Planning sport events regularly throughout your programme will build visibility of your programme, raise interest, and be a good way to inform the community about what you are doing in an informal way. These events can be formal tournaments or competitions, but can also be simply play days when you create a space for community members can come and try your sport. Many organisations plan sport events that focus on a theme that they want to raise awareness about through the event, for example HIV/AIDS, child protection, or GBV. An event does not necessarily have to be a sporting event; it can also be a parade, a theatre performance, etc.
Objectives
- To raise awareness in your community about your programme or a specific theme
- To build visibility in the media
- To build partnerships with other sport organisations or teams
- To engage stakeholders and get their help in planning
Guidelines and Tips
- Plan the theme of the event, the number of teams who will participate, the day and time.
- Choose a location for the event that will allow for guests and spectators, as well as media.
- Write formal invitations for the event to be distributed to stakeholders.
- Invite media and any guest speakers.
- Create posters or banners advertising your organisation and the theme of the event.
- Create attendance lists so that attendees can sign them and you can track if certain stakeholders attended.
- Invite parents/caregivers and other stakeholders to take roles in planning and carry out the event.
- Plan any food or refreshments to be served.
- Present awards and recognition to any important community allies at the event.
- Encourage community participation as much as possible, and have as many representatives as possible from your organisation who can talk to people and answer questions.
- Good community engagement strategy means involving your girl participants and also other community members in the planning of events.
- A good way of raising awareness at events is to print t-shirts or flyers and to distribute them or wear them. It is also a good idea to try to get your event publicised by the media.
How It Works
Nicaragua
Women Win partner Central American Women’s Fund uses theatre performances as a way to raise awareness about issues that face girls in their communities. The girls write and prepare the theatre pieces and then invite the community to attend the performances. This can be done as a half-time break on the same day as a sport event, which is a good way of performing for an already large audience.
Kenya
Women Win partner Boxgirls in Nairobi organises mother/daughter sport days that allow adolescent girls in their programmes to teach their mothers boxing moves and play fun sport games with them. This gives the mothers an opportunity to understand exactly what their daughters are doing and experience what if feels like to actually take part in boxing. Boxgirls also organises community parades, during which girls and their families walk through the streets of the community holding signs around different topics, such as women and child rights, and chant songs and slogans while community members watch and cheer on.
Caption: Community parade in Nairobi organised by Boxgirls.
Colombia
Tiempo de Juego organises 5K races in the community in support of women’s rights, attracting more than 1,000 runners and spectators.
Caption: 5K run in support of women's rights organised by Tiempo de Juego.
Bangladesh
Women Win partner BRAC, through the Adolescent Development Programme (ADP), organises large community events called Adolescent Fairs, which attract around 500 adolescents from the local community. The events involve the entire community and include sport competitions for youth, mothers and fathers, speeches by influencial government and community leaders, theater, games and a procession through the community streets. The fair sells different products made by adolescent club members such as handicrafts, nursery items, local and tribal goods. Essay writing competition and painting competition for students and cultural programmes are also organised as part of this event. Through these fairs, ADP tries to involve people from every sphere of the community to create awareness on different adolescent related issues.
Caption: An Adolescent Fair run by the Adolescent Development Programme at BRAC