What we move

SPORTEGRATION’s free and low-threshold sports programs allow everyone to experience positive encounters on equal footing. These contacts not only foster intercultural exchange, but also help build social networks — both among people with a refugee background, as well as between them and the local population. Both dimensions provide important resources for social cohesion and individual integration.

Sport has a holistic impact on wellbeing: it strengthens not only physical wellbeing, but also mental and social wellbeing. Physical activity releases feel-good hormones, which can enhance subjective wellbeing and increase feelings of happiness. At the same time, exercising together fosters a sense of community and strengthens feelings of belonging — something that is particularly important for people with a refugee background. Through these positive experiences, feelings of loneliness caused by isolation can be reduced and social relationships can be built.

Our programs empower participants to develop a better understanding of their own health and to make health-promoting decisions in their everyday lives. Through low-threshold communication, we support participants in finding, understanding and using information about sports activities. Thanks to our welcoming and accessible setting, motivation for physical activity — both within SPORTEGRATION’s programs and beyond — is strengthened. The fact that knowledge and motivation reinforce each other is reflected in the number of participants who engage in sport regularly. We support participants in building confidence in their own abilities, maintaining an active lifestyle and empowering them to take control of their own health.

SPORTEGRATION is by no means alone in its aim to use sport as a tool for social development. Rather, we are part of a growing approach known as Sport for Development.* In this context, sport is far more than physical activity: it is a powerful tool for achieving key social goals, such as health promotion, strengthening the social participation of disadvantaged groups and enabling intercultural exchange.

Physical activity is not just valuable in its own right; it is also a key contributor to social change. Through our programs, we not only promote the health of our participants, but also create spaces for encounter and exchange.

* Chen, S. (2018). Strengthening the global framework for leveraging sport for development and peace: A background paper. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs. United Nations