Sport for Changemaking

About Ashoka's Sport for Changemaking initiative

With a network of over 3,800 social entrepreneurs, Ashoka’s Sport for Changemaking Initiative harnesses Ashoka’s 40+ years of expertise in social entrepreneurship and innovation to work with sports changemakers, policymakers, and industry experts. Together, we aim to activate a sports ecosystem where every person is a powerful contributor for the good of all.

Coaches, business leaders, fans, teachers, and athletes at all levels have a role to play in actively imagining and creating a future in which everyone can thrive. Let us work together to be active contributors in transforming sport into a driver of positive social change.

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Changemaking Takes a Team: 2023 Sport for Changemaking Insights Report

Ashoka’s Sport for Changemaking Insights and Strategy Report provides a comprehensive discussion on the shifting landscape of the sport ecosystem. Rooted in the concrete experiences of Ashoka Fellows and leading Sport Changemakers, this report provides an overview of the four emerging shifts in the ecosystem and a comprehensive analysis of the strategies we can initiate to advance a more equitable and regenerative world.

We ask that as you read you consider how to activate this movement in your own work. Feel free to explore, download, share, and provide your feedback – we look forward to collaborating!

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How might everyone in the sports ecosystem see themselves as powerful contributors to the good of all?

Over the last 6 months, we have mapped a network of over a hundred social innovators within the Ashoka ecosystem and key experts from the field using sport to realize an Everyone a Changemaker (EACH) world. Through more than 30 interviews and conversations with these global stakeholders, we identified the overarching shifts they’re working on to activate and mobilize the world of sport for the good of all.

Here are 4 shifts we have recognized in our analysis:

Person laughing in front of a football pitch

Shift 1: Invest in the whole person to activate the agency of individuals

“Our goal is to develop better global citizens. A global citizen is someone who understands firsthand why they care about themselves, the others and the world, and knows that they can always create change by taking action.” – Dina Buchbinder

Football team huddling for a conversation

Shift 2: Provide opportunities for all to thrive

“Making sports more inclusive and less competitive. I think sports could be a great way to promote well-being of the whole community.” - Markus Raivio

Football pitch pictured from high up showcasing infrastructure

Shift 3: Leverage the footprint of sports

“The idea is that the projects are carried out in direct contact with the communities so that they truly meet their demands.” – Diane Pereira

Team having fun showcasing a sneaker shoe

Shift 4: Expand the responsibility of the sport industry

“Outside of sports, businesses that understood that they cannot exist without social responsibility are very successful” - Jacek Purski