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Using Sport to Develop Leadership

Sport is a very powerful tool and has a great deal to offer to everyone – it can engage the talented and the less coordinated, the able and those with disabilities, youth and elderly, boys and girls, men and women.

It can bring challenge, adventure, excitement and fun. It can also provide personal development, leadership and team-work skills. It can foster volunteering through coaching, officiating or administration and so develop citizenship and a sense of community responsibility and involvement.

Benefits:

  • Builds community capacity
  • Increases employment opportunities
  • Reduces anti-social behaviour.

Policy recommendations:

  • Cross Government Working: involve relevant government departments by demonstrating how the programme fulfils wider agenda – promote collaboration on future projects
  • National Coordination: develop a national infrastructure that enables key partners to work together effectively, building on the structures and best practice that already exist
  • Make it about people not organisations: ensure all development programmes are suited to the need of participants rather than the delivery organisations
  • Ensure relevant training and education: coach training should be an integral part of the programme, but must be suited to local community needs.