Sport Coalitions in Action Bhutan
The twinning program ‘Sport Coalitions in Action’ in Bhutan will focus on sport activities for vulnerable youth. The aim of the program is to increase the self-esteem and regain a healthier lifestyle among the target group. Social and economic inclusion of the out-of-school youth unemployed and at risk of juvenile crimes, drugs and alcohol-abuse is a main target. The project will be carried out by Bhutanese and Dutch organizations and will link up to the national youth policy.
The program started in October 2009. A mission from Bhutan visited the Netherlands in November 2009. The main objective of the familiarization mission was to meet Dutch organizations involved in sports and community based work, discuss the influx of sports in society and health development, visit programmes on harm reduction, drug and alcohol abuse and sports programs for early school leavers and unemployed youth.
The team visited Doenja Services in Utrecht, Mainline and Sport-it in Amsterdam and met with representatives of the Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Sports and USBO, Utrecht.
Henk de Jong and Mark Blankwater, bhutan+partners, a representative of Utrecht School of Governance and two representatives of Mainline visited Bhutan in December 2009 and January 2010 to discuss the implementation of the sports program together with Bhutanese partners.
More information
Sports Coalition in Action – Dutch Ministry of VWS, 2008
Sport Coalitions in Action Bhutan – Program document, January, 2010
Sport Coalitions in Action BHT – Activity plan, January, 2010
Sports for a wholesome society – Article, Kuensel, March 2009
