Impact of Community Sports Promoting of Social Inclusion in Glasgow - Literature review Example

As evaluated from historical evidence, Bilborough (1983) believes that support for involvement in sports from the early nineteenth century was carried over into the modern era. Since the late eighteenth century, it was noted that with the exception of swimming, sporting interests were dictated by socio-economic status. The working population enjoyed football, handball, athletics, while the affluent engaged in riding, golf, and bowling. In spite of the differences in interest between the rich and the poor, however, “sport continued to be regarded as an important force for social cohesiveness and group unity … [and] reinforced the sense of solidarity of the community” (Bilsborough, 1983, p. 285). Current initiatives towards social inclusion are still grounded on the time-tested efficacy of sports.

The Scottish government approach in the promotion of social inclusion is grounded on the belief that: “ …everyone has a right to participate fully in society and to have the opportunity to reach their full potential. No democratic society should tolerate the misery and divisions which social exclusion represents … should permit the development of conditions in which alienation, racism, and violent disorder can flourish. Moreover, in an increasingly global economy, economic competitiveness and the ability to thrive depends on the extent to which the full human resources of Scotland can be mobilized and maximized.

The Government believes, therefore, that action must be taken to achieve true equality of opportunity” (The Scottish Office, 1999, para. 1) Government action to promote social inclusion should, therefore, be anchored on an evidence-informed society where policymakers and other stakeholders can be afforded access to a full range of evidence on how community sports affects government efforts towards social inclusion. This aspect is echoed by the Scottish Office (1999) when they affirmed that “action to promote social inclusion must be based on a sound understanding of ‘what works’, harnessing the experience developed through a range of local projects, programmes and initiatives in Scotland over many years.

Glasgow was chosen as the research locale for three very important reasons: first, 36 percent of the population in the deprived areas of Scotland or some 270,000 people are residing in Glasgow; second, majority of the ethnic minorities are in Glasgow; and third, Glasgow has the lowest rate of sports participation among the local authorities in Scotland (Best and Nicolson, 2006). An analysis of what worked and what went wrong among the social inclusion mechanisms instituted in Glasgow can, therefore, shed light to policymakers in enhancing the provision of services aimed at promoting social inclusion.