Abstract of the master's thesis. An evaluation of the NSP 2008

The rising importance and awareness of sport as a tool for development and peace and the high interest in volunteer and intercultural learning programs in developing countries are two main aspects addressed in this thesis.

International level research concerning the effects of movement and sport increased since the mid 90s and is also being promoted on the political level. The scientific results show that within the development of the general education system, the empowerment of school sport and physical education is crucial.

This thesis was produced through literature reviews and the concrete evaluation of the outcomes of a pilot project, initiated by Sebastian Rockenfeller and called Namibia Sport Project 2008 – Youth Empowerment through Sport. The project combines the mentioned aspects and is therefore defined as Voluntary Service in Sport for Development. The main aim was to promote intercultural learning through the use of sport.

The project was realized in the Mayana Community in the Kavango Region of Namibia from July to August in 2008. It was planned and organized by Mr. Rockenfeller and afterwards implemented in cooperation with ten students from the German Sport University of Cologne.

Due to the limitation of the Master’s thesis, only one of the project activities, the intercultural physical education teacher workshop, could be evaluated. The Workshop was held in partnership with the Regional Ministry of Education in the Kavango Region.

The aim of the event was helping to raise the quality of physical education provided to the youth of the area. The developed workshop curriculum (“Life skills through Games Program”) focuses on social learning through sport and games. Group works and group discussions are used beside communication, cooperation and teamwork games to bring a group closer together.

The objective of this curriculum is to expand competencies and ideas on both sides and to share knowledge about the own movement-culture with the foreign partner at eye level. Therefore sport is used within the workshop concept as a tool for intensive dialogs, interaction and personal development. The chosen sport activities and special games of the workshop curriculum gave the Namibian and the German participants the opportunity to learn something of the other culture and to experience the power of sport. Cultural coherence is understood to a higher extend and intercultural competence is acquired.

Since the final report of the UN International Working Group on Sport for Development and Peace was published in the year 2008, an official document exists that calls stakeholders in sport to play an important role in development processes. In the recent years, more and more projects were implemented, that use sport as a medium for development and peace.

In terms of Education for Sustainable Development and Intercultural Learning more and more young people from all over the world get involved in volunteers services within development programs and development projects abroad.