Harnessing the transformative power of sport
How Laureus supports youth in under-served communities
Founded in 2000, Laureus is made up of three core elements - Laureus Sport for Good, the Laureus World Sports Academy and the Laureus World Sports Awards. Together they form a unique not-for-profit organisation whose purpose is: to change the world through the power of sport.
Stonehage Fleming has supported the charity since 2016. As the 2022 Laureus World Sports Awards approaches, we spoke to Stonehage Fleming’s Mark McMullen and Laureus Sport for Good’s Brett Graham to find out more.
What is Laureus’ vision?
Brett Graham (BG): At the inaugural Laureus World Sportswards in 2000, President Mandela said: “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. Sport can awaken hope where there was previously only despair.” This has become the philosophy of Laureus and has set the tone for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation which uses sport as a powerful and cost-effective tool to help children and young people overcome violence, discrimination and disadvantage in their lives. How is Stonehage Fleming involved?
Mark McMullen (MM): Personally, I have been involved for many years, partly as an advisor to Laureus on their High Net Worth strategy, secondly representing Stonehage Fleming at the awards and thirdly as a personal donor. I first attended the Sports Awards in 2016 on behalf of Stonehage Fleming and it’s now one of the highlights of my year. The Stonehage Fleming Charitable Foundation donates annually to Laureus, this year, to programmes in South Africa and the UK.
We are supporting the award winning Waves for Change surfing programme that helps children and young adults affected by trauma to learn the coping skills and emotional resilience to transition to stable futures. London-based boxing academy, Fight for Peace, is another programme we support. It provides young people involved in crime and violence with the opportunities and healthy role models to realise their full potential.
Tell us about the Sport for Good Foundation
MM: The foundation supports more than 250 charitable programmes in 50 countries that use sport to combat violence, discrimination and disadvantage faced by young people. The work is championed by the Laureus Academy, made up of over 65 globally recognised sporting legends, including Sir Steve Redgrave, Nadia Comaneci, Edwin Moses, Ruud Gullit, Sachin Tendulkar, Michael Johnson and Morné du Plessis.
BG: Over the past two decades, Laureus Sport for Good has developed a global network of grantee partners, a worldwide charitable infrastructure as well as a depth of understanding and credibility in our field, all of which has seen us recognised as a leading organisation in the Sport for Development community.
How does Laureus measure impact?
BG: Over the last ten or so years, philanthropic giving has become more sophisticated. Donors are increasingly hands-on; they want to know where their funding is going and what impact it is having.
In order to achieve real impact on the ground, we have focused our efforts and resource around the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which we believe sport can most effectively be used to achieve.
We invest in programmes which are aimed at achieving outcomes for children and young people in one or more of the following six SDG-related social focus areas: Health and wellbeing of children, Education, Women and Girls, Employability, Inclusive Societies and Peaceful Societies.
This enables donors to focus their giving and allows us to evaluate and monitor its impact in a very granular and transparent way.
Why is it important to give back at a community level?
BG: I have seen first-hand how funding has achieved a positive impact in under-served communities. Working on the ground with coaches, care workers, communities and schools, it is clear the need is there to address the multiple social issues children are dealing with, like HIV, domestic violence, gender-based violence or education. These children all deserve the opportunity to grow and thrive as individuals in their respective communities, and at Laureus Sport for Good we have seen the vehicle of sport do just that.
Over the course of the last two years, and since the outbreak of the Covid pandemic it has been particularly difficult for young people due to the fact that the safe spaces provided for them by community sports projects were closed for months on end, which had a detrimental effect on their mental health and wellbeing. In 2022, this aspect of Mental Health be a focus for Laureus Sport for Good as well as our many programme partners.
Laureus was founded by its Patrons Richemont and Daimler and is supported by its Global Partners Mercedes-Benz, IWC Schaffhausen and MUFG. Read more via laureus.com