Speakers
Description
Integration of migrants and refugees is currently among the most relevant political issues in Western societies. Voluntary sport clubs (VSCs) in the community have the potential to promote social integration (Nagel et al., 2015; Waardenburg et al., 2019), and may have access to integrative programmes and public funding to do so. Nonetheless, only a comparatively small number of VSCs implement ‘integration through sport’ practices (Piatkowska et al., 2017). Therefore, the question arises which factors are relevant for the implementation of sports-related integrative programmes or initiatives. To address this question, the international research project INAMOS (Integration of Newly Arrived Migrants through Organised Sport) takes a holistic view within a multi-case study design. Across six countries, interviews were conducted with key decision-makers in 34 VSCs engaged in such programming. The focus of this presentation is the motivation and mechanisms of VSCs to support the integration of newly arrived migrants.
The clubs in our study focus mainly on sports activities open for all population groups. Not all clubs have specific “integrative” goals. Rather, for most of the clubs, normative motives are relevant for their integration work; they “feel obliged” to contribute to social integration in their community. Some clubs combine normative with functional motives (e.g., the recruitment of members.) Further, motivated and competent volunteers are often the driving force for the social integration initiatives in the VSCs. Our findings have implications for leveraging these goals and mechanisms for greater implementation of integrative programmes and initiatives for newly arrived migrants in community sport.
