LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 9, 2026) — The University of Kentucky College of Social Work’s (CoSW) Sport Social Work Research Lab (SSW-RL) is expanding its global impact through international research collaborations that are advancing coach education, positive youth development and youth sport policy.
Since launching at CoSW in 2023, the SSW-RL has established research partnerships across multiple countries, resulting in 23 peer-reviewed journal articles, five book chapters, one textbook and more than 10 international trainings, workshops and presentations focused on coaching, youth development and sport leadership.
Through support from University of Kentucky International Center, two institutional partnerships were formally established with the Polytechnic Institute of Porto (Portugal) and Brock University (Canada) in 2024 and 2025, respectively. The SSW-RL also recently collaborated with experts from Nanyang Technological University and National Institution of Education in Singapore to publish a new textbook, “Coaching Values and Life Skills through Physical Education and Sports.”
One of the lab’s largest international collaborations supports a 10-year research initiative funded by the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth. The project, “Coach Education and Positive Youth Development through Sport,” brings together scholars from the United States, Canada, Brazil, United Kingdom, Portugal, Spain, Australia and New Zealand.
The initiative focuses on assessing youth sport organizations, developing evidence-informed coach education and providing recommendations to inform sport policy at the local, national and international levels. Researchers are examining how youth sport systems can be designed to better support the wellbeing and development of young people.
“Our goal is to better understand how sport can serve as a vehicle for positive youth development while identifying practical strategies that coaches, organizations and policymakers can use to create healthier and more supportive environments for young people,” said Tarkington J. Newman, Ph.D., SSW-RL director. “These partnerships have allowed us to learn from colleagues around the world while contributing research that can have a meaningful impact on youth sport systems.”
Recent publications have explored topics including positive mental health, life skill development and coaching practices that support youth development. Additional SSW-RL research has examined the role of sport social workers in helping young athletes develop skills that extend beyond competition, as well as the effectiveness of outdoor, experiential and adventure therapies for children and adolescents.
“Many of the opportunities and challenges we see in youth sport and physical activity are not unique to one country,” said Carlyn Kimiecik, Ph.D., SSW-RL faculty affiliate. “By bringing together researchers with different perspectives and experiences, we can develop stronger evidence, share innovative ideas and identify solutions that can benefit young people across a variety of sport, recreation and physical activity settings.”
As these collaborations continue, researchers will further examine how coach education, organizational culture and policy development can work together to create sport environments that support young people’s social, emotional and personal development alongside athletic performance.
The work demonstrates how international research partnerships can translate evidence into practice, helping coaches, organizations and policymakers create healthier, more positive experiences for youth around the world.