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This article explores the use of sport for community relations and the challenges it entails. It discusses the historical role of sport in perpetuating divisions and suggests ways to create a more inclusive and optimistic environment. It also addresses the importance of monitoring and evaluation in sports programs and emphasizes the need for empowerment as a goal.
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Sport for Community Relations: Some Issues and Observations David Hassan Ulster Sports Academy University of Ulster
Sport and its Uses Tendency to expect too much from sport – it is largely temporary and peripheral with limited actual outcomes Ironically one of its effective uses is as a platform for the expression of identities, which can prove divisive What the last 20 years in N Ireland has demonstrated is its very possible for otherwise conflicting identities to co-exist – identities are remarkably resilient
The Historical Role of Sport • Separate sports – different schools, cultures and communities meant sport itself became exclusionary • Different identities – sports became entrenched in difference and certain NGB’s knowingly or otherwise perpetuated a sense of ‘them’ and ‘us’ • The lack of knowledge about ‘their’ sports reinforced the view that ‘we’ knew nothing about ‘them’ and ‘they’ moved in different circles to ‘us’
Sport can lead the way and create a sense of optimism where previously it was absent….
Benefits of wider thinking… • Sport becomes a ‘hook’ to open up opportunities to engage ‘hard to reach’ groups • Players socialised into one sport might actually be much more suited to another • Creates a common investment – everyone has some ‘skin in the game’ • Ripple effect amongst policy makers, those willing to invest and other civic bodies
Identity need not be exclusive. They’re probably glad they made the switch…
Sport has the potential.. • Symbolic, but this is an incremental process of change • Identities are not compromised, only strengthened by embracing others • Possibly start by forming an advisory board where others have the opportunity to speak up • Key is to demonstrate that real change is taking place not simply the production of a ‘feel good factor’
The reality of M&E (Mieir, 2009) • M&E as a burden • M&E often funder-driven and serves for accountability (positive results only) • Lack of motivation leads to a lack of quality • Lack of time and/or money • Lack of knowledge and experience • Copius consulting
Designing for M&E • Sport’s difficult claims and objectives need to be simplified • KPI’s, performance targets, goals • Does the programme have objectives? • Are these objectives SMART? • Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely • How can we design monitoring systems to be innovative and creative? • Drawing upon participation in the process • An acceptance that qualitative data can be sufficient to demonstrate impact
Example: Attitudes towards community Traditional Creative/Innovative Graffiti Wall Measured before and after an intervention Flip-chart or other paper is used to record thoughts and feelings about one or more topics Can be as unwieldy to set-up Can fit sport session planning – no instructor needed Survey • Measured before and after an intervention • Commonly measured by attitudinal survey • Unwieldy paper based surveys • Does not fit reality of sport provision Stories • Measured before and after an intervention • Audio/visual recorder collects stories from participants • Flexible collection: at sport session or at home • Participants can interview each other
Relevant questions to ask • What are the aims and objectives of the programme? • What monitoring tools are being used to measure these? • Are these traditional or creative research tools? • List and describe their strengths and weaknesses? • How can this process be carried out to more adequately represent what is going on?
Empowerment as a goal • Means giving someone more power than they had previously • Transferring power to the individual by promoting self-regulating and self-motivating behaviour through innovative sport practice, such as self-managing sport teams, enhanced individual autonomy, etc.
