SportWORKS

Making a Difference & Becoming Different

SportWORKS Projects

Commonwealth Games Canada has been involved in over 125 sport for development and sport development projects in over 30 countries around the world. Brief summaries of some of these projects are given below which includes: their geographic location, partners involved, and the associated CGC initiative.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development highlights sport as “an important enabler of sustainable development”. It recognizes the growing contribution of sport to the realization of development and peace in its promotion of tolerance and respect, and the contributions it makes to the empowerment of women and girls, young people, individuals, and communities, as well as to health, education, gender equality and social inclusion objectives. Thanks to the generous support of the Government and Canada and our other donors, CGC is proud to be one of the world’s pioneers of international sport for development and sport development work.

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National Paralympic Committee (NPC) Development- Jamaica

  • Caribbean & Americas
  • Jamaica

CGC conducted working sessions with the Jamaica Paralympic Association which covered topics such as: strategic business planning, Paralympic sport development approaches, marketing and promotional strategies, and governance practices.

National Sport Resource Centre

  • Africa
  • Seychelles

CGC partnered with the Seychelles National Olympic Committee to set up a National Sport Resource Centre which included soliciting donations such as books, computers, and other support materials. Associated child-friendly content and an after school program were also developed.

New Life Organization (NEWLO)

  • Caribbean & Americas
  • Grenada

Situated in three centres, NEWLO is a vocational training program which helps 14-24 year olds who have been unable to succeed in the traditional education system. NEWLO uses a holistic curriculum which first teaches basic academic skills followed by hands-on vocational expertise such as masonry, plumbing, hospitality, office skills, etc. CGC helped add a physical education component to NEWLO’s programing to further instill self-esteem and self-respect amongst its participants.

This consisted of integrated physical education programs, sports days, and other extracurricular activities such as intramurals, tournaments and competitive teams.

Olympafrica Youth Ambassadors Program (OYAP)

  • Africa
  • Lesotho

The Olympafrica Youth Ambassador Program (OYAP) is a youth volunteer program focused on empowering young people through sport to facilitate a positive change in their communities. OYAP uses sport as a platform to help address health and social issues affecting young people in Lesotho such as poverty, drug and alcohol abuse, HIV/AIDS, and gender equality.

CGC assisted in the development and delivery of OYAP and its subprograms which include; Girls on the Move (GOTM), Sports for Life, Mafube Orphans and Vulnerable Children’s Program, and Meraka-Herd Boys.

Olympic Clubs

  • Africa
  • Seychelles

Working with the SNOA and SNOC, CGC supported the national launch of Olympic Clubs whose goal is to provide thousands of children in every school in the nation the opportunity to play and learn about the benefits of sport and physical education. The program is based around the six Olympic ideals: mass participation: sport as education, fair play, international understanding and world peace, harmonious education of the whole person, and excellence.

It aims to help address key social and health issues facing us today such as: HIV/AIDS, the environment, gender equality, global conflict, and racism. 

Olympic Ideals

  • Caribbean & Americas
  • Barbados

CGC organized symposiums and workshops to promote the Olympic ideals. By blending sport with culture and education, Olympism promotes a way of life based on: the balanced development of mind, body, and character; the joy found in effort; the educational value of being a good role model for others; and observing the universal ethics of tolerance, generosity, unity, friendship, non-discrimination, and respect for others.

Through the program, national athletes taught children about the ideals of sport and fair play, as well as issues such as HIV/AIDS prevention.

Organization of Caribbean Administrators of Sport and Physical Education (OCASPE) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)

  • Caribbean & Americas
  • Guyana

CGC helped facilitate the creation of the Organization of Caribbean Administrators of Sport and Physical Education (OCASPE) and develop its strategic plan. OCASPE promotes regional cooperation, exchange of ideas and information, and networking in the field of sport and physical education. Most Directors of Sport from Caribbean governments have cited the establishment of OCASPE as the most desirable and significant contribution in regional sport development.

Physically Active Youth (PAY)

  • Africa
  • Namibia

Physically Active Youth (PAY) is a comprehensive after-school program that targets high school youth-at-risk performing poorly in school, in particular those earmarked to fail their Grade 10 exams. PAY helps enable participants to: realize their personal and professional potential, gain respect and self-esteem, and participate fully in society. The program provides a combination of academic tutoring, physical activity, recreation, community engagement, and life skills training.

CGC supported PAY for many years in a broad range of activities.

Playing for Freedom (Jugando Por La Libertad)

  • Caribbean & Americas
  • Brazil
  • Caribbean & Americas
  • Colombia
  • Caribbean & Americas
  • USA

Jugando por la Libertad uses capoeira, a Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics, and music, as a tool for engaging, educating, and empowering youth. As capoeira originated amongst socially excluded groups, it has principles such as inclusion, equality, and respect at its core.

The program helps youth affected by extreme violence, poverty, and forced displacement, by: building a community, teaching life values and social skills, and providing opportunities for personal development. CGC helped members of Jugando por la Libertad with strategic planning and event planning, through workshops and one-on-one consultation.

Prevention of Unwanted Pregnancies and Sexually Transmitted Infections among Young People through Sport and Leisure in the City of Kigali Project

  • Africa
  • Rwanda
Partners: AKWOS

CSC supports the Association of Kigali Women in Sports (AKWOS) to empower East-African women, starting from Rwanda, through sports and education.