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Digitalisation

Vorlesen

German Sports Youth and its member organisations consider digitalisation to be a valuable process for the sustainable and creative further development of children’s and youth sport and children’s and youth work. As far as the youth sports organisations are concerned, the analogue world and the digital world are not in competition with one another, but complement one another. Digitalisation ideally supports the primary objective of getting children and young people moving more and thus promoting participation, personal development and a healthy childhood. Irrespective of the trends and developments that prevail in digital sporting communities, children and young people still see sports clubs as places of retreat, friendships, encounters, physical activity, education and learning, intergenerational interactions, health and much more.

On the basis of the policy paper “Getting digitalisation moving“ (2021), which was developed in collaboration with the dsj member organisations, a concept on the same topic was developed at dsj to carry this forward strategically and turn it into concrete action. The three thematic focuses of physical activity, education and engagement have emerged from the policy paper, with additional objectives.

On the whole, the “Getting digitalisation moving” concept serves to advance a systematic further development of children’s and youth work/children’s and youth sport.

Overall, dsj is pursuing three strategic objectives in its “Getting digitalisation moving” concept:

1. dsj wants to get its member organisations moving with digitalisation
Young woman cycling in nature with VR glasses
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The aim is for digitalisation to contribute towards the development of the associations and a systematic knowledge management. Communication between, and training for, member organisations with regard to digitalisation will be guaranteed. The focus is on the topics of physical activity, education and engagement. Even beyond the member organisations, communication and training will be guaranteed with relevant actors in the area of digitalisation. The media literacy within the structures of children’s and youth sport will be increased, and space for communication created on a regular basis. In the context of digitalisation, dialogue between research and practice will also be stepped up. In a joint effort, the potential of digital processes will be harnessed in the areas of education, engagement and physical activity.

 

2. dsj wants to get children and young people moving with digital tools and media
Coach with memo board in hand, surrounded by five children in a sports hall, discussing with them
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dsj is investing, “as a trend scout and instigator”, in digitalisation as a topic of the future and an instrument for latching onto the lives of young people and using digital tools and media to motivate them to do more exercise. This focus is compatible with the exercise campaign MOVE. Here, initial experiences are being gathered from organised sport or commercial providers, research approaches examined, and the findings utilised for the sports club/association.

dsj and its member organisations are confident that digitalisation is and will remain an important topic for children’s and youth sport.

Because: coronavirus was a real catalyst for digitalisation. Digital exercise programmes were created, allowing contact with young sportspeople to be maintained. Every organisation, every sports club has tried things out, gained experience with digital programmes and made progress.

Smartphones, tablets, social media, apps, wearables and much more have become an integral part of the lives of young people. Organised sport should take advantage of this potential, but should also adopt a critical attitude. It should observe trends, monitor developments, and launch concepts that sensibly combine digital and analogue elements and guarantee a strong orientation towards the lives of young people and make them enjoy physical activity or get them curious about the activities of a sports club.

Access to greater physical activity varies significantly among young people – the heterogeneity is undisputed, and the question is how can we also reach those who are primarily interested in technical functions, gaming apps or, for example, competitions on social networks. There is not one single solution for everyone, but we must try things out and create different solutions and ways of accessing sport for different developmental stages and age groups, etc.

3. dsj encourages lobbying for organised children’s and youth sport in relation to digitalisation
Boy with laptop computer doing sport exercises on balcony. Sport, healhty lifestyle, active leisure at home
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The aim is for dsj and its member organisations to become more visible in society/politics as formative civil-society actors. Furthermore, additional funds will be used for the further development of digital potential in organised children’s and youth sport.

To this end, it is vital to become visible in the area of digitalisation and to impart expertise in this area. In addition, dsj and its member organisations should work in networks with other relevant actors to pool interests.