Olympism365: Driving social change through crosssector collaborative funding

18 February 2025 – Thirteen projects from 13 countries have been selected to receive more than USD 470,000 from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), through its Olympism365 Innovation Hub, in collaboration with Beyond Sport and Women Win. The projects will bring together sports and non-sports organisations to develop concrete initiatives that contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The projects represent a range of collaborations that use sport to address pressing social challenges. For example, two of the initiatives focus on the role of sport as a catalyst for economic opportunity and social inclusion, tackling challenges such as youth homelessness and migrant integration.

The O365 Collective365 fund is designed to support projects that integrate sport-based solutions into non-sporting contexts and non-sport-based solutions into sport. It will help recipients either to pilot and trial new ideas (Seed funding), or to expand and evolve established projects (Scale funding). The projects are led by NGOs, public sector organisations and research institutions.

The recipients are:

• AKHIN Street Football for Agripreneur (Nigeria): Combines football with agricultural and life skills training to improve employment opportunities for marginalised homeless young people while also tackling social stigmas and food insecurity. Led by Save the Street Child Foundation (AKHIN) in collaboration with Zigstar Fresh Farms.

   

• Ampi’zay (Enough) (Madagascar): Reducing gender-based violence (GBV) in Malagasy middle schools through the “Rugby for Change” strategy in conjunction with a sensitisation programme for students, parents, teachers and community leaders. Led by Terres en Mêlées in collaboration with Terres en Mêlées Madagascar and local GBV experts.

   

• Automated Referral Exercise Scheme (Great Britain): Developing and implementing an automated health referral process for physical activity programmes in order to reduce the strain on the healthcare system and support non-clinical interventions in the London boroughs. Led by London Sport in collaboration with Health Place, Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) and Virtual Health Labs.

   

• Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley’s Collective Innovation (USA): Partnering to expand a programme that provides youth-focused counselling services, sports clinics, community events and meal kits, particularly in underserved areas. Led by the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley (BGCTV) in collaboration with UTK College of Social Work, One Knox Collective and Second Harvest.

   

• Empowering Women with Intellectual Disabilities (India): Improving the physical fitness, emotional resilience and confidence of 600 Bengali women with intellectual disabilities though adaptive sports training, health monitoring and psychosocial support. Led by Tarapur Social Development Society in collaboration with Special Olympics Bharat West Bengal, Civilian Welfare Foundation and Spriha Society.

   

• Football for Future Innovators (Kenya): Providing pathways to economic stability and housing security for marginalised young people, Lesbian, Bisexual and Queer (LBQ) women and transgender refugees through sports-based STEM courses, vocational training and health education. Led by Matasia Trans Capability in collaboration with Resilient Hearts Africa and Spectrum of Care for Homelessness.

   

• Me la juego por Uribia (Colombia): Piloting a project that uses football and nutrition training to strengthen the socio-emotional and nutritional health of young people and their families in a community that encompasses refugees, migrants, indigenous people and host populations. Led by Fútbol Con Corazón (FCC) in collaboration with Fundación Procaps.

   

• The Omid Collective (Afghanistan): Promoting the human rights of young Afghan women by providing indoor physical activity in safe, women-only spaces and a programme to support their mental and physical health, trauma resilience and leadership skills development. Led by Free to Run in collaboration with Harvard Business School, Women in Negotiation and scholars in feminism and Islam.

   

• Pateando Por La Igualdad (Argentina): Transforming plastic waste collected from low-income neighbourhoods into football boots so that more young people can enjoy football’s benefits. Led by Fenikks in collaboration with Aprile Plásticos

   

• Reimagining Youth Sport Project (USA, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Great Britain and Kenya): Launching a collective to transform the youth sports system into one that nurtures young minds, values diversity and helps young people to recognise their agency and engage meaningfully in their communities. Led by Ashoka Sport for Changemaking in collaboration with Education for Sharing, Ashoka Fellow Victor Gutierrez, Ashoka Young Changemaker Isabela Machado, the World Freestyle Football Association, Youth Sports Trust and Adelphi University Professor Meridith Whitley, with more to come.

   

• Support Needs Assessment Tool Sports and Exercise (Australia): Digitising a free tool that helps community coaches support people with disabilities to participate in sports/physical activity. The project will also trial its implementation as standard practice for sporting and recreation organisations internationally. Led by The University of Queensland project team in collaboration with The Y Queensland.

   

• Trailblazers Collective (Kenya): Piloting a 12-day wilderness experiential learning programme to nurture the country’s next generation of social impact leaders by building their collaboration, creativity and adaptability skills. Led by Emerging Leaders Foundation Limited (ELF)-Africa in collaboration with AddVenture Leadership.

   

• Welcome Sports Club Jobs (Portugal): Expanding a programme that uses sport to promote job placement and social inclusion for migrants and refugees in the rural area of Fundão, further advancing cultural exchange, community and respect. Led by Social Innovation Sportshub Associação (SISH) and Centro para as Migrações do Fundão.

Tackling youth homelessness and food insecurity in Nigeria

In Nigeria, homeless young people face stigma, violence and barriers to employment, reinforcing cycles of poverty. The AKHIN Street Football for Agripreneur programme, a collaboration between Save the Street Child Foundation (AKHIN) and ZigStar Fresh Farms, leverages football as a tool for rehabilitation while equipping participants with literacy, numeracy and organic farming skills. By combining entrepreneurial training with sport, the programme empowers young people to create their own agribusinesses, tackling both youth unemployment and food insecurity.

Every child holds limitless potential – if given the right platform to discover, develop and thrive, they can transform humanity for the better. Joining the Olympism365 Innovation Hub is a significant milestone for our collective, marking global recognition of our mission to transform the lives of street-connected youngsters.

Israel Balogun, Director, AKHIN

Sport as a bridge to employment and social inclusion of migrants and refugees in Portugal

For migrants and refugees, integration into a new society often presents social and economic challenges. In Portugal, the Welcome Sports Club Jobs (WSC Jobs) initiative, led by Social Innovation Sportshub Associação (SISH) in collaboration with Centro para as Migrações do Fundão, uses sport as a bridge to employment and social inclusion. Through a four-stage approach, the programme combines sport sessions, vocational training, mentoring and job placement support, fostering community connections while reducing isolation. Building on its success in urban Lisbon, WSC Jobs is now expanding to rural Fundão, addressing local economic needs and creating a scalable, adaptable model for migrant integration.

Being selected for the Olympism365 Innovation Hub is an extraordinary opportunity to connect with leading organisations, learn from diverse global practices and understand how innovation can be applied across different contexts… Our collective aims to expand its knowledge, gain greater recognition both nationally and globally and, most importantly, amplify the positive impact we have on the communities we serve.

André Ries, Project Manager, Social Innovation Sports

Driving innovation through the Olympism365 Innovation Hub

The Olympism365 Innovation Hub, a collaboration between the IOC, Beyond Sport and Women Win, is a bespoke programme and fund supporting over 60 innovations that use sport for sustainable development around the world, through a multimillion-dollar investment that will benefit thousands of people and communities by 2026.

Aiming to foster new and innovative ways to use sport for social change, four distinct funding opportunities have been launched through the Innovation Hub: Grassroots365, Enterprise365, Collective365 and Tech365.

To further explore the Olympism365 Innovation Hub, join us on 19 February at a free virtual webinar hosted by the IOC, Beyond Sport and Women Win. Learn how the Hub is driving sports innovations and creating sustainable change in communities around the world – and how can you contribute. Register here.

Olympism365 Summit: Sport for a Better World

The collective impact of over 500 sport and community initiatives supported by the IOC and delivered by global and local partners, which directly contribute to achieving the UN SDGs, will be showcased at the “Olympism365 Summit: Sport for a Better World”.

The invitation-only event, organised by the IOC, will take place from 3 to 5 June in Lausanne, Switzerland. During the Summit, representatives from the Olympic Movement, United Nations agencies, development and financing institutions, civil society and for-purpose business will share best practices and explore new co-investment opportunities.

Learn more about the Summit