Exploring sport for development and peace interventions’ engagement of target community needs : the case of Cyprus

Abstract

This thesis explores the ways that Sport for Development and Peace Programs incorporate local community input in planning and implementation. Selecting two programs operating in the Cypriot conflict – DOVES Olympic Project and PeacePlayers International Cyprus – the thesis explores each program’s interactions with the local community to discover the extent of local community input and participation to communicate local needs. Through the constructivist paradigm, semi-structured interviews are used to collect the experiences of facilitators and participants of both programs. Analyzing the lived experiences and perceptions of community members familiar with the programs represent important data to better understand community participation and its value to programs doing intercommunal work in Cyprus.