For some of us, sport is intrinsically enjoyable - to play as well as to watch. The Government's approach is more instrumental: does this activity keep young people off the streets, and discourage obesity? Does association with sporting celebrities sprinkle a little magic dust on mundane policies?
Sportspeople themselves, along with miscellaneous youth organisations, are keen to emphasise all its supposed character-building benefits - teamwork, perseverance, being a good loser and so on. We need to encourage more young people to play sport of all kinds. But we should be cautious about over-claiming its moral benefits and holding up its stars as role models.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
