Nelson Mandella

‘Sport has the power to change the world’ – Nelson Mandela, 2000 Laureus World Sports Awards

25 Years of Laureus

‘Sport has the power to change the world’ – Nelson Mandela, 2000 Laureus World Sports Awards

LAUREUS SPORT FOR GOOD CITIES

LAUREUS SPORT FOR GOOD CITIES

EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES TO MAKE CHANGE


  • Sport as a Tool for Social Change: The core idea is that sport can be a powerful catalyst for positive change. It can teach valuable life skills, promote teamwork and discipline, build confidence and self-esteem, and provide opportunities for personal development.a game toolkit developed within the framework of the UNHCR Sport Strategy 2022 – 2026
  • Targeting Urban Environments: The initiative focuses on cities because they often face complex social challenges due to factors like poverty, inequality, and rapid urbanization.
  • Addressing Social Issues: The Sport for Good City concept aims to tackle a range of social problems, including:- 

- Crime and Violence: Sport can provide a positive alternative to crime and violence by engaging young people in constructive activities and offering them a sense of belonging.
- Lack of Education: Sport can be used to improve educational outcomes by promoting school attendance, enhancing cognitive skills, and providing opportunities for learning outside the classroom.
- Unemployment: Sport-related programs can provide young people with valuable skills and training that can improve their employability.
- Health Problems: Sport promotes physical activity and healthy lifestyles, which can help to prevent and manage various health problems.

  • Engaging and Empowering Young People: The initiative places a strong emphasis on engaging young people in the design and implementation of sport-based programs. This helps to ensure that the programs are relevant to their needs and interests, and that they are empowered to take ownership of their own development
  • Community Involvement: The concept also involves working closely with local communities to build partnerships and create sustainable solutions. This includes engaging with community leaders, schools, and other organizations to ensure that the programs are well-integrated into the local context.
  • Monitoring and Evaluation: The initiative includes a robust monitoring and evaluation framework to track the impact of the programs and ensure that they are achieving their intended outcomes

    In summary, the Sport for Good City or Laureus Model City concept is a comprehensive approach to using sport as a tool for social change in urban environments. It aims to address a range of social issues by engaging and empowering young people and communities through sport-based programs.
Laureus Sport For Good Cities


10 YEARS OF SPORT FOR GOOD CITIES

2024 marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of ‘Sport for Good Cities’.  The concept originated from Laureus Sport for Good’s capacity as a convening partner; bringing together social programmes working in the same areas of a city with a view to making a positive impact on young people’s lives.

Through shared experiences, best practice and a collaborative approach, the aim has been to create a coalition of sports-based community programmes and to amplify their individual impact through a collective approach. 

Engaging a variety of groups – from local government to youth groups; sports clubs and other charitable organisations – each Sport for Good City amplifies the community voice, focuses attention on the issues impacting the locality and puts into practice the solutions which fit the place, the people and the time.

This approach is based on a belief at the heart of Laureus Sport for Good, that local people are best placed to identify the problems their community faces – and to deliver the solutions to solve them.

Since its origins in New Orleans, in 2014, the Sport for Good Cities concept has spread around the USA – with New York, Chicago and Atlanta being joined by London, Paris, Delhi and Hong Kong, China. 



Our Approach

Versus

The image above shows how our Sport for Good Cities approach differs from traditional funding. 'The Drop' is the conventional method for funders, where decisions are taken prior to engagement or guidance from the local community. 'The Scaffold' approach is how Sport for Good Cities works, where the community identify the social issues that need addressing, and Laureus provide the structure through funding and capacity building support.



Learn more about our Sport for Good Cities around the world

Email Sign up

Email Sign-up

Sign up for all things Laureus

Get regular updates throughout the year