Programmatic strategies for optimal interactions in a youth sport for development context

ABSTRACT

Rationale/purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine a single sport-based youth development program across a variety of contexts and examine programmatic differences and similarities that lead to positive outcomes.

Research methods: Through semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and direct observation, we analyzed the program inputs and designs of ten different sites operating within the same sport-based youth development organization.

Findings: Programs operating across different environments used a range of strategies to tailor the needs to its community, including changes to program design, recruitment, co-participation, and parental investment.

Practical implications: Findings outline potential strategies for sport-based youth development programs to incorporate their community into the program to achieve outcomes.

Research contribution: Findings suggest that individual environments are essential to a program design that creates optimal interactions, and that using local approaches can help create an environment that incites true community development rather than singular individual outcomes.

KEYWORDS:

• Sport-based youth development
• community development
• co-participation
• program evaluation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

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