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The Global Sports Week Social Booster Program
“…using the immeasurable power of sport and the sports industry as a force for good.”
Officially re-launched earlier this month at the second Global Sports Week in Paris, our three-month acceleration phase of the second GSW Social Booster Program now begins in earnest.
The GSW Social Booster supports impact-led sports projects from around the world. Open to non-profits and social businesses that use sport to address UN Sustainable Development Goals 3, 4, 5 & 13 - that is to say, Health, Quality Education for All, Gender Equality and Climate Action - 8 finalists were chosen to pitch at Global Sports Week. Our team will now work closely with these 8 finalists to help accelerate the already awe-inspiring work of these organisations.
Leading this year’s application process was our Outreach and Communications Coordinator, Alisar Awwad. We spoke with her to better understand the purpose and process behind this project, and how her personal purpose story intertwined to build a positive and meaningful foundation for the 2021 program.
For you, what is the purpose behind the social booster project?
To me personally, it is about sharing resources, understanding and space in order to uplift and support communities around the world. It’s all about using our platform and privilege to create a community that is supportive and active, with and for each other. It’s about using the immeasurable power of sport and the sports industry as a force for good.
My identity plays a heavy role in my understanding of the world and my role within the booster project. My parents are from Iran & Syria, I was brought up in New Delhi India and I attended a British School. With this global background, I have always strived to contribute whatever I can to turn our world into more of a global community.
I have seen the impact of under-representation when it comes to my identity. I see what it’s like to have the mic taken away from you and have other people speak on your behalf. I grew up watching the impact division had. The impact caste systems, greed and xenophobia had on communities that didn’t fit the status quo. I grew up being excluded and removed from conversations and history. Put simply, to me, this booster is a means to connect us more deeply and to leave a life for the next generation that is even better.
Overall at 17 Sport, our goal is to provide strategic, structural and communications support to accelerate the impact of these outstanding organisations.
With many innovative sport social impact projects pitched, how were the finalists chosen?
As cliché as it may sound, I would have chosen all of the organizations had it been possible! But pragmatically, we created a rubric that balanced the impact of the organization — proof of concept and scalability — with their relevance to the UN SDGs 3, 4, 5 & 13. We also tried to match the goals of the organizations with the skill sets and knowledge bases of our team members to better ensure a valuable experience.
What have been some of the highlights of working on this project so far?
It was an emotional project for me. I was overwhelmed by all the passion and drive people have. Every single application was about an organization or individual doing good for this world. It can be hard to remember that there are good people out there with everything going on in the media. So reading and watching all the applications restored my faith in humanity. It also made me feel a little bit at ease that there is active and amazing work being done to create a better world and life for the next generation. Ultimately, it makes me proud to work for a purpose-driven company like 17 Sport and I can’t wait to dig into the next phase of the acceleration program.
What’s next for the Social Booster?
The GSW Social Booster 2021 program finalists include Football Rising, Kids Play International, The Bike Project, La Balle aux Prisonniers, Skateistan, Fundação EPROCAD, Nomads Surfing and Women and Kids Empowerment (WAKE).
We have matched 17 Sport team members to each project and we’ll be defining core deliverables over the coming week. Watch this space for uplifting stories from our finalists and updates on our progress!
We welcome your involvement!
You can support those on the front end of delivering sport for development projects - these organisations are tackling some of the world’s toughest problems. Visiting the websites of our finalists, following their story on social and getting involved, whether a sustainable purchase, a retweet or investment in their vision - together we can accelerate the transformation of sport into a force for good.
17 Sport is the world’s first truly integrated sports impact company on a mission to build a positive future for the world through sport. We provide purpose-led advisory, commercial and management solutions for brands, sports properties, athletes and non-profits wanting to manage their investments in sport in a more purposeful way.
Learn more about 17 Sport and the GSW Social Booster Program.
