The Australian Sports Outreach Program (ASOP) is an Australian Government initiative delivered in cooperation between the ASC and AusAID that aims to build the capacity of in-country partners to plan and conduct quality, sport-based activities which contribute to addressing locally identified development priorities. It seeks to use the power of sport to improve development outcomes in seven Pacific countries: Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu. This program is delivered by the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) in participation with government and civil society partners in each country.
ASOP works closely with communities in each country to promote healthy lifestyles, build youth leadership skills, and promote community participation in physical activity. It also works closely with local sports volunteers, sports organisations and government departments to build capacity in many areas.
The research and evaluation project Sustineo will deliver has three objectives:
- To assess the impact of ASOP on development outcomes in the Pacific;
- To strengthen the monitoring and evaluation frameworks of ASOP in the Pacific with a view to improving program performance;
- To provide policy makers with evidence-based lessons and advice to further improve development outcomes.
This project will assess the impact, effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability of ASOP using a sophisticated mixed method approach across the participating countries. Sustineo will work closely with our Australian and Pacific partners to deliver this project, including the Centre for the Prevention of Obesity and Non-Communicable Diseases (C-POND) in Fiji, and the Alfred Deakin Research Institute in Melbourne.
The project will provide many benefits to the ASC and Pacific island governments including:
- Showing how sport-based activities can help address key development priorities in the Pacific, particularly relating to non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease ;
- Building the program evaluation skills of partner organisations;
- Providing advice relating to policy and initiatives targeting community health issues; and
- Providing an evidence base for policy making in these areas.
The research is also expected to make a significant contribution to the academic and professional knowledge relating to the role of sport as a tool for development. While there is much interest and support globally for sport for development programs, the research and evidence base to verify the development impact and the best approaches is limited.
For further information please contact
Andrew Rowe, Project Director: +61 411 241 608 andrew.rowe@sustineo.com.au
Dr David Carpenter, Research Director: david.carpenter@sustineo.com.au