Assoc. Prof. Marié E.M. Young

Marié Young is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sport Recreation and Exercise Science where she has been a staff member since 2009 and served as Head of Department from 2016-2019.  She majored at undergraduate level with recreation and industrial psychology resulting in a career at the City of Johannesburg, the local authority in Johannesburg, South Africa, as a Sport and Recreation Officer. She developed a passion working with youth and decided to share her knowledge and expertise with the youth by becoming an academic. She obtained her Doctorate degree in 2014 with a focus on therapeutic recreation and was commended for her contribution to this field of study in African context.

She believes in quality education (SDG 4) and lectures on the undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the field of sport and recreation management and has a research interest in community recreation, campus recreation and therapeutic recreation as a means to promote health (SDG 3), youth development (SDG 8), disability, and changing environments making communities more liveable (SDG 13, 15, 16). Conducting research and supervision in the field of sport and recreation requires an individual to be diverse and to supervise postgraduate students across disciplines in the Faculty. The field’s diversity leads to her involvement in various interdepartmental and inter-institutional projects nationally and internationally (SDG 17), serving as leader of these projects. She presented papers at conferences, served on conference organising and scientific committees, and submitted collaborative grant applications that have been successful. Her contributions to these projects are aligned with her expertise in sport and recreation and more specific leisure and recreation, therapeutic recreation, health promotion and quality of life, physical activity, leisure education and youth development (especially focusing on youth at risk and persons with disabilities).

Internationally she serves on the Board of Directors for the World Leisure Organisation (WLO), the Executive Board of the WLO,the Editorial Board for the World Leisure Journal and Regional Editor for Africa to the World Leisure Journal. Her membership on these boards promotes her academic and professional profile. Over time, she developed professionally in the areas of project management and Internationalisation. It includes taking leadership in projects, especially international projects, leaving a footprint beyond South Africa through her international engagements, serving on committees, and making links with international institutions for collaboration in learning and teaching and research activities.