Introduction

This first chapter of the book presents a description of the rationale, design and methodology of the community sport for AT-risk youth: Innovative strategies for promoting personal development, health and social CoHesion (CATCH) project, a comprehensive study conducted in Flanders (Belgium) on community sport and social inclusion for young people in socially vulnerable situations. As different interpretations of community sport in Flanders exist, its specific context and evolution are described first, as well as the way how the concept of social inclusion was operationalized for the purpose of this project. This resulted in a focus on three specific social inclusion objectives (i.e. personal development, health and social cohesion). The chapter then provides a description of the two specific aims of the project: (a) to get an in-depth understanding of why, how and in what circumstances community sport involvement can be effectively linked to social inclusion of young people in socially vulnerable situations in relation to the three selected objectives (i.e. research aim) and (b) an exchange of knowledge between researchers, practitioners and policymakers (i.e. knowledge translation aim).