In ASPHALT 2, Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen (SDCC), the street sports organization, GAME, and University of Southern Denmark (SDU) collaborate to help reduce social inequity in health by promoting physical activity and participation in positive communities among 10-15-year-old children and young people in disadvantaged residential areas. The ASPHALT 1 project (2018-2020) resulted in GAME and SDCC developing the GAME Community initiative, which aims to create close ties between GAME's activities and local communities. This is intended to ensure motivation and local support for the initiative's young volunteer peer leaders (Playmakers). The goal for GAME Community is that by 2023, 2,000 children and young people will be taking part in the street sports activities, 50% of whom will be girls. An evaluation, led by SDCC and SDU, assesses the initiative to generate knowledge about the effects and mechanisms of GAME Community, so as to understand whether, how and why the initiative achieves its aims.

The project's results are relevant to a wide range of interdisciplinary research fields, organisations, public institutions and other stakeholders working in community settings.​

Substudies

GAME uses a peer-to-peer approach, in which young volunteers are trained to lead free, open street sports activities for children and young people in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. GAME Community is a holistic community-based initiative that trains and supports young volunteers, with particular focus on adapting activities for inactive girls, as well as involving local communities and parents.

In ASPHALT 2, GAME Community is implemented and evaluated in at least 20 communities across the country. The evaluation consists of four sub-studies, which together provide an understanding of the initiative's effects and mechanisms.

In sub-study 1, we examine the level of physical activity during the activities using systematic observation, to assess the extent to which children and young people taking part in GAME Community activities are physically active, and what types of physical activity the sessions consist of.

Sub-study 2 examines participation patterns in GAME Community based on app-based participant registrations. We assess how many children and young people are attracted and retained in the activities, including the proportion of girls and previously inactive participants.

Sub-study 3 is a qualitative study based on interviews with Playmakers and GAME's partner organisations in four selected communities. Here, we examine the programme's functions in order to understand the mechanisms that support stable, well-functioning training sessions, and that attract and retain participants in GAME Community activities.

Sub-study 4 is a PhD study examining the barriers to and facilitators of sports participation among girls from disadvantaged neighbourhoods. This includes an exploration of girls' perspectives on taking part in GAME Community.

Partners

• GAME
• University of Southern Denmark​
  

Funded by:

The Novo Nordisk Foundation

Contact

Charlotte Demant Klinker, Research group lead, senior researcher, PhD

E-mail: charlotte.demant.klinker@regionh.dk
Phone: 27 29 06 80