Recreation Connect Communities
Sport and recreation are valuable tools for building community spirit. In America, for example, a local football team can bring together families and students who might not otherwise have met. It also helps foster cultural harmony. Sports teams often make their facilities available to the community even outside the season. In addition to providing a social outlet, sport can also teach kids valuable life skills and help them form lasting friendships. This makes sport a great way to help communities stay safer and build stronger bonds.
Recreational activities vary according to age and gender, as well as the social context. Children in poor communities are likely to play with natural materials or discarded manufactured items. They are also likely to engage in leisure activities that promote cultural awareness and religious harmony, or visit entertainment troupes. Many poor communities do not have designated leisure facilities. Those who do visit recreational facilities feel that they receive a healthy physical and emotional reward for their efforts.
Although there is little research on the role of sport and recreation in connecting communities, it is important to note that sports and recreation are effective integrative tools for a broad range of age groups. For example, sports associations promote community connections and facilitate host community understanding of immigrants. But how can we best utilize sports and recreation to promote integration? In this project, we will use a multi-method approach to better understand how sports and recreation can help communities.
How Does Sport and Recreation Connect Communities?
Sport is an important equaliser. It breaks down barriers, promotes inclusion, and fosters confidence and self-esteem. For example, the Philippines has a renowned boxer, Manny Pacquio. Yet he grew up in a small provincial town. His family background was not much different from the average Filipino. And, thanks to programs like ChildFund Pass It Back, children in underprivileged communities now have access to opportunities to meet others and participate in sport and leisure activities.
Many organizations and governments have begun to promote recreational sports as a component of an overall healthy lifestyle. Recreational sports are increasingly promoted by government health agencies and at the youth and adult levels. The benefits of recreational sports include a reduced risk of serious disease and increased lifespan among the population. These benefits can be felt in the communities themselves. The benefits of recreational sport go well beyond just improving health. If you are interested in improving your community’s physical well-being, take up sport!
Studies have also found that the benefits of sport are numerous. People who participate in sport are more likely to feel connected to their communities than non-participants. Furthermore, those who are involved in club sport and university social organisations are more likely to experience community-building effects, and are less likely to become disenchanted with their daily lives. But there are other factors that may play a role in connecting communities: the health of those who take part in sport.