Our Projects

Sport Matters works with partner organisations around the world using sport to create lasting change in targeted communities.

Sports Integrity and Diplomacy

Sport Matters partners with the Oceania National Olympic Committees through its International Relations Commission on a series of activities across sports policy, advocacy and research and its focus areas of sports integrity and diplomacy. A webinar on the Prevention of Competition Manipulation in Oceania was hosted in December 2020 in partnership with the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Movement Unit on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions.

Quality Physical Education in the Pacific

For many years Sport Matters has collaborated with The University of the South Pacific on research, learning and teaching, regional and international partnerships, and campus and community engagement. In November 2020 USP and Sport Matters delivered the region’s first Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Quality Physical Education in the Pacific that reached over 400 participants from 24 countries.   

Policy Development, Consultation and Advocacy

Sport Matters has been engaged by UNESCO to lead regional consultations, policy development and advocacy in the Pacific on sport, physical activity and physical education. Activities have included facilitation of regional sport policy forums, regional consultations with key stakeholders, and the design of the Pacific Sport, Physical Activity and Physical Education (SPAPE) Action Plan 2019 – 2030.

Raising the voice for Sport in the Pacific

In 2017 and 2018 Sport Matters partnered with the Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) and UNESCO to deliver a regional initiative that aimed to raise the voice for sport in the Pacific in 8 target countries: Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Samoa, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. The project was funded by the European Union and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and captured policy recommendations from key stakeholders through 18 national and 3 regional consultations.

Youth Champions for Change

This project engaged 20 Youth Champions from across Viti Levu in Fiji and aimed to build the capacity of youth representatives in promoting social cohesion through sport-based activities in their communities. The project incorporated a series of capacity building workshops, local mentors and peer learning and the national initiative was funded by UNESCO and delivered in partnership with the Fiji Ministry of Youth and Sports.

Disability Inclusive Partnerships

The Fiji Paralympic Committee engaged Sport Matters to provide technical assistance in 2019 to support a series of stakeholder engagement workshops (Suva, SavuSavu, Labasa and Lautoka), a Paralympic Sports Exhibition and the design of a Fiji Inclusive Sports Framework. The sports exhibition featured 5 sports and over 40 people with disabilities to showcase Paralympic sport in Fiji during the inaugural visit from the International Paralympic Committee President. The project was funded by the British High Commission through its “Enabling Fund” with a view to enabling the Fiji Paralympic Committee to strengthen its partnerships with national federations and contribute to the development of a more equitable society through sport.

Inclusive Community Programs

An inclusive sports event was hosted at Churchill Park in Lautoka Fiji to mark the launch of Olympic Day celebrations in Fiji in 2019 that reached over 500 people with disabilities and their families from the Western Division of Fiji. Sport Matters provided technical assistance on disability inclusive development to the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC), conducted local outreach visits, led a community awareness session for local sporting organisations and volunteers, and provided some funding to support the event costs.  

Asian Sports Partnership Program

In partnership with Badminton Australia and Squash Australia, Sport Matters managed the design and delivery of two international development projects funded by the Australian Government through the Asian Sports Partnerships Program. ‘Shuttle Time Nepal’ and ‘Shuttle Time Bangladesh’ aimed to reach primary school students through teacher training in badminton, and ‘The Squash Classroom’ aimed to empower youth through the sport of squash in Pakistan.