PROBLEM: Organised club sport in Sweden has an important role regarding implementing physical activity and a healthy life style among children and youth. Approximately 80 % of Swedish children and youth have traditionally been involved in club sports during their childhood and youth, but that number is slowly decreasing. The yearly report from Centrum för Idrottsforskning (2018) is indicating that sportparticipation is decreasing most among boys 7-12 years old. An alarming discovery! Sweden is also one of the countries within EU that has allowed most asulym seekers / capita. Many children and youth without experience of organised club sports have arrived to Sweden. The national sport federation have a vision that sport can be a tool not only for physical activity but also for integration. Can the sport clubs efforts to involve newly arrived children and youth in their activities lead to a change of the forms traditional of youth sport is organised?
METHOD and FINDINGS: In order to answer that question three studies was carried out: 1) what experience do newly arrived 10 year old children have of sport? Twentyfour newly arrived children were asked to draw their experience of play and sport. The drawings were analysed and divided into three categores a) the children with experience of sport that was similar to Swedish club sport b) the children with experience of creative games and sport, spontaneous way of playing and moving c) children with almost no experience of physical activity or sports at all; 2) Next study was an interview study with two children from each category to discuss their experiences of sport in Sweden. They described some obstacles for participation as lack of talent, lack of friends with a sport interest and lack of information about the activities; 3) The third study adressed the sport clubs. How did they work to involve immigrant children in sport and what obstacles have they experienced? Ten representatives from sport clubs all over Sweden were interviewed. The result showed that the clubs had worked out ” new forms” of organising the activities to meet the conditions that suited immigrant children, as drop in activities and mixed age group activities, focusing more on activity, less on competition.
CONCLUSION: Based on the results of these three studies the conclusion will discuss whether these ”new” forms of club sport activities also can attract Swedish born children and youth that recently is dropping out from club sport. Can new forms of activities help Swedish sport clubs to fulfill their mission to offer physical activity for all children and youth?