18. Research in Sports Pedagogy
Paper
From struggle to strength: A Grounded Theory Analysis of Group Sport's Contribution to enhancing capabilities for people affected by poverty
Lukas Oettle, Jörg Greiner, Petra Gieß-Stüber, Ingo Wagner
University Freiburg, Germany
Presenting Author: Oettle, Lukas
The intertwining of unemployment and poverty, as highlighted by Eurostat (2020), creates a cascade effect, impacting both material and non-material aspects of life and fostering a cycle of exclusion. Kronauer's (1998) delineation of six dimensions of social exclusion reveals the complexity of these dynamics, resulting in intricate and precarious life situations. Individuals facing unemployment often grapple with health challenges, both physical and mental (e.g., Gallie et al., 2003; Virgolino et al., 2022), and experience a shrinkage of social networks (Rözer et al., 2020). Stigmatization and limited access to societal activities due to financial constraints exacerbate these effects. These consequences can perpetuate the cycle of social exclusion over time, leading to a downward spiral with significant impact on the lives of those affected, often ultimately manifesting in long-term unemployment and old age poverty.
Participation in sports programs enables access to a variety of positive effects (e.g. Appelqvist-Schmidlechner et al. 2023; Coalter 2007). Therefore, non-profit organizations like beneFit e.V. provide access to voluntary sport for individuals in vulnerable situations. Through participation in sport, participants may strengthen their mental, physical and social resources. Access is facilitated by dismantling key barriers, including cost-free participation, minimal performance prerequisites, and a protected setting (Oettle, under review). Yet, so far, little is known about how individuals affected by unemployment and poverty utilize the effects of sports participation for their own lives. This is partly because addressing poverty and social exclusion requires a comprehensive strategy, extending beyond a narrow focus on income or financial means. Accordingly, Sen (2000) posits poverty as a deprivation of fundamental capabilities, distinct from a mere lack of income, acknowledging the multifaceted repercussions of poverty and social exclusion. In Sen's view, capabilities denote an individual's abilities to do or be something (Robeyns, 2017), emphasizing the importance of empowering people to pursue various aspects of a fulfilling life beyond economic considerations. Well-being, according to Sen, is achieved when individuals have access to a certain level of individual potential and material resources.
Drawing upon Sen´s (2000) Capability Approach (CA) as a theoretical framework, this study aims to develop a domain-specific theory using Grounded Theory methodology. The CA framework enables a holistic examination of different life circumstances, providing a comprehensive lens to understand the potential outcomes of sport interventions. Therefore, the main research questions is: What contribution does participation in sports make in achieving goals in the lives of people affected by poverty?
Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources UsedLocated in Freiburg, Southern Germany, beneFit's development is informed by current insights into exclusion processes in sports for individuals facing poverty. The program design aligns with the community development approach, considering the diverse precarious situations of the target group (Spaaij et al. 2014).
Data collection employed narrative interviews, where participants initially shared their biographies and personal life goals. Subsequently, they reflected on their individual development processes within beneFit's sports programs and the personal insights gained. Participants were also asked about perceived changes in themselves and their life situations, exploring their perspectives on the factors contributing to these changes.
For data analysis, we adopted the Grounded Theory by Corbin and Strauss (2015) as methodological framework. This qualitative method allows for the derivation of patterns and categories from collected data without predefined hypotheses or theories. The flexibility and iterative nature of Grounded Theory facilitate the organic development of theories directly from the data, ensuring high validity and relevance within the context of this study.
In the study, sixteen interviews have been conducted and analyzed, with the overall sample evolving through the theoretical sampling principle (Przyborski & Wohlrab-Sahr, 2014) during empirical analysis. The collection will be completed until end of august 2024. Participants in these interviews are individuals affected by poverty and social exclusion (e.g., long-term unemployed individuals, people unable to work due to illness, or those experiencing old-age poverty), engaging regularly in the sports programs offered by the beneFit organization for a minimum of six months.
Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or FindingsThe current findings of the study show how important participation in sport is for shaping the lives of individuals who are faced with various challenges (such as poverty). Two key categories emerged from the data analysis: Stability and the realization of personal goals.
(In-)Stability: Participants identified problematic life situations characterized by perceived stress, dissatisfaction, and a sense of loss of control or uncertainty. Personal factors such as illnesses and disabilities, whether reversible (e.g., depression) or irreversible (e.g., mobility impairments), contributed to these challenges. External factors such as issues related to work, family, housing, and material poverty were also prevalent. These problems often interwove, creating a complex web of difficulties outside the individual's control. The sports program participation served as a source of joy, acted as a vent for life's challenges, and provided a platform for mutual support among participants. Furthermore, it offered structure to daily routines and fostered proactive behavior.
Development of personal goals: The intrinsic meaning of the sports activity itself was crucial. Various goals were identified, ranging from improving specific movements to enhancing fitness levels or achieving weight loss. The breadth, frequency, and quality of the sports program played a central role. Participants emphasized the importance of competent coaches for a high-quality experience. Participants strategically utilized the sports program to realize their perspectives and goals. For example, some used kickboxing as a means of coping with past experiences, while others engaged in dance activities due to personal passion.
In summary, the anticipated findings of this study highlight the dual impact of sports participation within the exemplary sports program by beneFit: It provides stability amid life-related challenges and serves as an avenue for individuals to pursue and achieve their personal goals, positively influencing their overall well-being and life trajectories.
ReferencesAppelqvist-Schmidlechner, K., Haavanlammi, M., & Kekkonen, M. (2023).
‘Benefits and Underlying Mechanisms of Organized Sport Participation on Mental Health among Socially Vulnerable Boys. A Qualitative Study on Parents’ Perspective in the Sport-Based Icehearts Programme’. Sport in Society 26 (2): 245–262. doi:10.1080/17430437.2021.1996348.
Coalter, F. (2007). Sports Clubs, Social Capital and Social Regeneration: ‘Ill-defined interventions with hard to follow outcomes’? Sport in Society, 10(4), 537–559. https://doi.org/10.1080/17430430701388723
Corbin, J. M., & Strauss, A. L. (2015). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (Fourth edition). SAGE.
Eurostat. (2020). At risk of poverty or social exclusion in the EU.https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/cache/infographs/PovertyDay/PovertyDay_2020/index.html
Gallie, D., Paugam, S., & Jacobs, S. (2003). Unemployment, poverty and social isolation: Is there a vicious circle of social exclusion? European Societies, 5(1), 1–32. https://doi.org/10.1080/1461669032000057668
Kronauer, M. (1998). ‘´Social exclusion´ and ´underclass´ – new concepts for the analysis of poverty’ In: H.-J. Andress (ed.), Empirical Poverty Research in a Comparative Perspective. Aldershot, Hants, England; Brookfield, Vt: Ashgate.
Oettle, L. (under review). Social exclusion in sports clubs and approaches for overcoming barriers for poor and unemployed people: “This is a certain clientele I fit into, and that gave me the courage to sign up there.” European Journal for Sport and Society.
Pohlan, L. (2019). ‘Unemployment and Social Exclusion’. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization 164 (August): 273–299. doi:10.1016/j.jebo.2019.06.006.
Przyborski, A., & Wohlrab-Sahr, M. (2014). Qualitative Sozialforschung: Ein Arbeitsbuch (4., erweiterte Auflage). Oldenbourg Verlag.
Robeyns, I. (2005). The Capability Approach: A theoretical survey. Journal of Human Development, 6(1), 93–117. https://doi.org/10.1080/146498805200034266
Rözer, J. J., Hofstra, B., Brashears, M. E., & Volker, B. (2020). Does unemployment lead to isolation? The consequences of unemployment for social networks. Social Networks, 63, 100–111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socnet.2020.06.002
Sen, A. (2000). Development as freedom (1. Anchor Books ed). Anchor Books.
Virgolino, A., Costa, J., Santos, O., Pereira, M. E., Antunes, R., Ambrósio, S., Heitor, M. J., & Vaz Carneiro, A. (2022). Lost in transition: A systematic review of the association between unemployment and mental health. Journal of Mental Health, 31(3), 432–444. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2021.2022615
18. Research in Sports Pedagogy
Paper
Icehearts Europe: An EU4Health Project
Fiona Chambers1, Nico Lorenzutti1, Sinead Moynihan1, Saska Benedicic Tomat2, Giovanni Capelli3, Nelli Niemela4
1University College Cork, Ireland; 2International Sport and Culture Organisation; 3National Center for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Italian National Institute of Health, Italy; 4Icehearts, Finland
Presenting Author: Niemela, Nelli
Introduction
Led by the International Sport and Culture Association, the multi-million-euro EU4Health funded Icehearts Europe is a trisectoral, multistakeholder, multi-country project which aims to improve mental health and well-being of disadvantaged children and youth in Europe through a pan-European initiative. Icehearts Europe is inspired by the Finnish Icehearts model, which has been designated as a model of best practice by the European Commission (2016, 2021). For over 25 years, the Icehearts Finland has successfully targeted disadvantaged children and youth across Europe who suffer from poor mental health. This has been achieved through support and counselling facilitated by trained Icehearts’ mentors using sport/physical activity as a powerful medium in schools and communities.
The strategic objectives of Icehearts Europe are fourfold: to build a model and tools for European implementation of Icehearts; to build capacity in partner and stakeholder organisations to deploy Icehearts; to pilot and implement the developed Icehearts model in five European countries; and to enhance European awareness about Icehearts and engage more countries and organisations in deployment and scale-out.
Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources UsedMethod
In Icehearts Europe, there are five pilot implementation countries (DGI in Denmark, SPIN in Estonia, Fútbol Más Espana in Spain, UISP (Italian Sport for All Association) in Italy and SUS (Sport Union of Slovenia) in Slovenia). Informed by (a) a detailed Situational Analysis and Needs Analysis (SANA) of the five pilot countries and the organisations (2023) and (b) a study visit to Icehearts Finland (2023), the UCC team used a range of design thinking (Brown, 2008) pedagogies (including LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®) to co-design and prototype: (i) an online Icehearts mentor training programme (in 2024) (in five languages – Danish, English, Italian, Slovenian and Spanish) and (ii) an onboarding education and training tool for organisations (2024) in the same five languages. Online training course development employed the ADDIE model (Forest, 2014) to ensure a robust course design. The ADDIE model is an instructional systems design framework - (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation) The courses were further underpinned by connectivist (Siemens, 2005) and constructivist (Vygotsky) approaches to scaffold learning.
Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or FindingsResults
Using insights from the SANA, the five pilot country organisations iterated and helped to fine-tune both the Icehearts mentor education and training and, organisation onboarding through a series of site visits. There were a number of key design disruptors, which were tackled through the use of the universal design for learning model.
Conclusions
Mentor training and organisation onboarding must be bespoke to the organisation and to the context (local and national) in which it is enacted. A one-size fits all approach is not ideal. It will be important to take these insights into account when the project is scaled to the fourteen associate partners (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania and The Netherlands). This EU4Health funded project shows how networks of strong researchers together for civil society can truly embrace new models of education in an Age of Uncertainty, providing hope and agency for citizens as the world wrestles with a maelstrom of pandemics (war, climate change, Covid19, economic turbulence).
ReferencesBrown, T. (2008). “Design thinking”. Harvard Business Review, 86(6), 84-92.
Forest, E. (2014) The ADDIE Model: Instructional Design. Educational Technology.
Siemens, G. (2005, January). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital Age. International Journal of Instructional Technology & Distance Learning, 2. Retrieved on 6th May 2018 from: http://www.itdl.org/Journal/Jan_05/article01.htm.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
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