The Obama Presidential Center sought to develop inclusive sports programming for its Home Court initiative that would serve and resonate with surrounding communities.

Building on its commitment to community connection, the Obama Center aimed to gather granular, community‑centered insights to guide the development of inclusive and impactful sports programming for its surrounding neighborhoods. They wanted to understand which sports and program formats youth in South Shore, Woodlawn, and Washington Park valued, what concerns or barriers limited their participation, and how Home Court could complement—rather than duplicate—the work of existing neighborhood programs. 

The Obama Center needed a research partner that could facilitate authentic conversations with youth, parents, and local leaders to inform programming that felt effective, meaningful, and rooted in genuine community ownership.

We designed a community‑centered study to understand how local youth, parents, and program leaders envisioned Home Court’s sports programming.

With offices in Hyde Park adjacent to the priority neighborhoods of South Shore, Woodlawn, and Washington Park, we were uniquely positioned to conduct culturally responsive research using methods that were both methodologically sound and fit to the purpose of this partnership. Our approach ensured that data collection was representative, interactive, and centered on local community needs and interests. The research team combined deep knowledge of community-centered research, activation of public spaces, and youth program evaluation, drawing on expertise from across NORC. The work was conducted in close collaboration with youth serving community partners and used an iterative process that integrated Obama Center feedback throughout the study.

Our team conducted six in-person focus groups with high school youth, post‑high‑school young adults, and parents to explore which sports activities and program formats were most compelling, what concerns or barriers shaped participation, and how Home Court could meaningfully support existing community‑based sports efforts. These conversations also tested early concepts for the sports leadership programming, examining the sports‑related career pathways that young people found interesting and the program elements that could motivate their engagement.