Sport for
Development
This workshop series offers a set of modules which combine sport exercises and promoting the SDGs based on the renowned Sport-for-Development (S4D) approach. It is up to the participants which modules and SDGs they want to incorporate in the sport exercises. Usually, the series focuses on three SDG areas.
What is "Sport for Development"?
Sport for Development (S4D) refers to the intentional use of sport, in particular physical exercise, to achieve specific development objectives as outlined in the UN Sustainable Development Agenda - the SDGs. In a nutshell, S4D goes beyond simply sport development and enhancing physical health. It intentionally focuses on applying sport as a medium to better lives and communities.
The Effectiveness of S4D
While research shows that one must be cautious to praise this approach only, international actors such as the German Cooperation for International Cooperation (GIZ) apply this approach in many social projects worldwide, continuously assess it and comment on its effectiveness as follows:
"(...)Sport motivates young people to be open to topics such as education and health, but also to violence prevention, gender equality and personal development and to put this into practice in a fun way. This approach has already been used to successfully launch and implement 50 projects in 37 countries. More than a million children and young people are now benefiting from Sport for Development in lessons and sports facilities in South America, Africa, the West Balkans, the Middle East and South-East Asia."
Module Options for S4D Sessions
In general, exercises can be designed for any SDG objective. Particularly successful SDG objectives however usually focus on the following areas:
- Mental Health
- Resilience
- Cultural Exchange
- Gender Identity
- Sexual Reproductive Rights and Menstrual Hygiene
- Climate Action
- Personal Development
- Violence Prevention
- Learning a Language