Perceptions, Intentions and Realities: Exploring the Lived Experience of Sport Participation Amongst Youth and Young Adults Living in Toronto Neighbourhood Improvement Areas

Sport involvement is suggested to offer a context for health and wellness, civic engagement, economic development and prosperity, and other physical, psychological, and social benefits (Fraser-Thomas et al., 2005; Sport Information Resource Centre. (2012); however, sport can also be a site for differentiating, marginalizing and excluding individuals and groups (Spaaij et al., 2014). This study examined the lived experience of sport participation among youth and young adults living in Toronto Neighbourhood Improvement Areas (NIAs), which included: (1) understanding sport development pathways; (2) examining the psychosocial factors that influence sport participation; and (3) understanding how neighbourhood spaces facilitate/impede sport participation. The research draw upon cultural praxis (Blodgett et al., 2015, Ryba & Wright, 2010), socio-ecological approaches (e.g., Bronfenbrenner, 2005; Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 1998), postcolonial feminism (Khan, McDonald et al., 2007; OMahoney & Donnelly, 2010), and spatial theory (Lefebvre, 1991) to critically examine factors that influenced sport participation and development. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 young adults to explore participant sport journeys and five focus groups were conducted with 27 young adults to understand how local spaces were used/perceived for sport. Four manuscripts are presented, which directly address the research questions, starting with a broad understanding of participant sport journeys, followed by a deeper exploration of the socio-ecological processes influencing youth and young adults sport participation and development within NIAs. This dissertation challenges researchers and practitioners to widen of scope of studying and understanding sport participation and development.