The Influence of Context on Occupational Selection in Sport-for-Development

Janet Njelesani, Lauren Fehlings, Amie Tsang and Helene Polatajko
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Janet Njelesani: Department of Occupational Therapy, NYU Steinhardt, New York, NY 10003, USA
Lauren Fehlings: Erinoak Kids Centre for Treatment and Development, Brampton, ON L6T5C5, Canada
Amie Tsang: Canadian Mental Health Association–Toronto Branch, Toronto, ON M5G1Z8, Canada
Helene Polatajko: Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G1V7, Canada

Societies, 2016, vol. 6, issue 3, 1-13

Abstract: Sport-for-development (SFD) is a growing phenomenon involving engagement in sport activities to achieve international development goals. Kicking AIDS Out is one sport for development initiative that raises HIV/AIDS awareness through sport. Despite sport-for-development’s global prevalence, there is a paucity of literature exploring how activities are selected for use in differing contexts. An occupational perspective can illuminate the selection of activities, sport or otherwise, in sport-for-development programming and the context in which they are implemented. The purpose of the study was to understand how context influences the selection of sport activities in Kicking AIDS Out programs. Thematic analysis was used to guide the secondary analysis of qualitative data gathered with Kicking AIDS Out leaders in Lusaka, Zambia and Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Findings include that leaders strive to balance their activity preferences with those activities seen as feasible and preferential within their physical, socio-historical, and cultural contexts, and that leader’s differing understandings of sport as a development tool influences their selection of activities. To enable a better fit of activities chosen for the particular context and accomplishment of international development goals, sport-for-development programmes might consider how leaders are trained to select such activities.

Keywords: occupation; sport; qualitative; Zambia; Trinidad and Tobago (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A13 A14 P P0 P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 Z1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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