Recent research in the field of sport for development (SFD) has examined how organisational dynamics, such as the structure and management of SFD organisations, might better facilitate the impact of sport-based interventions. Such research has highlighted the increasingly precarious policy and funding landscape within SFD, noting how organisational survival is a constant pressure, and the need to be resilient, adaptable, and sustainable, has assumed a higher strategic priority. In addition, various scholars in the field have appealed for research that draws upon the ideas, experiences, and reflections of practitioners to directly explore how stakeholders across the SFD landscape are responding to current challenges. This paper is a direct response to these appeals, drawing upon a qualitative research project that engaged 27 SFD organisations from across the globe. The paper presents the reflections of representatives of these organisations, highlighting the challenges currently evident in the SFD sector, how they might be countered, and how they may also present opportunities for the sector. Specifically, the paper provides empirical evidence in relation to three themes: (i) the implications of current (short-term) funding models, (ii) the subsequent impact on building organisational capacity, and (iii) the challenges of engaging at a government/policy level.

This qualitative single-case study explores how culturally responsive practices are enacted within Net Worth, a sport-based youth development organization serving Black youth in a marginalized community in Florida, United States. Centered around an out-of-school-time tennis program, the study examines the mindsets and experiences of administrators, staff, and volunteers engaged in promoting positive youth development through a non-traditional sport. Data sources included 53 field observations, 29 semi-structured interviews, archival documents, and organizational artifacts. Using deductive thematic analysis, the study identified patterns and themes of cultural responsiveness, highlighting both effective practices and areas needing improvement. Findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how cultural responsiveness operates in sport-based youth development settings and offer implications for enhancing inclusive and contextually relevant programming.

Countries in the Global South are marginalized in the international parasport space. While international aid has contributed to the development of parasport in the Global South, the aid was often given without clear evidence of local needs. The purpose of this study was to identify the needs related to parasport development in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic based on the lived experience of parasport stakeholders. As such, this paper is highly original and provides a detailed examination of a significant yet underexplored area. A total of 14 parasport stakeholders participated in the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven para-athletes, six parasport coaches, and one administrator. Transcribed interview data were analyzed with Thematic Analysis. The findings demonstrated the tangible need for parasport equipment and standardized facilities. Although less tangible, the need for a parasport coach training system was evident for parasport development. Perhaps more latent but equally important was the need for inclusive employment, as para-athletes require an income to continue training and competing. The findings indicate that parasport development cannot be achieved by sports policy alone. There is a need for greater focus on developing a more inclusive society, which suggests the need for inter-ministerial collaborations to develop parasport.

The formal recognition of sport as a developmental tool by the United Nations in 2003 brought sport into the development arena. The alignment of Sport for Development (SFD) with development distinguishes it from community club and high-performance sports. SFD is also distinguished by the fact that SFD implementing organisations rely on external funding to maintain operations. The funder-implementer relationship is, therefore, crucial as this interorganisational relationship (IOR) support the sustainability of the sector. In this study, we conducted a scoping review of the scholarly literature examining the IORs between and amongst funding and implementing organisations involved in SFD. Guided by Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) framework, we searched peer-reviewed academic literature published between 2009 and 2024. Searching four electronic databases, we identified 27 journal articles exploring aspects of the IORs between funding and implementing organisations in SFD. The thematic analysis identified four themes: a) motivation to engage in an IOR; b) issues of power impacting on IOR; c) tensions within funder-implementer IORs; and d) strategies to create value within the funder-implementer IOR.

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 Māori 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.

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.

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 study used the RE-AIM framework to evaluate the full-scale 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.

Coen van Putten1 1 Former Regional Sports Director, Special Olympics Asia Pacific Citation: van Putten, C. (2025). A formative and utilization-focused evaluation of assessment efficacy in Special Olympics coach education programmes across the Asia Pacific region. Journal of Sport for Development. Retrieved from https://jsfd.org/ Download article as PDF ABSTRACT Research has shown that sports participation […]

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.

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 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.

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.

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 Taekwondo 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.

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 socio-psychological benefit was experienced by the citizens of the municipality.

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.

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 Fútbol con Corazón (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.

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.

SDP scholars have identified critical shortcomings related to neoliberalist tendencies from the Global North to the Global South. Deporte y Cambio Social was a short-term SDP program established through partnership between American and Mexican constituent groups aiming to empower girls and women through soccer. Through semi-structured, two-year retrospective interviews, the purpose of the present study was to explore cross-cultural understandings of power and intercultural power relations from the voices of Mexican and American stakeholders to offer reflective critique of, and generate participant-informed strategies for improving, the design and implementation SDP programs broadly. Using thematic analysis from a critical constructivist orientation, the meanings generated from the data showed that Mexican and American participants similarly defined power and acknowledged power imbalances informed by a limiting project framework and a sociocultural-informed deference to Americans as experts. Strong, positive intercultural experiences between Mexican and American constituent groups were reported amid often unseen social biases that can be experienced abroad and perpetuated in SDP programs. Critical reflexivity, prolonged cultural preparation, longer-term engagement, and careful construction of SDP leadership teams and program participants were among the strategies informed by the data that were further interpreted to account for the complex realities of SDP programs.