Fostering Forced Migrants’ Integration and Thriving Through Physical Activity

The project will explore how collective thriving may be supported by facilitating a purposeful process of integration for forced migrants and UoP students through physical activity. We will do this by exploring the impact of a novel strength and conditioning program run by Sport, Health and Exercise Science students for forced migrants living in Portsmouth. A community-based participatory research approach will be used to actively engage forced migrants and students in exploring the integrative impact of the strength and conditioning program. A series of unique data collection, analysis and representation methods will be used including: photo-elicitation interviews, journal-keeping, guided journeys, composite vignettes and/or moving stories.

The project will contribute to the Civic University aim of driving inclusiveness through opportunities for all and enriching health and inclusion in the Portsmouth harbour region through our education and research knowledge and skills. The project also aligns with and is supported by the democratic citizenship theme’s focus on pertinent social issues, particularly in empowering marginalised voices in the pursuit of socially just community level democratic citizenship.