As a step in creating a comprehensive Sport Outreach Plan, you will summarize the feedback received from colleagues and the course instructor for the first f

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"Sports Outreach for At-Risk Youth in Chicago"

Micheaux Hollingswoth

SMGT 504

Liberty University

August 25, 2024

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Introduction: Sport is a catch that unites people in the context of an ever-growing global

Human Diversity. This outreach plan targets youth who are at risk and are living in the urban

cities of Chicago, Illinois. Such young people who are so vulnerable to the prevailing socio-

economic conditions in any society are in desperate need of proper channeling in the right

direction (Westerbeek & Karg, 2022). This group will be able to experience physical activity

through sport, social inclusion, and self-development and should, therefore, be targeted by a

wide-ranging and extensive sports engagement initiative.

Target Population: It is the target audience of the sports outreach plan that will be implemented

to the youths at risk between the age of 12-18 years residing within Chicago’s urban setting.

These youth are usually from low socio-economic backgrounds; some are even exposed to a lot

of crime, and most have poor education and no positive male or female role models (Rabinovitz

et al.,2020). Most of them are kids raised by single parents or have been brought up in homes

where they witnessed the effects of substance use and gangsterism. They tend to lead to

hopelessness and thus increase the chances of adopting risky behaviors.

Geographic Location: The target population of this outreach plan is the inner-city communities

of the city of Chicago, Illinois. This area is crowded and populated, has poor recreational

amenities, and a scarcity of appropriate programs for children out of school. The region is also

characterized by socioeconomic inequalities where a big percentage of the population becomes

relativity poor or even lives below the poverty line (Wheeler, 2021). However, the community is

characterized, among other things, by the following factors: cultural diversity and a strong spirit

of perceiving hardship. Regarding this area, the goal of the sports outreach plan is to bring

meaningful activities to at-risk youths that would build up their confidence and skills in life.

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Why This Group: This is especially so because the at-risk youths from the urban areas form

part of the most vulnerable but are rarely considered in issues of community development.

Working with this group through sport presents a good chance to intervene and meet their needs

(Brady et al., 2020). Sport may be used as a medium of change for these young individuals and

turn them into disciplined personalities with a sense of belonging. It may also be an opportunity

for them to be diverted from the vices that they are likely to engage themselves in, such as

joining gangsters or taking to substance abuse. Engaging in organized sports makes it possible

for these youth to acquire attributes that are important in life, for instance, discipline, leadership

skills, and determination. This population has been selected because vulnerable youths in cities

are vulnerable to poor returns in poverty, crimes, and social and economic marginalization. The

lack of organized, constructive activities tends to expose them to making wrong decisions in life,

including using substances and joining gangs (Njeru, 2022). Sport presents an alternative model,

one that, while it may not result in a physical change in the way they look, benefits the individual

in giving structure to one's life and building self-esteem.

Benefits of Sport: Sports can hugely impact this group through the following ways: promoting

good health, a healthy mind, and a healthy nation, and lastly, teaching core values (OÕNeill,

2021). It provides a route to higher achievement in school, associated with proper social

relations, and individual development.

Biblical Support: Matthew 25:40 supports the idea of helping those vulnerable individuals,

which is the key principle of this sport outreach (Matthews, 2023). Also, Paul’s message 1

Corinthians 9:24-27 points to the aspect of discipline that can be developed through sport.

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Application of Scripture: Getting at-risk youth involved through sport is a form of serving,

which is a Biblical form of love. This outreach offers an expression of love practically; builds up

the youth in physical, emotional, and the hardest of all – the Spiritual aspect.

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References

Brady, B., Chaskin, R. J., & McGregor, C. (2020). Promoting civic and political engagement

among marginalized urban youth in three cities: Strategies and challenges. Children and

Youth Services Review, 116, 105184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105184

Matthews, A. D. (2023). Inclusive guidelines for youth sport stakeholders: A content analysis of

US sport national governing body websites [Doctoral dissertation, Michigan State

University]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.

https://www.proquest.com/openview/a982160c4a95f668df6010ec27a8a16d/1?pq-

origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y

Njeru, M. (2022). The influence of urban criminal gangs on the socio-economic livelihoods of

former female gang members: The case of Gaza criminal gang in Nairobi County, Kenya

[Doctoral dissertation, University of Nairobi]. University of Nairobi Digital Repository.

http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/163473

O’Neill, D. F. (2021). Survival of the fit: How physical education ensures academic

achievement and a healthy life. Teachers College Press.

https://books.google.com.pk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=QbQWEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP

1&dq=Sport+can+hugely+impact+this+group+through+the+following+ways+promoting

+good+health,+a+healthy+mind,+and+a+healthy+nation,+and+lastly+teaching+core+val

ues&ots=DekSYkQmQg&sig=Wh6xirH0eCZtWwdxazSUyy3927Q&redir_esc=y#v=one

page&q&f=false

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Rabinovitz, S., Schneir, A., & Warf, C. (2020). Homeless adolescents: Identification, outreach,

engagement, housing, and stabilization. In Clinical care for homeless, runaway and

refugee youth (pp. 45-68). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-40675-2_4

Westerbeek, H., & Karg, A. (2022). International sports business: Current issues, future

directions. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429316043

Wheeler, J. (2021). “How much is not enough?”: Public library outreach to “disadvantaged”

communities in the war on poverty. The Library Quarterly, 91(2), 190-208.

https://doi.org/10.1086/713043

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Sports Outreach Plan: Mission and Vision Assignment

Micheaux Hollingsworth

SMGT 504

Liberty University

September 1, 2024

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Abstract

This sports outreach plan is for underprivileged children, which seeks to provide a program

geared toward boost up success and happiness by way of sports and exercise. The mission

focuses on fostering togetherness, organizational culture, and learning while the vision aims at

every youth, poor or rich to be both a successful athlete and learner. The business plan provides

for a low-tiled organizational structure, a human resource management plan that encourages

volunteers, and a multidimensional approach to the funding of the organization which will

include grants, individual donations, and fund raising activities within the community. The above

strategic plan will help the organisation to accomplish the goal of transforming young lives

through sporting activities in a strategic manner.

Mission Statement

The purpose of our organization is to provide underprivileged young people with an

opportunity to improve their physical fitness and mental well-being through sports and physical

activities (Belcher et al., 2021). Our programs are affordable and as inclusive as possible, to help

participants develop comradeship, discipline, teamwork as well as leadership qualities necessary

to achieve in life and sports.

Vision Statement

Our vision is to create a world where each youth, regardless of socioeconomic status, can

exercise, discover himself, and succeed as an athlete and a learner besides the field (Woolcock,

2021). Our vision is to strive for unity, supportiveness, acceptance, and understanding in a

healthy environment to show that sports can change lives.

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Organizational Structure

To fulfill this mission and vision, our organization will have a flat structure to allow for

better and direct communication between members of the organization. The top management

will consist of an Executive Director, who will be responsible for providing vision and

overseeing the execution of operations in line with the main objective of the organization.

Reporting to the Executive Director will be a Program Manager who will be in charge of

overseeing the implementation of the sports programs on a day-to-day basis (Lussier & Kimball,

2024). A Community Outreach Coordinator will identify and foster meaningful relationships

with local schools, community centers, and other stakeholders, while a Volunteer Coordinator

will develop a pool of qualified and competent volunteers to support the programs of the

organization. Moreover, a Fundraising and Development Manager will pursue funding from

different sources for the organization, and a Communications and Marketing Specialist will

handle publicity about the organization and its activities (Suh et al.,2021). A key component of

this work will be the development of relationships with coaches and mentors, who will directly

be involved in the training and support of youth participants, including both sports skills and

character development.

Staffing Plan

The initial staffing plan will involve extensive use of volunteers especially in coaching

and mentoring positions. The paid positions are the Executive Director, Program Manager, and

Fundraising Manager; other positions will be created depending on the growth rate of the

organization and the availability of funds. The volunteers will be sourced from the community

and comprised of trainers with knowledge of different sporting disciplines and trainers of life

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skills (Mxekezo-Lallie, 2021). Employment will be kept limited at the start, but will be gradually

increased; for example, the Executive Director is paid and other workers like a Program and

Fundraising Manager will work part-time at the beginning of the programs, although they may

eventually become paid.

Funding Plan

Regarding the funding for our Sports Outreach organization, we will seek a diversity of

sources to ensure that the organization becomes sustainable and can expand its operations. This

strategy will involve seeking grants from the local, state, and national departments of youth

development, sports, and community health. It will be also important to establish a donor base

since we will target individuals and companies that share our vision and goals (Kouamé et al.,

2022). Annually charity runs, sports tournaments, and galas will be organized to fundraise and

increase community participation. Furthermore, local businesses, schools, and sports

organizations will be joined to share resources and funding for the common goal. Corporations

will also continue to focus on sponsoring this agency as most companies are looking forward to

investing in programs that support the community and young people.

Conclusion

When directed at these key components, our proposed Sports Outreach Plan is for

establishing a strong and effective organization that will transform underprivileged youths’ lives

through sports. This outline will serve as a roadmap for designing and implementing lasting and

competent programs, acquiring relevant resources, and forging unrelenting community

engagement efforts to positively impact clients' lives.

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References

Belcher, B. R., Zink, J., Azad, A., Campbell, C. E., Chakravartti, S. P., & Herting, M. M. (2021).

The roles of physical activity, exercise, and fitness in promoting resilience during

adolescence: effects on mental well-being and brain development. Biological psychiatry:

Cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging, 6(2), 225-237.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2451902220302408

Kouamé, S., Hafsi, T., Oliver, D., & Langley, A. (2022). Creating and sustaining stakeholder

emotional resonance with organizational identity in social mission-driven

organizations. Academy of Management Journal, 65(6), 1864-1893.

https://journals.aom.org/doi/abs/10.5465/amj.2018.1143

Lussier, R. N., & Kimball, D. C. (2024). Applied sports management skills. Human Kinetics.

https://books.google.com.pk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=a57eEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR1

&dq=Reporting+to+the+Executive+Director+will+be+a+Program+Manager+who+will+

be+in+charge+of+overseeing+the+implementation+of+the+sports+programs+on+a+day-

to-

day+basis&ots=YAtnMCnbKP&sig=sVvAWTIXLtooeX9nS0d08QHmzxE&redir_esc=y

#v=onepage&q&f=false

Mxekezo-Lallie, K. B. (2021). The influence of volunteering in sport for development sector on

career advancement: a case study in southern Africa. University of Johannesburg (South

Africa).