Data includes anonymised transcribed formal and informal interviews. The project investigated the role of sport, cultural and education programmes in enabling sustainable development for young people in three low- and middle-income countries: Cape Verde, Nepal and Timor-Leste. Data was collected between October 2017 and April 2019, from our three research locations. Various types of organisations - NGOs, INGOs, governmental organisations, cultural organisations and private donors - contributed data. This project investigates the role of sport, cultural and educational programmes in promoting sustainable development among young people in low- and middle-income countries (LICs and MICs), specifically to tackle poverty, conflict in fragile states, environmental sustainability, and gender inequality. These programmes are usually implemented by non-governmental organizations with support from other agencies. We have little unified knowledge from across different LICs and MICs, of how these programmes are implemented, and how they are experienced and interpreted by young user groups. This project seeks to fill these knowledge gaps, and thus has three broad aims: i) to enhance knowledge of these programmes with young people in LICs; ii) to improve programme efficacy in policy and practice; iii) to work with key stakeholders, to support these interventions, to secure social change. These aims translate into four research objectives: (1) To analyse the specific role of sport, cultural and educational interventions in tackling poverty, conflict in fragile states, environmental sustainability, and gender divisions in LICs. (2) To capture the experiences and perspectives of young people on these programmes. (3) To evaluate comparatively how these programmes are developed, implemented, experienced and interpreted. (4) To identify how programmes may be changed to have stronger benefits for young people.

(1) Qualitative Fieldwork: A minimum total of six full weeks of qualitative fieldwork will be undertaken by the team in each of the three research locations. Each location will be visited by at least two of our team: this team-based approach will enable us to maximise rapid data collection and, as part of the research process, to develop a richer, more reflective and strongly comparative understanding of each research setting. Fieldwork will consist primarily of observational research and interviews at intervention programmes and with surrounding local communities. (2) Focus Groups and Semi-Structured Interviews: We shall hold around 100 focus groups and semi-structured interviews with key informants and individuals within our stakeholder clusters. As recommended in academic literature, focus groups will be used with young people, to take account of the power dynamics between researcher and researched, and to secure comfortable group environments (Langevang 2007). 20 further interviews will be held with international bodies such as NGOs and governmental organizations. All interviews will be recorded, professionally transcribed, and verified by the research team before undergoing narrative and thematic coding using Nvivo. Further semi-structured or unstructured interviews will be undertaken with stakeholders and written up via field-notes. (3) Participatory Action Research methods (PAR): We shall employ PAR with our research groups. A highly innovative, contextual, research group-focused method, PAR is committed to producing research that is “with and by local people rather than on them”, and which fully engages with local communities in making social change (Cornwall and Jewkes 1995: 1667; Cornwall 2008). We shall use PAR data-collection techniques with local stakeholders (notably NGO volunteers, officials, and user groups) to capture their experiences and to identify and facilitate practical, empowering actions that lead towards social change. Our local research groups will be invited to participate in data collection using audio-visual technologies and techniques (such as photo diaries, ‘photovoice’, and digital storytelling), so that they may (re)present themselves in direct and creative ways. In line with the PAR method, the actual data collection technologies to be used will depend on the participants’ preferences. This entails an element of ‘risk’, but PAR carries ‘high rewards’ in generating rich qualitative data and in narrowing the epistemological divide between researchers and researched. To enhance its effectiveness we shall implement different variants of PAR – such as community, feminist and post-colonial approaches – as per context (Chambers 1994; Flicker et al. 2008; Jacquez et al. 2013). Researchers will also share their skills (e.g. - as fitness trainers) as part of the research process, to build rapport and to contribute to the participatory methodology. (4) Documentary research: We shall compile and analyse public and restricted-access documents, such as reports by governmental bodies and NGOs, and background materials such as mass media reports on relevant issues such as on peace-building, youth, gender, and development issues. (5) Quantitative data compilation: We shall compile and analyse secondary data, such as ‘monitoring and evaluation’ statistical data that has been generated by SDP programmes.