The Sport!Op! project consists of 3 phases.

PHASE 1: DIAGNOSIS AND CONSENSUS

During this first phase of Sport!Op!, a needs analysis is conducted through interviews, questionnaires and consultations. The objective is to understand the context, needs, opportunities and problems faced by the sports organisations and cities involved in the project. Part of the diagnosis is to build consensus and find common issues within the six regions.

Dialogue and debate are therefore essential, as well as being able to take into account the local communities’ recommendations. For this reason, peer-to-peer workshops for trainers and educators will be organised to establish a best practice roadmap (IO1). Furthermore, and for the entire project’s duration, Sport!Op! group meetings with the local communities will be organised to discuss the implementation and findings of the project.

PHASE 2: DESIGN AND TRAINING

Once the necessary information has been obtained, the second phase of Sport!Op! begins: the design of the project’s socio-educational action plan. This is to be conducted through pilot activities. A first version of a methodological handbook (IO2) containing the objectives to be met, methodologies/activities to be implemented and resources to be used will be written. This handbook is to be designed as a tool for the sports trainers and coaches to implement the same replicable, systematized, socio-educational logic in varying contexts.

Additionally, training sessions and mentoring are to be organised for these sport educators to correctly implement these methods during phase 3.

PHASE 3: PILOT ACTION AND EVALUATION

The third and final phase corresponds to the in-field implementation of all the previous findings and training with at risk children and teenagers. This will be achieved with pilot sports activities. This implementation is to be carefully monitored and evaluated: data will be collected before and after the activities in order to assess and analyse the effects of the Sport!Op! methodology. This will lead to conclusions on how to achieve resilience through sport and consolidate the project’s findings into policy recommendations (IO4) which are destined for local, regional and international policymakers.

The final result of the discussions held during the local Sport!OP! group meetings will be an action plan for use in each context, consolidated into a global strategic action plan (IO3). This will detail the type of actions and resources which actors/stakeholders will require to sustain a local community-based strategy for  using sports in this way: namely, as a vehicle for the social inclusion of the most vulnerable and at-risk children and adolescents.

RESULTS

Sport!Op! will produce 4 intellectual outputs (IO): a ‘Best Practices Roadmap’, the ‘Methodological Handbook’, a ‘Strategic Action Plan’ and ‘Policy Recommendations’. These resources will be available for stakeholders and in other contexts so as to increase the impact and ensure the sustainability of Sport!Op!.

Overall, Sport!Op! aims to involve 60 stakeholders, 6 municipalities and 25 sports organisations. 40 trainers, coaches and educators will strive to promote the social inclusion of more than 800 children and teenagers at risk.