Sport Without Borders is an independent, apolitical and non-denominational international humanitarian organization, founded in September 1999 and registered in the public interest by the French Ministry of Health, Youth, and Sports.
Sport Without Borders establishes development programmes - aimed at vulnerable populations at large, but with a specific focus on children and youth - that use sports activities as the main tool for educational and social integration.
In France, SWB works with children and young people to build an awareness of humanitarian principles.
What do we mean by sport ?
Sport is often considered to be an individual leisure activity, or an organized display of high-level competition. And although sport and play are recognized as a basic human right, their true value in society and development is rarely taken into account.
Sport Without Borders perceives sport in its totality – encompassing an array of benefits that are, equally :
- physical (personal health, physical activity, mental well-being),
- social (participation, inclusion, cooperation, tolerance, sharing, respect),
- cultural (traditional sports and games as representative of different peoples and/or identities),
- and fun.
We prefer therefore to use the term Physical and Sports Activities (PSAs), which better reflects this plurality.
Sport and development : a complimentary and ethical approach
The plurality of sport is what makes it an excellent trans-disciplinary tool, adaptable for use in dealing with a wide variety of social issues in education, health and hygiene, the role of women, human rights, peace building, etc.
At the same time, we recognize that sports activities for development make sense only when they are used in conjunction with other development initiatives. Also, we believe that sport can only impact development when used according to a strict ethic. Accordingly, we maintain a vision of sports for all that is non-competitive and which promotes the values of citizenship.
Three approaches guide our intervention methodology with regard to sports activities :
1. PSA’s as a tool for socialization.
2. PSA’s as a compliment to therapy.
3. PSA’s as a tool for active education for all, as well as an extra-curricular educational tool
Our methodology : the communication and adoption of a social development tool
Sport Without Borders promotes all steps that support local efforts and indigenous development. The association’s very involvement in one country or another indeed results from a request and / or an expression of need by a local actor. In the first place, the needs as expressed are evaluated, as is the situation and the applicability of sports activities. Next, when a situation is evaluated to hold a true measure of potential, a collaborative project is created with local actors, and implemented in conjunction with these actors, for the population in question.
On the ground, the actions of SWB take place only in conjunction with strong local partners and civil society organizations. Out of respect for local populations and out of a philosophy of cultural non-interference, SWB intervenes only indirectly and under the auspices of local civil society organizations. This approach ensures an effective provision of services, adapted to the needs of the local population, as well as a sustainability of all activities.
The training of local actors (teachers, educators, presenters, social workers, young community leaders, youth group representatives) is therefore at the heart of our methodology. With training, the transfer of skills is immediate and perpetual. Sport Without Borders attempts not to act “in lieu of” local actors, but rather to serve as a resource, offering those tools and skills that will enrich local efforts in support of society and education. As such, in concert with local partners, we orchestrate continuing education opportunities, adapted to a wide variety of contexts and issues. Our monitoring and evaluation procedures keep track of trainees, from the onset of their training through to their autonomous professional activities.
The building of purpose-built infrastructures (or the renovation of other spaces) and the provision of small sports equipment are, however, necessary elements in the establishment of sustainable PSA’s.
Expatriate teams from Sport Without Borders made up of professional and recreational educators accompany populations for a period of 3 to 5 years in the establishment and implementation of sustainable programming.
SWB programmes currently exist in Afghanistan, in Bolivia, in Burundi, in India, in Kosovo, in Senegal, in Sri Lanka and in France.
