e-Debate: Astrid Aafjes shares her thoughts in Round 2

Astrid Aafjes comments on the need for community involvement as one of three main challenges currently facing achieving the right balance between sport and other components in Sport & Development programmes. Read her comments below.

Delivering a balanced or holistic approach in S&D programmes is often advised, but difficult to implement. What are three main challenges we face in trying to maintain a balance between sport and other components?
Getting the community involved and to be supportive of the sports programmes is key. If you deal with gender based violence or HIV/AIDS or other development issues, it is important to include the whole community and not just work with a small selective group.

It is important to have experts in specific areas (shelters, social workers, counselors, legal support) involved and have partnerships with other support organizations who can provide counseling, advise or provide medical support to address the issue in a holistic way.

To guarantee a good balance you need both high quality coaches and referees to implement the sports component, but you also need to have people who have the skills and knowledge to facilitate the discussion groups and provide a safe space. Sometimes, this can be the same person, but often it requires a different skill set. You have to create safe spaces on the field as well as off the field.

Can you describe a bad example of trying to embed sport in other interventions aimed at addressing health issues?
Sport is always good, especially when health issues are concerned. However, sports can be implemented in a way that is not sustainable. This happens when the focus is too much on competition, on strength building and when the safe equipment and infrastructure are not available or sufficient (e.g. girls have no access to menstrual pads or proper shoes).

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