Understanding The Role Of Sport For Development In Addressing Health Disparities In Low-SES Communities

The purpose of this study was to understand the role of Sport for Development (SFD) in addressing health disparities in low-SES communities. This was done using a multiple case study design, in which administrators, staff, and youth participants from five SFD programs were interviewed. A theoretical model, consisting of the theory of fundamental causes (Link & Phelan, 1995), the classification of SFD programs (Coalter, 2007), and the ecological model of health promotion (McLeroy, 1988), was developed to guide this study. Interviews were transcribed and then analyzed using a deductive coding process (Gilgun, 2005). The findings revealed that the SFD programs in this study were driven by goals such as providing access and opportunity to sport, helping youth develop life skills, and promoting health. The programs worked to achieve those goals by providing education, through their use of sport, and by providing resources and services. Finally, the programs in this study promote health at the intrapersonal, interpersonal, organization, environment, and policy levels. These findings hold various practical, scholarly, and policy implications and could shed light on how SFD programs may operate in order to reduce health disparities among low-SES populations

Hearts on Our Sleeves: Emotions Experienced by Service-Learning Faculty

Compared to more traditional pedagogical approaches, service-learning has been shown to offer unique experiences for students and faculty. With the growth of service-learning within higher education, it has become increasingly important to understand service-learning faculty, namely faculty emotions, which can impact students in many ways. Utilizing ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and focus groups, the study discussed in this article assessed the emotions of 17 service-learning faculty with varying levels of experience over the course of one semester. Results revealed that service-learning faculty experience a number of emotional highs and lows related to class logistics, community partners, and student engagement. Additionally, more experienced service-learning faculty handled their emotions differently than newer faculty. The authors also highlight implications and opportunities for service-learning faculty and administrators, based on the study results

Volunteer Motivations, Satisfaction, and Future Intent: A Comparative Analysis Between Student-Athletes and Service-Learning Students

Developing socially responsible and civically engaged citizens has been a priority of higher education in the United States since its conception. As an extension of higher education, intercollegiate athletics has been tasked with the same objective. One method to accomplish this objective is student-athletes’ engagement in community service. With the growing amount of attention placed on community service, it is becoming increasingly important to understand student-athletes’ volunteer experiences, in order to help administrators better coordinate impactful service opportunities for student-athletes. Using functionalist theory as a framework, the purpose of this study was to assess student-athletes’ motivations to volunteer, satisfaction with their experiences, and future intent to volunteer. Further, the current study also compared student-athletes’ volunteer experiences with those of university service-learning students. The results highlight the factors that student-athletes deem as most important for their decision to volunteer and provide insight into the extent to which student-athletes are satisfied with their current volunteer experiences and future intent to volunteer. Practical implications for university athletic administrators are discussed