Chapter 5 Introduction to the organization case study: Sport-in-development
The book chapter entitled International Policy and Sport-in-development explores opportunities and challenges presented by the introduction of sport into the development frame. The idea of sport contributing to wider development objectives is not new. The early diffusion of modern sporting forms was linked to efforts to moderate human behaviour in a variety of ways. Olympic Solidarity, the development arm of the Olympic Movement, has been engaged with sport-in-development initiatives since the 1930s. The United Nations has identified access to meaningful sport and recreation activity as a human right, has promoted a wide range of sport-in-development initiatives and has linked sport-in-development to the pursuit of its Millennium Development Goals (See UN Sport for Development website).
While the book chapter assesses the activities of a wide range of actors engaged with sport-in-development, this case study is however concerned with one group of actors, namely some independent voluntary organizations who fall outside the mainstream sport-in-development frame. It will trace the challenges faced by one such organization as it seeks, through a group of committed volunteers, to enhance the quality of life of children in a range of difficult development settings, through the simple expedient of providing access to sports equipment. The organization, known as ‘The Great Football Giveaway’, is a UK based registered charity that identifies its core charitable objects (The Great Football Giveaway, Organizational Plan 2006-2010, p.2) as:
- To provide and assist in providing equipment for sport, recreation and other leisure time occupation for such persons who have need of such by reasons of their youth, age, poverty or social and economic circumstances with the object of improving their condition of life.
- To advance the education of children and young people through the provision of sports equipment.
In order to achieve these objectives, the key activity of the organization is the supply and distribution of footballs, paid for by individuals and businesses, direct to schools, established centres and community organizations in developing states, most recently in Angola. Related to this, the organization is beginning to engage in coach education initiatives and has developed a partnership arrangement with an international sports product manufacturer. Its key challenge remains to identify and secure a wider range of funding streams, in order to support its growing portfolio of development initiatives.
International sport-in-development policy is increasing in complexity as additional actors enter the policy frame, additional funding streams become available and development policy becomes enmeshed in wider economic and foreign policy considerations. In order to access many funding streams, and other support networks, practitioners must be able to demonstrate the contribution that their intervention makes to the development process. In so doing, however, there is a perception that organizations may become locked into a culture of conditionality that ultimately undermines their independence and central mission. The Great Football Giveway is proud of its clarity of purpose, and simplicity of mission and is very protective of both its volunteer ethos and its autonomy from outside interests and pressures. As it becomes more successful these characteristics will come under increasing pressure. The study will be tracing the development of the organization as it seeks to balance contending pressures of preserving clarity of purpose while accessing the resources necessary to deliver initiatives.
Attached you will find the organizational plan for the Great Football Giveaway, together with a collection of recent press releases and a promotional video.
Aaron Beacom
14th December 2007
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