In this first of a series, Sport for Business looks at international programmes that link sport and business around the world in pursuit of a better society.
First up is a look at Sky Sports Living for Sport initiative which launched in the UK ten years ago and was introduced to Ireland earlier in the summer after a successful pilot scheme.
Last week in Philadelphia the initiative was recognised by a panel of experts at the beyond Sport Summit in Philadelphia. It was praised as having ‘changed the life chances of many thousands of children in schools.’
In Britain, the number of athlete mentors funded by the broadcaster and visiting schools to speak to disadvantaged children through sport has climbed from five at the outset to a total of 78 now.
The scheme is supported by the Youth Sports Trust and Sky and is offered free of charge to schools who apply themselves to be included on the programme.
It was launched in Ireland in May with Katie Taylor as the high profile launch ambassador. This role is filled in Britain by the likes of David Beckham and Jessica Hill-Ennis.
A pilot scheme involving nine schools across Leinster was undertaken earlier in the year and Eamonn Gaffney, Principal of St. Peter’s College in Dunboyne, who participated in that pilot said “Our staff could see the positive impact of the programme on students’ enthusiasm for school.”
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“There was a tangible improvement in the self-esteem of many of the students. The Mentor visits were both inspiring for the students and helpful for the teachers in shaping the Sky Sports Living for Sport project”.
It is hoped ultimately to expand the scheme to incorporate as many as one third of Irish schools, and to reach thousands of children each year.
Among the benefits the scheme is credited with are improvements in social skills, teamwork, preventing bullying and giving kids a better chance of a good start in life once they emerge from school.
“Every child is born with the potential for greatness,” said Taylor when launching the initiative in Dublin. “The job of those involved with this programme is to bring out the best in every kid whose lives we touch.”
Working with children and through schools is a great way of connecting through sport at a time in young lives when intervention from a respected and non authoritarian source can have huge impact.
Tesco supports the FA Youth Skills course in Britain while closer to home McDonalds funds coaching for kids through clubs in soccer, e-flow supports the FAI summer camps, Subway has been involved in cycling safety programmes while Swim Ireland has also enlisted corporate support for children’s programmes through Kelloggs.
There are issues around ensuring the commercial and societal balance is right and some of these programmes have come under criticism but corporate social responsibility is all about the last word in the phrase and great care both is an needs to be taken to ensure that the benefits of the schemes are truly felt and that the commercial gain is softer, albeit no less beneficial in the long term, than might be the case through more direct marketing.
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