Sports Diplomacy & Skills-Building

A client project to design and implement a learning experience for a global audience.

The goal of this project was to develop an non-traditional learning experience tailored to an international delegation from Mexico.

The program was implemented in English and Spanish for learners with various abilities and expertise within the adaptive sports space.

The Analysis Phase

My process began with information gathering to identify the learning goals and client objectives. To do this I…

  • Facilitated an initial brainstorming and requirements-gathering session with the client;

  • Reviewed learner interview data to generate a better understanding of their experiences, needs, and perceived knowledge gaps; and

  • Interviewed SMEs and conducted desk research to learn as much as I could about the topics.

    • 17 delegates from 3 different cities in Mexico

    • Diverse professional backgrounds, levels of English proficiency, and accessibility needs

    • Equip sports administrators with skills and knowledge to more effectively coach, mentor, and develop leadership skills among athletes with disabilities;

    • Examine effective models in the grassroots development and promotion of sports for people with disabilities; and

    • Empower emerging leaders working in disability sports to promote disability rights and inclusiveness throughout Mexico.

  • Delegates were recruited and interviewed by partners at the local U.S. Embassy in Mexico who shared the learner information and data with us to review.

The Design Phase

After I synthesized my analysis into preliminary learning objectives, I began drafting an outline of the program.

  • Brainstormed potential cities to host the delegation;

  • Mapped out a preliminary schedule;

  • Refined a list of potential resources and learning sessions; and

  • Considered logistical needs including accessibility, interpretation, and translation.

The Development Phase

I continued to refine and iterate on the learning goals and program based on feedback from the client and other stakeholders.

My colleague and I worked together to procure interpretation and translation services and ensure travel arrangements considered any accessibility needs.

The Implementation Phase

As the Program Lead, I traveled with the delegation to ensure the experience was as smooth as possible.

The on-the-ground team included myself and two Spanish interpreters. We worked closely to address any concerns that arose, and made adjustments, as needed.

The Evaluation Phase

The program included two levels of evaluation to inform how we made improvements in real-time and for future iterations.

  • Formative Evaluation - Gathered continuous feedback from delegates while the program was in-progress.

  • Summative Evaluation - Gathered insight from learner presentations and collected feedback via a survey and open forum discussion.

  • Since I traveled with the delegation, I was able to observe each learning session and collect feedback. This allowed me to work with SMEs and instructors to adjust the program and learning objectives while we were on the ground.

  • At the conclusion, I facilitated a closing workshop that included learner presentations and an evaluation session.

    • Learner presentations provided insight into their key takeaways from the experience;

    • A brief Qualtrix survey allowed for the formal collection of quantitative and qualitative feedback; and

    • An informal open forum allowed learners to provide anecdotal feedback on their learning experience.

The End Result

I designed and implemented a non-traditional learning intervention for international sports administrators and coaches to build their knowledge of athlete development, disability inclusion, and the Paralympic movement.

Project Retrospective

Future Improvements:

While the learning sessions spanned diverse topics, the delegates could have benefited from a few more technical sessions.

For example, they could have learned from Paralympic referees to explore specific rules and regulations, including how to classify athletes into competitive divisions.

Others Takeaways:

This learning experience relied heavily on printed materials including the program book which outlined the entire curriculum, schedule, and logistics. It would have been interesting to explore a digital version that allowed for flexibility when adjustments were needed and a central place to house all the tools and resources garnered throughout the program.