Youth-led street sport is a growing organic trend that can’t be ignored. Urban sports that don’t need expensive equipment or a dedicated location have a unique ability to connect and engage communities. But even taking into account its improvisational culture, good locations for street sport can be hard to find.
That’s where GAME comes in. Founded in Denmark in 2002, GAME is a dynamic NGO that aims to harness street sport to create lasting social change on young people’s own terms. In practice, it provides space and equipment for street sport to take place while allowing participants the freedom to define the format of the activities and related street culture.
GAME began by organising open training sessions in activities like street basketball, soccer and dance in urban areas across Denmark. Currently it provides four asphalted “street sports hubs” located in old industrial areas and 19 “Game Zones” that lower the entry threshold to street sports and culture. Strong focus is placed on the inclusion of vulnerable children and youths as well as women and participants from immigrant backgrounds. This successful concept is now spreading across the world, with GAME hubs operating in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
Founded by members of Denmark’s business community, GAME has moved away from the culture of volunteerism that characterises many community initiatives. Instead, it has developed into a highly professional organisation with a competent team of employees and a management group with experience from the private sector. Many of its activities are sponsored by commercial partners from the business world, who in return receive exposure among a key demographic.
As well as providing spaces, GAME also trains youth leaders as instructors and role models in street sports and civic engagement. Its stated aims include empowering young people by enhancing their life skills. It also encourages entrepreneurship, offering with seed funding, counselling and mentoring, to transform young people’s ideas into viable business or non-profit start-ups.
GAME has already expanded beyond Danish borders and now has a strong presence in nine countries across three continents. It is actively seeking new business partners to deliver positive impacts in its existing areas of operation as well as its expansion into new territories. GAME’s success demonstrates that with innovative management and planning, such ambitious initiatives can be financed to a large part by private-sector investment and sponsorship. Further details are available here.
