Advancing the Sport for Development Sector

Advancing the sport for development sector focuses on the current state and future directions for the field of SFD. This section aims to spark critical thinking, conceptual advances, and dialogue about creative ways to push forward SFD research, funding, policy, and practice.

Sport and Disability

Sport and disability is concerned with sport as a vehicle for development, access, inclusion, and human rights of persons with disabilities. This section encourages critical thinking and diverse perspectives, welcoming research at the intersection of theory and practice.

Sport and Education

Sport and education addresses the use of sport to advance education, youth development, and life skills. Rather than sports education, this section focuses on the role of sport in achieving educational and social outcomes for youth both in and outside of formal education settings.

Sport and Environmental Sustainability

Sport and environmental sustainability focuses on the use of sport-based programs to achieve development goals related to climate change, carbon emissions, resource management, waste management, and environmental education. 

Sport, Gender, and Sexualities

Sport, gender, and sexualities considers sport as a tool for promoting gender equity, challenging inequitable gender and sexuality norms, and empowering gender diversity and LGBT+ communities in disadvantaged settings.

Sport and Health

Sport and health captures the broad range of outcomes associated with physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being. This section addresses the effect of SFD programs on risk factors for both communicable and non-communicable diseases, including the direct effect of sport programs on physical activity. It also considers the role that sport can play in preventative education and health promotion.

Sport and Livelihoods

Sport and livelihoods addresses the use of sport to improve the livelihoods of disadvantaged people, from programs focused on job-skills training to rehabilitation to social enterprise. This section encompasses economic growth, productive employment advancement, and decent work.

Sport and Peace

Sport and peace investigates the use of sport as a vehicle for reconciliation and peace building. The concept of peace is broadly defined to include connotations of personal, community, and social well-being as well as the absence of intergroup conflict and tension. In particular, this section looks at opportunities for creating peace between people and groups in socially, culturally, or ethnically divided societies.

Sport and Social Inclusion

Sport and social inclusion encapsulates the areas of community empowerment, social inclusion/integration, and diversity management. This section focuses on social impact and capacity building initiatives that can lead to social cohesion, skill enhancement, and overall community development.