15. Lee Parker (UK) - Why should community led solutions drive Sport for Development programs?

Erika speaks to Lee about how his multi-cultural upbringing allows him to relate to diverse global communities, and why placing community voices at the center of Sport for Development is the key to sustainable impact.

Lee Parker is a Sport for Development enthusiast with experience working with grassroots organizations globally to help build their capacity and impact, as well as working directly with children and young people from different backgrounds. He currently works at Laureus Sport For Good and is responsible for building relationships and networks, resourcing and distributing funding to organizations that use sport as a tool for social change across South America, Africa, and the UK. He leads the Laureus Sport for Good Cities initiative, an approach that incorporates a local community to dictate how funding, sport and physical activity should change their community for the better.

Lee has worked with many UK organizations in front line delivery and organizational development, including working with homeless young people and integrating elite athletes to become mentors for the next generation. Lee has also worked in Uganda, Colombia, and Mexico, supporting organizations to improve vital aspects of their work, including to build young leaders, transform their impact into evidence, and help advocate for the power of sport within their community and at policy level. Lee is passionate about the role of sport, its power to bring communities together, and is an advocate for ensuring community voices are heard and represented in strategic forums as much as possible.

Lee comes from a multi ethnic background and is a first generation Ecuadorian/Iranian. Lee's upbringing and experiences in a multi diverse part of London have shaped him to become not only an enthusiast in sport, and in particular basketball, but also an advocate for communities and removing barriers for people just like him.

Lee’s LinkedIn & Twitter

Erika’s LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/erikamchen

Resources:

1. Laureus Sport for Good
2. Laureus Sport for Good Cities

Episode Info:

• Episode recording date: September 27, 2022.
• See Erika’s LinkTree for episode transcript.
• “The Podcast Intro” by “Music_Unlimited” was retrieved from Pixabay. Licensor's Username and Licensee Username - erika_mueller.

Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed by the Guests of the Inspira Podcast do not necessarily represent the official policy or position of any Agency of the United States Government, or any organization public or private.