Right2Score implements accessible sport and physical activities as a tool to activate and engage difficult to reach target groups of adolescents.
The global mission of R2S is to reduce youth unemployment by giving them meaningful activities including sports and games and lead them this way to the labour market. R2S believes that everyone should have the opportunity to score on and off the field.
This global mission includes a couple of goals:
• Eliminate the sports and physical activity participation barriers with a positive perspective in life
• Build an inclusive community:
• Create social-impact:
• Organise alternative non-formal learning opportunities, activation & employment related activities:
• Replicate concept/blueprint and scale up to other cities:
• Create employability of youth
Alternative learning opportunities and activation and employment activities are created. These opportunities are a necessary complement to the traditional recipes of schooling and job placement.
1. R2S works place-oriented
2. The youngsters get access to the sports complex
3. Using sports as a lever not a tool
4. Young people are involved in managing the common sports complex under intensive coaching and guidance
5. They also organise inspirational days in companies in the area of Ghent
6. Young people who are ready for it, are put to work at companies with which R2S cooperates
7. Those young people return to R2S and in turn train and coach other young people
All is centred around inclusion, co-creation and active participation.
Resources needed
The used facility is, an old furniture factory, de Meubelfabriek, which has an inside space of 2,500 m2 and an outdoor space of 8,000 m2.
The total project budget was approx. € 75,000 of which € 23,000 was subsidized by the City of Ghent. There are 9 sponsors keeping the activities going on.
Evidence of success
The focus of Right2Score lies on the youngster who, due to various exclusion mechanisms, get little or no opportunities in daily life and sports, therefore miss the transition to the labour market. An engaging sports programme promotes self-confidence, self-reliance and self-respect. Through the possibilities of practical application of life skills and social connection between peers and role models, R2S increases the potential for higher education and better career planning.
Difficulties encountered
* limited resources, dependency on sponsorship and grants
* facility still needs structural adjustement
* mismatch between the R2S concept and the voluntarism
* high demand for the faciltiy
* reach girls and young women, trying to include parents
* Covid lockdowns, mix with outdoor activities
Potential for learning or transfer
The effectiveness of an inclusive framework where members of the community are in charge of the organisation is a practice which can be duplicated, because the social return is very high.
In the future Right2Score aims to start up different sports hubs in Flanders, giving young people the opportunity to participate in sports and to follow a competence-based training at the same time.
R2S is also thinking of collaborating with companies in the city of Ghent. Through the project, R2S hopes to bring the young people and the companies into contact with each other, and make the youth employable.
The project originates from another proof of concept realised in a different city. Enhancements were made in order to expand and create a more structural solution to a problem.
Key factors are identified and can be enhanced in a different context:
- Finding the right location
- Involvement and support of the city
- Involvement and support of similar organisations
- Start-up funds
Tags: Employment, Innovation activity, Sport, Youth
