Reshaping Sport and Development (sportsanddev platform)

• The first partners behind a new global movement to champion and sustain the sport for development sector have been announced, with campaign organisers calling on more key stakeholders to join them
• The campaign, hosted by the International Platform on Sport and Development (sportanddev), is aimed at reshaping sport to better serve all in society and demonstrate the contribution of sport and physical activity at this critical time, as global actors seek new solutions and remedies to the COVID-19 pandemic
• The governments of Australia and Germany are among the first donors to the campaign, while international NGOs, governing bodies and networks also feature among its partners​​​​​

Sport can play a vital role in contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, and promoting equity, access, and inclusion in society. However, many challenges remain, with much work to be done to ensure a level playing field.

Our world has changed dramatically and rapidly. COVID-19 has exposed the fault lines in society, exacerbated inequities and challenged the way people design, deliver and participate in sport.

Sport and development has been profoundly affected. At least 20% of actors fear for their future, and there is a risk that recent gains across the sector could be lost.

In the midst of this crisis, there is an opportunity to:

• Advocate for the role of sport in the COVID-19 response and recovery
• Build back better for all
• Ensure sport better serves all in society
• Invest in the sustainability of organisations and infrastructure

Campaign activities and deliverables

In 2020, sportanddev led efforts to reimagine sport and development. Now is the time to move from reimagining to reshaping sport and development to ensure that no one is left behind.

The campaign will include a call for articles from the diverse sportanddev community, an interactive webinar and final report summarising themes and key actions. There will also be community consultations to input into the development of an upgraded sportanddev platform, in order to increase collaboration, coordination and ultimately impact of sport’s role in society.

We aim to raise 200,000 US dollars to help sportanddev and partners build a more inclusive and equitable sport and development sector.

The campaign aims to achieve the following outcomes:

• A more inclusive, accessible, and equitable sport and development sector.
• Identification of key themes and actions in reshaping sport and development.
• Greater community involvement in setting plans and priorities for the sector.
• Upgrade of the sportanddev website to better serve all actors.

Founding partners

We are delighted to announce that various leading organisations have joined as founding partners of this campaign, making generous financial contributions:

• The Australian Government (platinum)
• The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Foundation (platinum)
• The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (platinum) (please visit the German government’s Resource Toolkit for sport for development tools and resources)
• The Commonwealth Secretariat (gold)
• The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation (gold)
• Women Win (silver)
• ChildFund Sport for Development (silver)
• Generations for Peace (silver)
• Lao Rugby Federation (bronze)
• The European Observatoire of Sport and Employment (EOSE - bronze)

This campaign also complements the generous support of the Swedish Postcode Foundation. It is fully supported by the sportanddev Steering Board, composed of influential actors in sport and international development. We also recognise the many organisations that have made in-kind contributions to this campaign.

Mr Ben Howard, Chair of the sportanddev Steering Board, outlined the purpose of the campaign:

“The platform was born out of, for, and by the international community of practice on sport and development. Following extensive feedback from this community, the platform has prioritised actions and upgrades to ensure it can continue to effectively serve that mandate moving forward. The ‘Reshaping Sport and Development’ campaign is a unique opportunity for existing and new members to influence, shape and support the platform’s direction and actions, so that it can better serve all stakeholders. We are seeking partners from different and diverse backgrounds, and I would strongly encourage your organisation to get involved, join the campaign and become a supporter of the largest international community of practice on sport and development.

“On behalf of the sportanddev Steering Board, I would sincerely like to thank all the organisations that have supported the campaign to date. It is very exciting to see such a diverse range of organisations from government, inter-government, international sporting federations, non-government organisations and national sport federations already showing their support.”

How can you support?

You can join and support this campaign in a range of ways (including in-kind contributions). Partners will receive various benefits, including branding and visibility.

• Find out more about the campaign and the benefits of joining

Join the movement. Become a partner. Help us shape a better future through sport.

Adam Fraser, CEO of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, said that his organisation is supporting the campaign in order to strengthen the sector:

“We believe the collaboration that sportanddev helps to drive is crucial for the sport and development sector to remain resilient and sustain and scale its work during these challenging times. As Laureus we are glad to lend our support to this initiative as an investment in the future of sport and development.”

To join as a partner of the campaign, or for more information, please contact:

Paul Hunt, Senior Project Manager, sportanddev: hunt@sa4d.org