In doing so, returning migrants can tap into the resources of the host country while also autonomously leading developmental efforts in their original community, by transferring their acquired skills from the country of relocation. Circular cooperation is a vehicle for SDP to cooperate with other developmental fields, ensure the autonomy of initiatives and meaningfully address the necessities of user groups. The adoption of circular cooperation in SDP directly safeguards and improves the livelihood of forcibly migrating populations. Moreover, the adoption of a circular cooperation methodology could challenge neocolonial tendencies in SDP.
In this paper we explore the extent to which visual data collection methods, such as drawings and videos, can contribute to studying how vulnerable children benefit from participating in sport for development (SFD) activities. We first highlight the limitations of traditional data collection methods (e.g., surveys and interviews) in assessing the potential impact of activities on the well-being of children participating in SFD and then explore opportunities arising from integrating digital data formats that facilitate data collection methods for monitoring, evaluation, and research. In this context, we present a framework to illustrate how visual methods could be applied to collect and analyze the impact of an intervention. By capturing individual, relational, and institutional benefits that children gain from attending sports activities, this framework provides one example of how the positive impact of such activities can be systematized in a way that provides empirical evidence to support the multidimensional effectiveness of using sport as a tool for development. While recognizing their advantages, the paper also acknowledges areas of caution and potential limitations associated with visual data collection methods. The aim of our paper is to illustrate the potential of a tool that SFD practitioners can use to systematically collect and analyze visual data for assessing the impact of an intervention.
