1. Sport for All in the Social Context
Impulse Lecture
Prof. Dr. Diane Jones-Palm
University of Maryland, USA 1 1

2. Trends in research related to Sport for All:
Physical and well-being research is well known and researched. This gives great power to usefulness of sport for all to combat health problems, and reduce risk factors for disease.
NEW FOCUS: Social benefits of sport 2 2

3. Sport for all and social capital
Physical capital: developing skills, physical competences which the individual’s circumstances have denied the opportunity to develop . It also has well know health benefits.
Psychological capital: e.g. developing self-confidence, and self esteem; dealing with trauma – re-establishing emotional stability; providing the opportunities for intrinsic enjoyment of sport. It’s mental health benefit are known
Personal social capital: e.g. developing trust in others; widening social networks. 3 3

4. .
Bonding capital: refers to the close ties that help people to get by. family, friends and neighbors, or more broadly within the context of refugees and asylum seekers in a foreign context, with members of the same national group.
Bridging capital –involves the development of ties with networks of different groups (e.g. multicultural groups), building bridges between groups and organizations.
Linking capital –helps people and groups gain resources and bring about broader change 4 4

5. In addition, For the individual
Sport provide a basis for an individual to form a friendship base, provide goals and foster well being.
Sport may provide a basis for common shared norms and transmit pro-social values such as fairness and rule following.
Sport promotes pro-social motivations and builds the talents of diverse individuals.
Sport is being used to reduce between-group tensions and violence 5 5

6. For the community and society
The network-building builds trust, reciprocity and a civic society.
Putnam and many others argue that social capital forms the basis for healthy societies 6 6

7. Sport and integration
Societies are facing the pressure of immigration and multiculturalism, and how to integrate disparate groups.
We learned from the First TAFISA World Forum (Frankfurt, Germany) in 2006 that the benefits of sport can be used as a powerful tool for integration of cultural minorities. 7 7

8. Building links in communities
The building and strengthening of community requires such as the developing community networks and infrastructure; a sense of local identity; a sense of solidarity/equality with community members; and norms of trust, reciprocity and support 8 8

9. Social exclusion is a shorthand term for what can happen when people or areas suffer from a combination of linked problems such as unemployment, poor skills, low incomes, poor housing, high crime, bad health and family breakdown
This is most important with marginalized youth and young adults where lack of involvement in community can lead to gang membership and violence 9 9

10. Sport for all can provide a basis for the building newcomers local networks
The social capital in sport for all can build bridges to local networks and build leadership skills. It also gives young people ‘a place’ in their community 10 10

11. Social capital and making a difference.
Sport for all is one way to build social capital, not the only way: volunteering, leisure activities such as participation in cultural activities
Fortunately, the members of TAFISA have realized the power of combining sport for all with culture, health, leisure and play. 11 11

12. Challenges in Sport for all: Trends
The search for well-being and health
Expectations for longevity and enjoyment of life
The wish for connection and purpose
The need to build community networks
The need to integrate divergent groups
The need to support family 12 12

13. The fearful society
more traffic on the roads, increasing levels of street crime
Unless these trends are reversed there will be fewer opportunities for spontaneous play and an increasing need for alternative environments if children are to remain active. These environments will need to provide children with the freedom to express themselves and develop their physical and social skills whilst giving parents the reassurance they need that their child is safe. 13 13

14. Gender imbalance
A higher proportion of men than women participate in sport
The differences in how men and women perceive barriers to participation in sport are consistent with findings in other countries which have found that ‘intrapersonal constraints’ (e.g., shyness, self-consciousness, and lack of skills and knowledge) underpin low rates of sport participation among women. 14 14

15. Involving the older adult
Participation decreases with age
The low rates of participation in individuals may also be linked to the barriers like a lack of awareness or knowledge and
Sport for all must respond with the right mix of activities for this group 15 15

16. Enhancing family sport
Family-work demands: the time to play and do sport together is diminishing
Sport for all needs to respond with the right mix of family based activities.
Jurgen Palm’s idea of “play festivals” put emphasis on activities that brought families together in play 16 16

17. Class differences in sport
Sport participation of all kinds tends to decrease with class (or socioeconomic status)
Results from the statistical models show that women, manual workers and unemployed, and older people play markedly less sport
This information should be taken in to account when thinking about social capital generation. 17 17

18. Sport -- part of a social process
On its own it cannot provide a positive social climate, since other needs such as security, economic stability etc will also need to be met.
However sport can contribute to the development of well adjusted individuals and communities, and the existence of such individuals and communities can be regarded as a significant contributor to, if not sufficient condition of, healthy communities in culturally diverse contexts. 18 18

19. Need for research
the links identified between associational membership and social capital also suggest the need to further explore how membership of sports clubs and associations contributes to building social capital.
The impact of early-life sports participation as a way to prevent violence and gang activity, represents a future avenue for research 19 19

20. more research
We need to more clearly establish links between engagement in sporting activities and how well they impact health, lower levels of crime, better government and general life satisfaction
What is at stake? The evidence to give power to sport for all being include in policy at all levels 20 20

21. TAFISA rises to the need
For evidence based, effective sport policy
For training of sport for all leaders
For marketing and partnerships that transcend the low budgets for sport for all
For stragedies to strengthen the political might of sport for all a the governmental level 21 21

22. TAFISA‘s role
Tafisa is doing much to assist with the challenges facing sport for all.
Forums (next one in Riga)
Training academies-- Kish, Iran, Lagos, Macau, Warsaw
World programs and events
Annual Meetings for expertise sharing 22 22

23. Strategies can be found in the presentations here
The next presentations will cover many contexts in which sport for all can make a difference:
Workplaces
Cities
Families
And building social networks and sports participation. 23 23

24. Think globally, act locally!
This meeting is your opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences, and explore new ideas on how to meet the challenges of sport for all.
Sport for all, in its role of building social capital and enhancing health and well-being, has so much to offer 24 24

25. But isn't it worth every effort?
The work may last long.
But isn't it worth every effort?
--Jurgen Palm 25 25

26. Thank you for your attention26 26