Week 11 - Sport For Development & Positive Youth Development

Sport for Development and Peace (SDP)

intentionally using sport to acheive positve social goals or outcomes

• focuses on bringing people together through sport

• focuses on what is good about sport

Sport for National or International Development Goals

health promotion

gender equality

education

conflict resoultion

SDP Targest Marginalized Groups

• at risk youth

• women and girls

• individals with disabilities

SDP - Initiatives in Other Parts of the World

AIDS/HIV awarness and prevention

post-conflict regions

Challenges Associated With SDP

• funding issues - competition for funding (amongst NGOs, schools)

• control of programs - who designs/delivers programs, whose needs are in mind

• cultural concerns - imposing values, lack of cultural sensitivity

• access and equity - transportation, equipment barriers

• over emphasis on competition

Potential Negatice Effects of Sport

gender segregation and racism

injury, doping, unsafe practices

violence (fans, parents)

Positive Youth Development (PYD) is Based in

developmental psychology

Positive Youth Development

strength-based (positive) approach

• focuses on building strengths instead of fixing problems

PYD Goal

help people live a healthy, satisfying and productive life

PYD Through Sport

sport can have both positive and negative impacts

uses sport to:

• enhance positive outcomes

• reduce negative outcomes

Sport is Used to Develop

life skills, social skills, physical competence

• they are transferable to real life

Key Features of PYD Programs

• positive adult relationships

• life skill development

• opportunities to prace skills and take leadership roles

The 5 C’s

1. competence → belief in self

2. confidence → skills/ability

3. connection → relathionships with others

4. character → morals and values

5. compassion → empathy for others

When All 5 C’s are in Place

leads to a 6th C

• contribution

High Levels of 5 C’s

can help youth contribute to slef, community, school

reduce problems behaviours

Girls on the Run

• 3rd through 8th grades

• 200,000 girls a year in 50 states

• over 2.7 million girls since 1996

• uses 5C’s approach

• running and other physical activites

Girls on the Run Focuses on

• Identity: self-care & self-awareness

• Connectedness: building healthy relationships 

• Empowerment: celebrating and sharing our strengths

Life Skills

skills leanred in sport that transfer to other areas of life

• only considered life skills of they are actually transfered outside sport

Examples of Life Skills

teamwork, respect, honesty, emotional regulation, perseverance, cooperation

Implicit Approach to Life Skills

life skills are not directly taught

assumed to develop naturally through particiaption

Examples of Implicit Aprroach

students learn to communicate with their group members

athletes learn to respect the rules of the game

Explicit Approach to Life Skills

life skills are intentionally taught

coaches/teachers:

• define skills

• discuss importance

• create practice opportunities

• encourage reflection

Life Skills Development Continuum - Implicit Levels

1. structuring the sport context

2. facilitating a positive climate

Structuring the Sport Context

• create safe, supportive setting

• athletes feel safe to take risks and engage with others

Facilitating a Positive Climate

build positive relationships

model behaviour

Life Skills Development Continuum - Explicit Levels

3. discussing life skills → talk about life skills and their improtance

4. practising life skills → create opportunities for practice

5. discussing transfer → increase awarness of transfer, enhance confidence for transfer

6. practicing transfer → provide opportunities to apply life skills in context beyond sport