Sports initiatives for sociallydeprived youth in Flanders

(Belgium)

The impact of Euro 2000 on the ‘Neighbourhood Sports Project of

Mechelen’

Marc Theeboom

Department of Sport Policy and Management

initiatives in Flanders

-since the ’80s: sport and development initiatives

�specific target groups (e.g., sociallydeprived youth)

socially deprived youth

-20 years:

- active involvement of youth welfare sector

initiatives

- youth welfare sector:

motivated, good insight in situationof youth and guidance skills, but

lack of means and adequate sportsequipment, limited use of ‘real’ sportsfacilities, lack of sports technical and teaching skills

���� small scale initiatives

initiatives

- local sports services:

adequate sports facilities and sportsknowledge but

lack of experience in working withtarget group

���� poorly designed programmes withno structural basis

���� unsuccesfull initiatives

initiatives

- sports sector: ‘marginal’ involvement

instead

- ‘new’ providers:-social welfare sector

-community centers and schools

-ethnic minority organizations

-‘other’ municipal services

-…

alternative

outside regular sports offer

�alternative sports organizationalformat

�neighbourhood sport (NS)

(‘buurtsport’)

increased accessibility to sportsfacilities and activities

neighbourhood sport

���� variety of facilities:-outdoor: public parks & squares

-indoor: former warehouses, parking garages, (sports halls)

characteristics

- local and flexible organization

- structural co-operation (networks)

- youth in large urban deprived areas

���� more diverse groups in smaller municipalities

NS Mechelen

- beginning of the 1990’s: specificproject by municipal sports service (‘social integration through sport’)

���� limited experience and lack of enthusiasm

���� no success

NS Mechelen

- 1993: specific project by municipalwelfare service (���� NS Mechelen)

- variety of aims

���� communication through sport

���� accessible alternative for sportsoffer

���� social assistance on individuallevel

���� …

NS Mechelen

- focus on 10 to 16 yr. olds

- ‘teener meetings’ network

- weekly offer for hundreds of youths

- however: no attention from localofficials, sports clubs or municipalsports service

EURO 2000

- Beginning of 2000: Belgian Ministryof Internal Affairs: preventionmeasures- escorting and observing football fans

- local prevention initiatives (e.g., risk areas in ‘transit cities’)

football project

- Mechelen: transit city

- NS project received funding

���� 1-day neighbourhood footballtournament during Euro 2000

football project

- steering group- NS co-ordinator

- local officers (prevention, community and neighbourhood development, sportsservice, …)

- football co-ordinators- youth welfare workers

- volunteers from various problem areas

- representatives of districts sports councils

- …

football project

- participants- teener meeting networks

- local schools

- local football clubs

football project

- emphasis on fair play

- adapted approach in dealing withyouth

(by referees, football co-ordinators, areasupervisors, technical and maintenancestaff, …)

- 72 teams

- 700 boys (10-16 yr. olds)

Impact?

incentive for NS project:-yearly event with side-activities (500 boys, 60 teams) with participation from othercities and local football clubs

-2001: NS project to municipal sportsservice

-neighbourhood football succesfullyorganized on different locations throughoutthe year

Impact?

-other football initiatives (beach football cup 2004, indoor football competition, …)

-official recognition and financial support of various youth welfare organizations fromthe teener meeting by the local government

concluding remarks

- NS Mechelen: from ‘sidephenomenon’ to officially recognizedpart of the regular municipal sportspolicy

- ‘prevention’ funding used in a broader perspective

concluding remarks

- evaluation of effectiveness?remains difficult, but:

-high participation rates among‘unorganized youth’

-local police reports refer to decrease of problem behaviour in specific areas

thank you