ABSTRACT
This chapter describes an intervention to improve reflective practice in an existing training programme targeting young people in socially vulnerable situations in Flanders (Belgium) to become voluntary community sport coaches. A participatory action research consisting of a context analysis, problem diagnosing (i.e. pre-intervention) and three self-reflective cycles of planning, acting and observing, reflecting and revised planning (i.e. intervention) was carried out to improve reflective practice during the training programme. In a 12-month period, multiple sources of data were collected, including documentation, participatory observations, informal conversations, field notes and one individual interview. These data were subjected to inductive analysis. The results of this action research indicate that three aspects were essential to improve reflective practice in the training programme and by doing this contributing to the personal development of its participants: (1) offering hands-on learning and experiential opportunities, (2) combining group-based reflective conversations with other reflective methodologies such as written journals and visual methodologies and (3) supporting and guiding reflective conversations in small groups to create a sense of safety and an open atmosphere.
