Non-Governmental Organizations: Right to Play, Research Paper Example

Mission

The primary mission of this organization can be best described through its motto – “Creating a healthier and safer world for children through the power of sport and play”. Basically, the main goal of Right to Play is “to use sport and play programs to improve health, develop life skills, and foster peace for children and communities in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world” (Right to play official web-site).  Thus the main target group, towards which the organization directs its activities, is children living in undeveloped countries or areas affected by war, poverty, and disease. Currently, Right to Play works in 23 countries, including Benin, Liberia, Mozambique, Mali, Burundi, Pakistan, Tanzania, Sudan, Zambia, the United Arab Emirates, Azerbaijan, Lebanon, Kenya, etc. The main guiding idea of Right to Play’s work is to include children of various races, religions, genders, disabilities and ages in different sport and play activities with an aim to reduce their feelings of isolation, fear, and powerlessness. “Games help break down the stigma faced by children while at the same time helping them develop skills to better deal with everyday situations” (Mullan). In the long run, the ultimate mission of the organization is to promote the establishment of peace in the most disadvantaged areas of the world, so that kids could grow up in healthy and peaceful conditions.

History

The Olympic Aid organization (later to be known as Right to Play) was established by the Olympic Organizing Committee in 1992 prior to the 1994 Olympic Winter Games. The founder of the organization was Norwegian speed skater Johann Olav Koss, who is now the President and CEO of Right to Play. Initially, it was conceived as a fundraising vehicle established in order to help people in war-torn countries and to increase awareness of the vast community about such distress areas. Olympic athletes were chosen as ambassadors of the organization to assist it in raising funds prior to and during the Olympic Games (Right to Play official web-site). In 1994 through various donations the Olympic Aid managed to collect $ 18 million US, which were used in 5 projects throughout the world: building schools in Eritrea; disabled children support program in Lebanon; supporting a mother/children program in Guatemala; building a hospital in Sarajevo; and supporting refugees in Afghanistan.

In 2000 a transition from “fundraising vehicle” to non-governmental organization was made and Olympic Aid became able to implement a greater variety of programs in partnership with a private sector. In 2003 the Olympic Aid was renamed into Right to Play, which once again allowed the organization to broaden its activities, to increase relationships with non-Olympic sports, and to involve non-Olympic athletes into its projects.

Membership

There are two basic types of members that Right to Play involves in its activities – athletes and volunteers.

Those athletes who are engaged in the Right to Play’s programs are not simply members of the organization, but they are more like partners. They don’t only participate in various projects organized by Right to Play, but they also donate their own funds for the development of those projects. In such a way, Right to Play is supported by hundreds of Olympic and professional athletes throughout the world. There is only one basic requirement for the athletes in order to be members of Right to Play – as they act as ambassadors of the organization and role models for children they support, all those athletes must be truly eager to help and definitely deserve the respect and recognition on the basis of their actions and achievements. However, there are two groups of athletes involved in Right to Play’s programs – Athlete Ambassadors and Athlete Supporters. Athlete Ambassadors are those athletes “who have gone above and beyond in their support of Right to Play” (Right to Play official web-site) and thus they join the organization on trips to its projects, they act as faces of Right to Play in ad campaigns, and they represent the organization at various public events. Athlete Supporters act mainly to spread the word of Right to Play and to generate interest towards organization’s programs among sport communities and athletes.

There are both national and international volunteers participating in Right to Play’s projects. The organization “trains local community members to be “Coach Leaders” and to run programs” (Right to Play official web-site). Nowadays, the organization includes approximately 13, 000 volunteers participating in its activities. Depending on where they work those people have different titles such as coach, leader, animator, or teacher (Right to Play 3).

Methods for Achieving Objectives / Goals Achieved

Basically, the main method through which Right to Play achieves its initial goal of improving health and living conditions for children in disadvantaged areas of the world is the implementation and development of various sport and play programs. The organization tailors every program to meet the specific demands and needs of the area were it is implemented. In order for each program to be effective Right to Play involves whole teams of specialists in the process of every program’s development. Those include: program development teams, research, monitoring and evaluation teams, policy and country office teams.

Through its work Right to Play has definitely achieved a number of positive results. For instance, the number of children involved in organization’s activities has increased from 37,178 in 2001 to 723,761 by the end of 2007, of those 525,688 participating on the regular basis (meaning at least one time per week)  and the rest being reached through summer camps and sport festivals (Right to Play 2). In addition, the organization has succeeded in one of its most important goals – improving the health of children in disadvantaged areas. More notably, an immunization campaign was conducted in Uganda and through it more than 1,500 kids were immunized against measles. As the result of Right to Play’s programs the number of children attending schools in Azerbaijan has increased by 15-20 % (Right to Play 6).

Funding and Donors

As non-governmental organization Right to Play doesn’t rely on governmental support in raising funds for its programs and activities. Basically, there are two types of donors who participate in the organization’s fundraising – individual donators and corporate ones.

First of all, there are multinational corporations and global brands that have long term partnership with Right to Play and thus participate in the fundraising to support organization’s programs. Recently Right to Play has signed six-year exclusive partnership agreement with Chelsea FC that aims to raise about £ 2 million over the next six years. Right to Play also has a number of other constant international partners. Such Global Corporate Partners include Adidas, EFG International, AEGON N.V., and others. There is also a large number of Multinational Corporations that participate in various programs organized by Right to Play and thus support the organizations in its fundraising.

Secondly, in order to collect funds for the development and implementation of its projects Right to Play organizes various charitable events, such as camps, tournaments, dinners, parties, etc. Everyone can take part in these events and by such a participation donate money to the organization. Also individual donations to the organization can be made via its official web-site or by contacting local National Offices of Right to Play.

Media Attention

Even though Right to Play is quite a popular and well-known organization in sport circles and among athletes themselves, nevertheless it’s quite unknown for the vast majority of people. “Right to Play does not pay for advertising, and relies on the help of passionate individuals to get its message out” (Right to Play official web-site), therefore the organization doesn’t attract great media attention and thus there is no controversy and conflicts that could emerge as the result of its programs. Those people, both volunteers and athletes, who had been at least once involved in the organization’s programs all have very positive and passionate testimonials about the quality of Right to Play’s work.

However, prior to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada, there has emerged one controversial issue that may affect the so far brilliant reputation of Right to Play. This issue is connected with the fact that Right to Play has been banished by the Vancouver Organizing Committee for taking sponsorship from Mitsubishi, because the Games are already being sponsored by General Motors for whom Mitsubishi is the main auto industry rival (Perreaux). The necessity to figure out this conflict is quite important for Right to Play both in the sense of its reputation and in financial sense.

Current Issues

There are a couple of issues that Right to Play is currently focused on and a number of new programs being presently in the process of their development and realization by the organization.

First of all, in July 2009 Right to Play International “has been invited to participate in United We Serve, a national effort launched by President Barack Obama to engage more Americans in serving their communities” (Right to Play official web-site). Right to Play is one of 12 premier organizations that were asked to take up the leading roles in execution of this nation-wide project; however, Right to Play is the only international one.

Another important issue that the organization is now focused on is the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada. Olympic Games have always been a wonderful opportunity for the organization to attract attention of people all over the world to its projects and to problems that it is trying to solve, it is also the period when Right to Play can attract new sponsors and partners and raise large sums of money for its programs, and the period when more athletes are motivated to join the organization as its Athlete Ambassadors or Supporters.

In addition, Right to Play continues to run various educational, health developmental, and sporting programs in 23 countries of Africa, Asia, and Middle East where it has already launched its activities.

References

“About Right to Play.” Right to Play International. 20 Jan. 2003. 20 Sept. 2009. <http://www.righttoplay.com/site/PageServer?pagename=homepage>

Mullan, Melissa. Increasing Integration Through Play. 5 Jan. 2009. 20 Sept. 2009. < http://rtpca.convio.net/site/PageServer?pagename=volunteer_voices>

Perreaux, Les. About Vancouver 2010 by CTV Olympics. 3 Oct. 2008. 20 Sept. 2009. <http://www.ctvolympics.ca/about-vancouver/news/newsid=1117.html>

Right to Play. Results: Progress report. Toronto, ON: Right to Plat International, 2008.