Sports in India, particularly for marginalized communities such as the girl child, disabled individuals, and those living with HIV, continues to face significant challenges. These communities often encounter barriers that limit their access to sporting opportunities and hinder their active participation. The girl child confronts cultural biases and gender stereotypes that discourage her from pursuing sports, resulting in limited exposure and support. Disabled individuals struggle with inadequate infrastructure, lack of inclusivity, and social stigma, which restrict their engagement in various sports. Similarly, people living with HIV experience discrimination and misunderstanding, impeding their involvement due to misconceptions about transmission risks.
Addressing these issues requires comprehensive efforts to break down societal barriers, create inclusive sporting environments, and promote awareness that encourages active participation and holistic well-being for all individuals, regardless of their background or health condition. Such an initiative was undertaken in the form of Bangalore School Sports Foundation (BSSF), which was founded by Elvis Joseph, a sports management professional, who has initiated many sports programs and is working with children and young adults who come from the most vulnerable and disadvantaged communities.
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Q. What inspired you to establish the Bangalore School Sports Foundation (BSSF) and focus on sports and healthy lifestyle initiatives at the grassroots level? How has your background as a former State and University Athlete influenced his approach to sports management and community development through the organisation?
A. It has been “SPORTS & HUMANITIES” that inspired me with a desire to serve passionately, influencing & impacting the lives of children and youth through sports.
Over the decades I have gone through some life-changing experiences through sports, the struggles, triumphs, defeats and perseverance, that enabled me with a vision to work among Orphan & vulnerable children and youth, who have been neglected and deprived of limited or no Opportunities, Lack, Suppression, stigmatised, discriminated & further divided into clusters of communities impacting their lives and overall health and wellbeing.
Me being raised in a Christian family I have always been taught to lead by example and pursue a life driven by purpose, through sports my calling has been of true significance, focusing on principles, values, practices and priorities of walking in faith that has been the very inception of Bangalore Schools Sports Foundation.
As an athlete I have faced numerous challenges, issues, concerns & neglect that have impacted and influenced me to be a catalyst for positive change, using sports as a platform I created an inclusive strategic adaptive management system through the foundation with a strong, safe sustainable framework and engagement for communities enhancing their social fabric promoting healthier lifestyles and creating a cohesive environment enabling children and youth with the right to play sports through structured sports & healthy Lifestyle programs enabling their progressive development.
Q. How has BSSF's work with physically challenged, intellectually challenged, and orphaned children reflected its commitment to humanitarian service through sports? In what ways does the organisation contribute to creating equal opportunities and identifying special talents among disadvantaged children and youth?
A. Bangalore Schools Sports Foundation's commitment towards humanitarian service & sports has been through active, supportive and competitive sports programs and projects, our initiatives and efforts in building a safe socio-ecosystem for physically challenged, intellectually challenged, and orphaned children have been through inclusivity, empowerment, skill development, awareness & advocacy, & community building, contributing towards the positive impact on mental health, social interaction, advancing human rights & promotion of humanitarian values.
Through our customised projects & high impact programs, we provide inclusivity and equal access in sports fostering a sense of belonging, empowering children and youth to challenge stereotypes, barriers and adversity develop essential life skills, teamwork, Leadership, perseverance, effective communication, building self-esteem, customised sports training, competitions and equipping them with tools to navigate various aspects of life and gaining a sense of accomplishment.
BSSF's mission in engaging humanitarian service through sports reflects values of compassion, empathy and social responsibility creating equal opportunities, identifying special talents enabling and empowering them with the “RIGHT TO PLAY SPORTS” and bringing them to mainstream society.
Q. Can you elaborate on BSSF's approach to using sports as a medium of transformation for community outreach and humanitarian service?
A. The Foundation's outreach projects and humanitarian service involve a thoughtful and strategic approach to how to effectively use sports to bring about positive change in communities. Our approach and process involve a DBI – (Design Build Implement) Model “Identifying Objectives of our initiatives, create need-based assessments, design programs, strategic partnerships, monitoring and evaluation, long term sustainability, Advocacy and awareness.
We engage with community members and stakeholders to gather insights and involve them in the planning process to conduct a Need-based assessment of the community's needs and challenges. understanding the context of their existing resources and gaps that sports could help address.
We develop well-structured sports program that aligns with our objectives and the needs of the community we choose sports activities that are inclusive, adaptable, and suitable for orphan & vulnerable children, youth, people with disabilities, or marginalized communities, we create a sustainable framework for our sports programs by training local coaches, mentors, and volunteers. We collaborate with local organizations, schools, community centres, and sports clubs to maximize resources. We Seek expertise & partnerships with UN agencies NGOs, Government Departments, NGOs and corporate sponsors that share our mission and can provide support.
We ensure our sports programs are accessible to all participants, regardless of their physical abilities, age, gender, or background we design activities that not only focus on physical development but also promote life skills such as teamwork, communication, leadership, and conflict resolution. We Incorporate workshops and sessions that teach valuable skills beyond the sports.
This is our commitment to making a positive impact, through our community outreach and humanitarian service, empowering and building the lives of children and youth through sports as a powerful medium of transformation.Top of Form
Q. How has BSSF collaborated with local communities, educational institutions, and other social sector stakeholders to ensure the success of its sports and healthy lifestyle initiatives? How can such collaborative mechanisms expedite the efforts of the organisation?
A. Our collaboration with local communities & Institutions on Sports, health & advocacy initiatives has been a rewarding endeavour that promotes physical activity, wellness, and community engagement. Our collaborative partnerships have been through our projects such as
- Champion in me : Sports for children and youth Living with HIV/AIDS
- Magic Feet : Sports for Children and youth living in Slums
- I AM She : Sports for Vulnerable Girl Children
- Challenged : Sports for the physically challenged (Wheelchair)
- Invisible Talent : Sports for Children and youth in prison (Juvenile)
- Envision : Sports for Special Children (Intellectually Challenged)
- Beyond Borders : Sports for refuge children and youth
- Survivors : Sports for tribal children and youth
Building responsible relationships was essential to expedite life-impact projects, fortunately, some good relationships paid off, on this path that we took. We had established good relations with some community leaders, and local organizations. We engaged in open and transparent communication to understand the need and align it with the vision of BSSF.
We designed and developed Inclusive sports programs that were accessible and inclusive to people of all abilities, and fitness levels. we also kept our focus on forming new partnerships with local schools, sports clubs, fitness centers, and healthcare providers We also advocated our causes through community awareness events & programs such as Celebrity Fashion Runways, and produce documentary films on our initiatives to build and Promote Public Awareness,
All of these herculean tasks & activities helped us in expediting the program as it enabled us to build community networks, seek funding and resources such as grants, sponsorships, and donations. These resources help sustained and expanded our initiatives over time
Q. Can you provide examples of BSSF's community outreach efforts, especially for the youth in rural India and in marginalised societies, and how they have positively impacted local communities in Bengaluru and beyond (rural parts of India)?
Our community outreach projects and programs serve as more than just avenues for physical sporting activity they also foster social development, promote inclusivity and contribute to the overall well-being of individuals enabling and empowering them to mainstream society.
Example: As we are all well aware that one-third of people living with HIV are young children under the age of 17 and more than 18,000 children living with HIV/AIDS in Karnataka are orphaned and vulnerable children. We realised and understood the need of the hour was an innovative approach that can enable and empower and elate this vulnerable mass of children, from Stigma & Discrimination to inclusion or progressive development.
The foundation conceptualized “CHAMPION IN ME“ A well-designed, sport-based initiative, inviting children, Youth and vulnerable communities being victims of HIV to unite on a common platform of sports enabling them with equal opportunities to break down barriers of stigma and discrimination to build self-esteem, confidence, immunity and healthy behaviour all of which used in tackling HIV and furthering childhood development through sports and recreation activity, contributing to physical fitness, mental well-being and social interaction thus eradicating stigma and discrimination and bringing them to the mainstream.
The outcome of this holistic approach has raised more than three thousand children and youth from all districts of Karnataka to participate in active sports programs, enabling the best talented to represent the state, national and international sporting competitions such as Boston Marathon, Gold Cost Marathon, Nelson Mandela Marathon, Jerusalem Marathon, Phuket International Marathon, Colombo International marathon & the Children Olympics, these representations brought notable recognitions from the United Nations – UNAIDS (Geneva & India), the International Children Games, thus positively impacting the local communities and the pan India.
Q. Could you provide specific examples of how BSSF's outreach projects, such as "Champion in Me" and "Magic Feet," have positively impacted the lives of vulnerable communities?
A. “Champion in me” – Sports for children and youth living with HIV and “Magic Feet “sports for children and youth in slums are two distinctive outreach projects sharing a common goal that’s “Social Inclusion & Equality”.
These outreach projects have shown significant positive impacts on the lives of vulnerable communities in various ways as our sports programs go beyond the boundaries of sports and have played a crucial role in fostering personal development, community engagement and social change bringing people together for shared purposes, leading to stronger social bonds and more cohesive community.
Q. What role do initiatives like "I AM She" and "Beyond Borders" play in promoting gender equality and providing opportunities for marginalized children and youth?
A. We have faced some traditional challenges and notions of what activities are appropriate for boys and girls, both projects have encouraged both genders to participate in a variety of sports programs did help us to breakdown stereotypes that limit girls' and boys’ aspirations and potentials while prioritizing Gender equality we ensured girls and boys have equal access to sports and the associated benefits, this includes physical fitness, skill development, leadership opportunities and personal growth, through our sports programs they build confidence, resilience also encouraging them to voice ideas and matters concerning race, socioeconomic status, disability, advocacy and awareness enriching their lives and building a more equitable and inclusive society.
Q. How does BSSF's work align with corporate values and social responsibility in terms of promoting leadership, advocacy, and overall community development? How does the organisation’s mission to empower 1 million children through sports align with the concept of corporate social responsibility?
A. Bangalore Schools Sports Foundation Integrating outreach sports programs involves promoting “Leadership, employee engagement, diversity and inclusion, advocacy for a social cause, community engagement, skill transfer, partnerships and collaboration, measurements and transparency, inspiring change, community development and brand reputation that aligns well with corporate values and social responsibilities.
As many corporate values emphasize that supporting outreach programs through civil societies creates leadership opportunities for their employees, thus they demonstrate their commitment to nurturing leadership skills that align with their vision for community engagement.
Corporate Involvement in reaching out to ONE MILLION children and empowering lives through active sports programs can be inspiring feet that will enhance employee engagement, as employees feel proud of their company’s efforts in contributing to meaningful social change, thus creating a ripple effect of positive change across various sectors, they can showcase their commitment to making a meaningful impact beyond profits, this alignment will enhance their reputation, strengths relationships with stakeholders and contribute to more just and equitable society.
Q. What were some of the challenges that the Bangalore School Sports Foundation (BSSF) faced while developing sports and healthy lifestyle initiatives at the grassroots level for children and youth, and how did the organization address these challenges to achieve its mission?
A. There were many areas and challenges we faced during the inception, Resources, Partnerships, Lack of facilities and equipment’s funding, secondly getting caregivers, institutions and parents to enroll their children in our sports development programs, and sustaining interest and participation from support and care centers due to time and inevitable reasons saw dropouts as sports and healthy lifestyle was not a priority.
In the Initial years, we conduct community outreach, awareness campaigns, and workshops to emphasize the benefits of sports and healthy lifestyles. Engaged with local schools, community centers, and leaders to build trust and encourage participation advocating and addressing cultural barriers, gender norms, and social expectations, created tailor-made programs to be culturally sensitive and inclusive. Worked with community leaders and influencers to challenge stereotypes and promote the importance of sports and healthy lifestyles for everyone. To increase participation, we chose central locations accessible for participants and consider providing transportation services and partnering with local transportation providers to ensure children could reach the training venue easily.
Created diverse activities, established mentorship programs, and celebrate milestones to keep children and youth motivated. Incorporated ongoing feedback from participants to adapt and improve the program, engaged community members in an effective planning process gathered inputs to build a sense of ownership and in time demonstrated the benefits of our sports development program through visible success and positive outcomes.
Q. Could you shed light on BSSF's vision for the future, including its plans for expanding its programs and impact in the coming years?
A. Bangalore Schools Sports Foundation Vision for the future is to Enable and empower One Million Lives of Children and youth through our sports and healthy lifestyle initiatives.
We envision a future where every child and youth has the opportunity to thrive physically, mentally and socially through sports and healthy lifestyle initiatives, projects and programs. Fostering leadership skills and creating a generation that is resilient, empowered and equipped to contribute positively to their communities.
Our future goal is for the foundation to extend to the most remote communities where access to sports and wellness resources is limited; we aim to form more strategic and beneficial partnerships with institutions, community organizations, local businesses, healthcare providers, corporate, government departments to amplify our impact and create a comprehensive support system, establish satellite training centres and ensure that every child we serve has accesses to our programs.
