Dr Jordan Donnelly is a lecturer in Sport Management whose research examines sport-for-development as a mechanism for psychosocial development social mobility among disadvantaged populations. His current work evaluates the impact of Street Soccer programming and the Homeless World Cup across Scotland and the United States, contributing to the evidence base on sport-based interventions for socioeconomically excluded groups. His qualitative research further examines the role of sport and education in supporting individuals who have experienced complex and developmental trauma, substance addiction, and homelessness. This work has been published in journals including Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health and Psychology of Sport and Exercise.
Sport-for-development and its role in social mobility for disadvantaged populations.
Trauma-informed practice within sport and education settings.
Socioeconomic inequalities in sport, education and society.
Evaluation of Street Soccer programming and the Homeless World Cup.
Sport and education as pathways for individuals experiencing complex trauma, substance addiction, and homelessness.
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Presentation / Talk
Donnelly J, Cowan D, Arthur R & Arthur C (2025) Relations among transformational leadership, need satisfaction, and psychological development in socio-economically disadvantaged sports participants. The British Psychological Society Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology Annual Conference 2017, Radisson Blu, Glasgow, United Kingdom, 11.12.2017-12.12.2017.
Newspaper Article
Be aware of the invisible baggage of poverty your students carry
Donnelly J (2025) Be aware of the invisible baggage of poverty your students carry. Be aware of the invisible baggage of poverty your students carry. 27.05.2025. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/be-aware-invisible-baggage-poverty-your-students-carry
Book Chapter
Donnelly JA, Whitley MA, Cowan DT & McLaughlin S (2024) Using Narrative Inquiry to Understand Street Soccer Players' Experiences of Trauma, Social Exclusion, and Homelessness. In: McMahon J & McGannon KR (eds.) Trauma-Informed Research in Sport, Exercise, and Health. London: Routledge, pp. 215-231. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003332909-17
Article
Donnelly J, Arthur R, Arthur C & Cowan D (2024) The indirect effects of transformational leadership in soccer programmes for socio-economically disadvantaged individuals: Need satisfaction as a mechanism towards personal development. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 19 (1), pp. 141-151. https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541231158693
Article
Donnelly JA, Whitley MA, Cowan DT, McLaughlin S & Arthur R (2024) The Homeless World Cup through storytelling: The narratives of Street Soccer players from Scotland and the USA. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 70, p. 102549. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102549
Presentation / Talk
Donnelly J, Cowan D & Arthur R (2022) ”Because I’ve lived it. I’ve been in their shoes”: the journey and practices of coaches in a sports-based education programme for disadvantaged adults. International Conference on Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise 2022, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom, 26.07.2022-28.07.2022.
Presentation / Talk
Cultivating growth and resilience through sport
Whitley M, Donnelly J, Cowan D, McLaughlin S, Duke D & Cann L (2022) Cultivating growth and resilience through sport. 2022 Urban Soccer Symposium, Washington Marriott Georgetown and online, Washington, DC, United States, 25.03.2022-26.03.2022.
Article
Narratives of trauma and resilience from Street Soccer players
Whitley MA, Donnelly JA, Cowan DT & McLaughlin S (2022) Narratives of trauma and resilience from Street Soccer players. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 14 (1), pp. 101-118. https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676x.2021.1879919
Presentation / Talk
Understanding the longitudinal impact of the Homeless World Cup on the lives of its participants
Donnelly J, Cowan D & Whitley M (2019) Understanding the longitudinal impact of the Homeless World Cup on the lives of its participants. Event15th European Congress Sport and Exercise Psychology, Schloss, Munster, Germany, 15.07.2019-20.07.2019.
Presentation / Talk
Chaos, trauma and football: an early-career researcher’s reflections on immersion in the field
Donnelly J (2018) Chaos, trauma and football: an early-career researcher’s reflections on immersion in the field. Football Collective Annual Conference 2018: 'Challenging the Narrative' - Critical thinking in football, Hampden Park, Glasgow, United Kingdom, 29.11.2018-30.11.2018.
Dr Jordan Donnelly is the module coordinator for Research Methods for Sport (SPSP039), delivered as part of the MSc in Sport Business Management. He also contributes to teaching across qualitative research methods, the sociology of sport, sport economics, and politics and policy. In addition, drawing on his expertise in transformational leadership and self-determination theory, he contributes to modules in sport leadership and coaching.