Participation, integration and democracy education in and through sports

Sport – especially a team sport like football – brings out strong emotions in people. In addition to the physical activities of training and playing games, athletes also gain collective experiences in the form of winning and losing; they also experience cooperation, develop group awareness and much more. Scientists, e.g. Klaus Zeyringer (2014), have proven these effects of sports.

Collective and emotional experiences create cohesion. Thus, sport can make participation, integration and subsequently democracy education possible. In a study, Madlen Preuß from the University of Bielefeld in Germany examined the importance of sports clubs in regard to the strengthening and promotion of democratic principles. In her examination, she encapsulates the potential of sports by referring back to common sense: "Sport knows no borders, languages, origins, religion or skin colour. Sport creates community and cohesion; its 'culture' is based on respect, fair play and unlimited camaraderie."

Reaching uneducated target groups through the fun factor in sports

However, not only the participatory and integrative potential of team sports is relevant for continuing education or political education. Sport also provides a way, especially in political education, to reach learners in the first place. "The 'fun' factor of sports as motivation for participation is especially important for target groups that cannot be reached through political education," said Thomas Jäger in "Magazin erwachsenenbildung.at" in regard to the participatory, intercultural and inclusive "International Allstars League Graz". Football provides exactly this kind of fun, according to Jäger, which makes it possible to win over youths, e.g., for workshops on political education within the framework of the league: "We thereby circumvent inhibition thresholds, which some youths initially have, so they can open themselves up to these offers."

Example: "International Allstars League Graz" – more than a football league

The annual football tournament series for youths has been held in Graz, Austria since 2011 within the context of the project "SIQ!"; the tournament connects sports with democracy education. Youths not only participate in the football tournament, but also in social-pedagogical workshops, which are part of the league. As a participation committee, the league council provides a training field for democracy education. The league council discusses the awarding of points, the handling of disciplinary incidents, the design of the tournament calendar and also selects workshop topics.

The overriding objective of the league, according to Jäger, is to support youths and young adults in the independent acquisition of political competences, content and conduct so participants can experience and take on social responsibility.

Example: "Football without Offside" and "Kicking Girls" – Integration of girls from a migratory background

Two projects from Germany are utilising the integrative potential of sports while pursuing a similar goal: Integrating girls and young women from a migratory background through sports. Continuing education measures are offered, such as coaching training for women or language promotion for parents of school children.

Girls in Oldenburg can give football a try at their school, initially within the context of "football working groups for girls". Tournaments have been held for the "Kicking Girls" since 2011, which have turned into a real football festival with the support of local social-pedagogical and community-based institutions. The project is also directed towards youths and adult women who receive training as coaches and then, in turn, train the girls in the working groups. Football camps for girls are the third activity of the project in which fellowship goes well beyond sports activities on the football field.

The project "Football without Offside" in Osnabrück is directed towards schools that have a large percentage of students from a migratory background. At these schools, trainers and educators organise football groups for girls. It is easier to find a path into sports through female trainers within the protected framework of school. The project also includes homework supervision and language promotion for the parents of girls, who, in turn, can then support their children in the integration process.

Author of original article in German: Bianca Friesenbichler/CONEDU

Foto: Matchszene vom 1. Mädchenturnier der IALG​ © Mafalda/JA.M​

Links:

• Pilot study: Democratic Cultures in Sports Clubs

• Article by Thomas Jäger: Kick-Off for Political Education
• Project SIQ!
• Project Football without Offside
• Project Kicking Girls