Learning in Fitness and Education through Sports at The Ohio State University (LiFEsports): Partnerships Providing Sustainability to Youth Programming

LiFEsports has developed university and community partnerships to increase the number and quality of sport and recreation programs, highly skilled youth development professionals, and knowledge of best practices in youth development. The LiFEsports Summer Camp, year-round sports clinics, and after-school program partners have served more than 5,000 urban youth aged 9-15 years old. Even though LiFEsports served more than 600 campers last summer, more children in central Ohio and statewide could benefit from LiFEsports programming. To address this need, a Youth Leadership Academy has been developed to serve 60 past LiFEsports campers as they become high school students. Key partners essential for helping with additional program needs and LiFEsports growth are OSU Extension and Ohio 4-H. The presenters will review past successes, outcomes and innovations in LiFEsports that set the stage for baseline mapping and planning for next steps.

Description

The LiFEsports initiative has three shared priorities with Ohio State: service and outreach, teaching and learning, and research. Priorities will focus on the evolution of LiFEsports, especially as it plans for future collaboration with OSU Extension and Ohio 4-H. Over the past decade, LiFEsports has developed university and community partnerships to increase the number and quality of sport and recreation programs through service and outreach. Specifically, the LiFEsports Summer Camp, year-round sports clinics, and after-school program partners have served more than 5,000 urban youth aged 9-15 years old living in poverty in the Greater Columbus area. It also aims to increase the number of highly-skilled youth development professionals through teaching and learning, and involve more than 300 Ohio State students (including student-athletes) in internships, work experiences, independent studies, and volunteer opportunities. We also focus on research by building knowledge and best practices in the areas of youth development, youth sport, social work practice, and physical activity interventions. Although led by leaders in the College of Social Work and departments of Recreational Sports and Athletics, partners include university and community entities such as the ADAMH Board of Franklin County, Cardinal Health, Local Matters, Camp Mary Orton, Columbus City Schools, Huntington Bank, the College of Nursing, and others. Even though LiFEsports served more than 600 campers last summer and year-round, more children in central Ohio and statewide could benefit from LiFEsports programming. Specifically, older youth who "age out" of LiFEsports Summer Camp. An initial Youth Leadership Academy has been developed, and has served 60 past LiFEsports campers as they become high school students. Two key partners essential for helping address the community need and LiFEsports growth are OSU Extension and Ohio 4-H. Both have historically promoted positive youth development through 4-H, family and consumer sciences programming, agricultural programs, and community development efforts. Given the parallel missions, university leaders in LiFEsports, OSU Extension and Ohio 4-H have been strategizing about the future integration of LiFEsports, Ohio 4-H and Extension programming related to service and outreach, planning for integrated teaching and learning strategies, and fostering collaborative research on positive youth development. This presentation will review past successes, outcomes and innovations in LiFEsports, ones that set the stage for baseline mapping and planning. Facilitators and barriers to the LiFEsports, OSU Extension and Ohio 4-H collaboration will be shared. Plans underway for joint programming, shared staffing and financial resources, and mutual accountability for outcomes will be described. Participants will learn innovative ways to creatively address sustainability and expansion as a joint, unified mission is created.
AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Dawn Anderson-Butcher, Professor, College of Social Work LiFEsports, CAYCI, anderson-butcher.1@osu.edu (Corresponding Author); Julie Fox, Associate Professor/Associate Chair, Department of Extension, and The Ohio State University Extension Urban Metro Program Leader, Central Region Director; Jerry Davis, Assistant Director, Executive Director of LiFEsports Service and Outreach, Department of Athletics; Stephen Moore, Program Coordinator, LiFEsports Initiative; Tasha Henderson, Student Research Assistant, LiFEsports Initiative; Erica Magier, Research Assistant, LiFEsports Initiative.

Keywords

youth development, partnerships, sustainability, Extension, LiFEsports

Citation

Engaged Scholars, v. 6 (2018).

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/1811/84641

Collections

Engaged Scholars: Volume 6 (2018)

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