The Value of Sport: Understanding Social Return on Investment (SROI) in Refugee Integration
14/03/2025Ewa Kaczmarek, ISCA
When advocating for the integration of refugees through sport, the focus is often on social benefits—stronger communities, improved well-being, and personal empowerment. However, when it comes to funding and policy, numbers speak louder than words.
Measuring the impact of these programmes remains a challenge. The latest Global IRTS Social Return on Investment (SROI) Study explores SROI analyses in sport-for-development programmes and for forcibly displaced persons, offering insights that could help shape future Integration of Refugees Through Sport (IRTS) initiatives. At the same time, the report highlights a significant gap in research on the financial and social returns of IRTS programmes, with no prior studies in this area.
The Power of Numbers in Advocacy
The SROI method translates social impact into financial terms, making it easier for organisations to justify funding and policy support. The study found that existing SROI research in related fields—such as sport-for-development and inclusion programmes for forcibly displaced persons—reported a positive return on investment, with calculated SROI ratios ranging from 1.21:1 to 14.00:1. These studies identified three main areas of impact:
- Mental health and well-being – Physical and mental health improvements, increased life satisfaction, and reduced anxiety.
- Education and learning through play – Increased social and life skills, improved employability, and better educational outcomes.
- Social cohesion and inclusion – Increased participation, reduced (youth) crime, and relief for social support systems.
While these findings are not specific to IRTS, they suggest that applying SROI analysis to IRTS programmes could provide valuable insights into their societal and economic impact.
SROI Method: Strengths and Challenges
While SROI helps bridge the gap between qualitative impact stories and the data-driven requirements of funders and policymakers, it also acknowledges that not everything can be measured. Some social benefits—such as personal empowerment or joy—are difficult to quantify, and the methodology has its challenges. The report provides a comprehensive analysis, exploring both the strengths and limitations of this approach.
Beyond the Numbers
Organisations looking to measure the impact of their programmes using SROI should take a thoughtful and balanced approach. The report highlights the importance of setting clear objectives—attracting funding, improving accountability, or refining programme strategies. To get the most out of SROI, organisations should involve refugees and displaced persons in the evaluation process. While financial metrics are helpful, they should be used alongside real-life stories and qualitative insights. Standardising methods and cost measures can help make results more consistent and comparable.
Most importantly, SROI should be part of a broader evaluation approach that values both numbers and human experiences, as true impact goes beyond figures. Only by combining financial analysis with lived experiences can organisations develop a more comprehensive understanding of the social and financial return on investment in the inclusion of refugees and forcibly displaced persons through sport.
See full report here.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
