Core Elements of Sports-Based Youth Development

A sports-based youth development practitioner must be competent in these five areas: Program, Safety, Coaches, Context, and Administration.

According to research, quality youth development programs provide their participants with supports and opportunities in the following areas: positive human relationships; quality intentional programming that includes opportunities for skill building and safe and appropriate physical and emotional space; strong partnerships with and involvement of family, school, and communities; and effective and efficient administration and evaluation.<sup>1

1</sup>National Institute on Out-of-School Time at Wellesley College Center for Research on Women, Harvard Family Research Project After School Program Quality Assessment Categories of Standards, DC Standards for Out-of-School Time, The Community Network for Youth Development’s Youth Development Framework for Practice, Team Up For Youth’s Building Blocks for Quality Youth Sports



Program
There is an abundance of research that shows that young people who are involved in high-quality sports-based youth development programs benefit greatly from participation.  The components of high quality programming include:
•    The opportunity to be physically active
•    An environment that is both physically and emotionally safe
•    A structured, planned program that is age-appropriate
•    Adults who participate in and foster supportive relationships
•    Opportunities for young people to belong
•    A strengths-based approach
•    An example of positive social norms
•    Adults who show support for efficacy and mattering
•    Curriculum that provides opportunities for skill building
•    Opportunities to foster cultural competence
•    An environment that encourages active learning
•    Opportunities for recognition
•    An ecological/ holistic approach
•    Efforts to integrate family, school, and community

Safety
Sports-based youth development programs provide participants with a safe-haven both physically and emotionally:

Physical Safety
•    Violence is never tolerated
•    Program facilities are free from hazards; they are well-lit, well-maintained, and away from the street
•    There is access to first aid
•    The adult/child ratios meet local, state or national guidelines for the age of the participants
•    Adults are prepared to handle emergency situations
•    There is safe transportation to and from the activity

Emotional Safety
•    Violence is never tolerated
•    Adults are invested in creating supportive relationships with participants
•    There is open communication between staff, participants, parents, and other stakeholders
•    All stakeholders are involved in creating and have a clear understanding of program rules and expectations

Coaches
Coaches play an important role in the lives of young athletes.  In order to create a team environment conducive to sports-based youth development, coaches must meet the following standards:

•    All coaches receive a background check before working with young people
•    All coaches (volunteer or paid) sign a contract with applicable stakeholders that outlines roles and responsibilities. Stakeholders include the sports-based youth development organization,parents, and players
•    All coaches receive formal training in the following areas:

Context
In order to make change in young people, it’s crucial to make sure their families, schools, and communities are engaged in the process.  Sports-based youth development practitioners should:

•    Actively engage parents and other caregivers in the activities of participants
•    Ensure that all stakeholders have a clear understanding of the roles and expectations

associated with participation
•    Work to establish relationships with schools and other community organizations
•    Have a Diversity Statement
•    Provide materials and instruction in culturally and linguistically sensitive ways

Administration
For a sports-based youth development organization to be able to provide quality services to its community, participants, and families, they must achieve a certain level of fiscal and organizational stability and sustainability.  This means that sports-based youth development organizations should:

•    Have a mission and vision statement
•    Have developed policies and procedures for human resources, emergency planning, and fiscal practices
•    Maintain credible accounting practices (preferably with an audit)
•    Have trained and qualified staff
•    Provide opportunities for all stakeholders to give input into policies and practices
•    Have a process for evaluating program quality and outcomes