Podcast blurb: Sport for development, as a concept, refers to the use of sport to exert a positive influence on public health, the socialization of children, youth, and adults, the social inclusion of the disadvantaged, the economic development of regions and states, and on fostering intercultural exchange and conflict resolution (Lyras & Welty Peachey, 2011, p. 311). Within this broader field, events-for-development (EfD) is a new concept exploring how events of all sizes can potentially be utilized for development aims. This talk explores these two interrelated concepts and the opportunities and challenges they present. Overall, the effectiveness of sport for development depends on how the event/program is designed and managed over time.

Jon’s bio: Jon Welty Peachey, Ph.D., is Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor of Sport Management and Leadership at Gordon College on the north shore of Boston, Massachusetts. Prior to this, he served on the sport management faculty at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Texas A&M University. His research examines how sport for development programs should be best designed, managed, and led to achieve individual- and community-based outcomes. He is a Research Fellow with the North American Society for Sport Management and is a frequent invited speaker and consultant internationally on leadership and sport for development. Prior to his work in academia, Dr. Welty Peachey served as a senior administrator in the international sport for development field for over decade.

Further reading and resources:

Schulenkorf, N., Schlenker, K., Rammal, H., Welty Peachey, J., & Morgan, A. (2022). Leveraging and managing events: Business and social dimensions. Routledge.

In terms of resources www.sportanddev.org and www.beyondsport.org. Good journals are Journal of Sport for Development, Journal of Sport Management, Event Management, Sport Management Review, and European Sport Management Quarterly.