Social return on investment study of Grassroot Soccer’s Coach Development Program to build employability and leadership skills among young volunteer coaches in South Africa

Brief Summary

Background

Youth unemployment is a serious challenge in South Africa, particularly in disadvantaged communities. Sport-based programs offer a promising way to build skills and connect young people to economic opportunities.

What Grassroot Soccer did

Grassroot Soccer ran its Coach Development program in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, from 2013 to 2017, providing young volunteer coaches ages 18–30 with leadership training, mentorship, and employability skills. Researchers used a Social Return on Investment analysis to assess the program's broader value to participants and their communities.

What the study found

Three in four participants moved into employment, education, or training. For every South African Rand invested, the program generated more in social value.

Why this matters

Sport-based youth development programs may deliver meaningful economic and social returns, benefiting not just participants but their families and wider communities.

DETAILED SUMMARY

Importance

Sport may foster development and engage youth through relatable language. Youth unemployment, especially in disadvantaged areas, is a concern in South Africa. Considering the “youth bulge,” this program sought to address a goal of South Africa’s National Development Plan: to increase employment.

Objective

To use the Social Return on Investment (SROI) method to analyze monetized value (including social, environmental, and economic) generated by the program

Study details

Study design: SROI method (six stages prepared by Social Value UK, 2012)
Data collection tools: In-depth interviews with 15 Coaches; questionnaires with Coaches; key informant interviews with program coordinator and monitoring and evaluation director
Participants: Volunteer Coaches aged 18-30 years, Coaches’ immediate families, employers, implementing GRS staff, local government, educational institutions
Implementation setting: Khayelitsha, Cape Town, South Africa
Study period: 2013-2017

Intervention

Coach Development: Grassroot Soccer’s youth employability and leadership program. Weekly structured group sessions with participants; monthly one-on-one mentoring; annual training sessions; and quarterly follow-ups meant to enhance youth employability
Additional skills enhanced for labor market needs, education, and training: Specialized vocational or technical skills; habitual and ethical professional and personal skills; personal integrity and honesty; and core skills such as computer literacy, creative problem-solving, active listening, group facilitation, and social interaction

Results

75% of youth progressed into employment, education, and training, with positive social returns for the youth and external stakeholders
SROI ratio: 72.27% over the five-year period, which indicates significant social return on investment generated by the program.
For each South African Rand (ZAR) invested in the program, 1.7227 ZAR were generated in social value for stakeholders (Value/ZAR = ZAR*1.7227).
Sensitivity analysis: SROIcoaches = 2.81%.

Conclusions and implications

Preliminary findings suggest the program can potentially provide positive returns for society, and sport, especially Sport for Development and Peace (SDP), can engage and capacitate the youth
Positive effects extend from participants to peer educators, and results suggest that this investment is both cost-effective and impactful

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Citation

DOI

Year: 2017

Authors: Sanders B, Raptis E

Sanders B, Raptis E. Changing the game - can a sport-based youth development programme generate a positive social return on investment? Commonwealth Youth and Development. 2017;15(1):17 pages. doi:10.25159/1727-7140/1917.