Right To Play - Conflict Mitigation through Sport

Aim of Sports for Peace Programs ?Right To Play’s Sport Specific programs share some common

sport aims, such as high levels of participation and the development of sports skills. Also, every program shares

some common development aims, such as:

• the growth of the participants in every respect: physical, intellectual, emotional, and social

• safer, more peaceful communities• improved health and healthier lifestyles• empowered individuals and communities

Why is sport a key tool in achieving

these aims?For children and youth, the field or court is a classroom, laboratory and greenhouse. When children and youth play, they are actively

learning, exploring and growing in every respect: Intellectually, they are sharply focused: observing, remembering,

experimenting, strategizing, evaluating and making decisions. Physically, they are fully involved: testing and developing their

strength, their skill and their range, coordination and speed of movement.

Emotionally, they are intensely absorbed: discovering new dimensions in themselves, growing in confidence, experiencing

excitement and happiness. Socially, they are deeply engaged with others: while sharing the joys of play they are developing the knowledge, attitudes and skills

to communicate, cooperate and form positive relationships with others.

Enhancing Education Quality

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This approach builds supportive environments by:

1. Building Cohesion 2. Increase access to services and support

systems 3. Reach populations that are excluded or

marginalized 4. Provide positive role models 5. Celebrate community accomplishments,

diversity and shared traditions.

| Sport Specific Approach

This approach also promotes key life skills:

• Cooperation, fairness, teamwork, respect to others

• Communication• Self esteem and self confidence • Ability to set goals, make effective choices,

practice responsibility • Ability to tackle difficult challenges, recover

from losses and setbacks, and exercise personal responsibility

Key concept

Why is this important? How is this concept addressed in Sport Specific?

Resiliency Resiliency is the capacity to cope with stressful and challenging conditions, such as poverty,

violence, illness, etc. 

Right To Play contributes significantly to building resiliency among

vulnerable populations of children and youth. This is achieved by teaching children and youth sport skills, and training community members to be

vibrant Coaches and mentors.

Key concept

Why is this important? How is this concept addressed in Sport Specific?

Behaviour change

 

Right To Play programs are designed from an understanding of

the many factors that lead to sustained behaviour change.

Behaviour change is a process that includes weighing (consciously or unconsciously) the benefits and

risks of changing behaviour. It also includes moving through a process of becoming aware, understanding, believing, adopting, practising, and maintaining behaviour. Experience

shows that people may go back and forth along this process, and

that it may take some time.Behaviour change depends on

several factors, including knowledge, attitudes, skills, and

supportive environments.

Right To Play promotes the development of life skills, including the

ability to manage stress, resist peer pressure, communicate assertively, make decisions and set goals, and

motivate and lead others. Right To Play also promotes the

development of attitudes such as self-esteem and confidence, hope and

optimism, empathy and compassion, and motivation to adopt healthy

behaviours. 

Key concept

Why is this important? How is this concept addressed in Sport Specific?

Non-discrimination

 

Discrimination means treating someone differently based on his or her age, gender, role, physical

or mental ability, nationality, ethnicity, religion, political

opinions, social status, or other facets of their identity.

All children have equal access to Right To Play programs, regardless of

age, gender, physical or mental ability, nationality, ethnicity, religion,

political opinions, social status, or other facets of their identity.

In all Right To Play programs, we aim to develop a heightened awareness of

the words and actions that may inadvertently continue to discriminate and stigmatize children. For example,

it is important that children are not openly categorized or labelled (for example, “child soldiers,” “sexually

abused girls,” “orphans”), as children will remember these labels can be

stigmatizing. Openly labelling children can have a negative impact on children’s sense of self and self-

esteem.

Example of Sports for Peace Projects

• A project was conducted in Tripoli (North Lebanon) where 20 coaches and 600 children and adolescents (8-17 years) were targeted.• The group of coaches was comprised partly of professional

Syrian players who took up the role of coaches as well as Lebanese coaches.• One workshop took place while 2 sessions were conducted per

week. • 2 major sports tournaments were held at the end of the

project

Enhancing Education

Successes and Good Practices

• The project in Tripoli had an almost even level of participation between Syrian refugee (56%) and host community children (44%)

• During regular activities children exhibited increased levels of acceptance of the other with no registered incidents of violence between participants.

• When it comes to gender participation of girls was at 4% at the outset of the project. After 4 months of project implementation that figure rose to 24% girls participation.

• In a separate intervention in an UNRWA school in South Lebanon where high level of violent incidents was reported between the students (7 incidents reported per week), an intervention using sport for peace and play based methodology in the school reduced reported incidents to once per month. Q

When Children Play, The World Winshttps://www.facebook.com/RightToPlayLEB