Historically, claims have been made about the value of engagement in sport for both the individual and wider society. For instance, Putnam (2005) has argued that participation in sport provides opportunities to connect individuals with each other, and with other communities. What is more, evidence suggests that sports participation is a form of ‘social participation’ fostering, potentially, the development of individual empowerment, networking opportunities, citizenship and social capital (Kay & Bradbury, 2009). Social capital is perceived to act as a resource for the democratic values and civic engagement of communities; hence in communities where social capital is abundant, individuals and communities learn to trust and engage positively with social structures. In addition, it has been argued that individuals who participate in club-based sport are significantly more likely to achieve recommended physical activity levels when compared to those who do not (Eime, 2010). Certainly local sports clubs offer both structured (organised, competitive) and unstructured (social) opportunities for participating in sport, with the potential for a range of health and social inclusion benefits. It is perhaps not surprising, therefore, that globally, national governments have promoted sport as a mechanism for addressing social problems linked to issues of health, inequality, poverty and disaffected youth. As Kay & Bradbury (2009) point out, at the level of theory, there are enduring arguments for the role of sport in community engagement and cohesion. In addition, the European Commission White Paper in Sport (2007) offers clear examples of these arguments at the level of policy. Although there is some research on volunteer sport coaches and their role in community engagement reported in the literature, coverage is limited and fragmented, and is located primarily in the contexts of the USA and Australia. Thus, while the contribution volunteer coaches can make to the social, physical and moral development of young people is acknowledged, in theory at least, there is a lack of robust empirical evidence to support the claims made and upon which to maximise the potential of this valuable community resource. It is in this context that this symposium considers claims made on behalf of community sport to facilitate behavioural change in the areas of health and well-being, and social inclusion