Sport Matters, an Australian-based organisation founded in 2011 to make a difference in people’s lives using sport as a tool for development in Australia, the Pacific, Asia and Africa, launched a new report on sport for development at Parliament House in Canberra in June.
‘Why Sports Matters: Sport for development in Australia, the Pacific and Asia’, features case studies from Australian organisations using sport to contribute to outcomes in health, gender equality, social inclusion, children and youth and people with disabilities.
Included among the case studies was a presentation on the Just Play Programme, due to the support provided to OFC by the Australian Government, through the Australian Aid program and the Australian Sports Commission, as well as Football Federation Australia.
Castillo says the case study demonstrates how sport can be used as a social tool, supported specifically by the success of the Just Play Programme throughout the Pacific, while also identifying an emerging element of diplomacy.
“This was an opportunity for us to demonstrate with concrete evidence that when we use sport as a development tool it’s not only effective, but it’s also cost efficient. To give an example, where a programme in Australia might cost A$200 per child, per year, Just Play costs A$20. So that means it is an incredibly cost efficient programme that allows us to make an impact, at a fraction of the cost.”
Just Play focuses on four key objectives – non-communicable diseases, gender equality, disability inclusion and child protection – and Castillo says an external evaluation carried out in 2012, looking at the period of 2009 through 2011, identified the impact the programme is making to lives in the Pacific.
“Consultant, Kylie Bates conducted the external evaluation during which she spoke with the Australian High Commissioners in all the countries we were working with, who had been invited to attend training and festivals to highlight the Australian Government’s contribution and assistance in the Pacific.”
What emerged from their feedback was that: “Just Play noted that shared objectives promote a positive relationship between the people of Australia and the Pacific Island countries, while diplomatically the programme is seen as a low risk programme which includes minimum input and maximum gains”, Castillo reads.
With support for Just Play by the Australian Government, Castillo believes it is important to show that the programme is in line with the Government’s aid focus, which emphasises health and social responsibility, and has the same objectives.
“We are really keen to develop Just Play further in the Pacific region and this is an opportunity we are exploring with the Australian Government and UNICEF,” Castillo says.
“Directly following the meeting I met with the Australian Sports Commission and with Martin Roberts who is currently developing the Australian Government Sports Diplomacy strategy within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
“I think it is important when you have this trust between partners, to constantly strengthen the partnership and work closely together. Good sport for development also produces significant sports diplomacy opportunities for both the Australian Government and our partners. We hope to grow these opportunities as we move forward with partners like OFC and FFA. ”
Prior to his visit to the capital, Castillo also stopped over in Sydney where he met with Football Federation Australia about further collaborating on Just Play, as well as visiting a local university about introducing the FIFA CIES programme.
“This is an opportunity for this highly successful sports management programme to be offered to the Pacific,” Castillo explains, “and as part of that we can start to improve the skills not only of football administrators, but sports administrators in general from around the Pacific.”
To learn more about Just Play visit www.justplayofc.org
To read the Sport Matters resource featuring the Just Play case study visit www.sportmatters.org.au

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