Location and general information
Categories
Access to Sport - 
Conflict victims - 
Gender Equality - 
Personal development
Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Gender Equality - Personal developmentContext
The North East Inner City of Dublin (pop. 20,000) suffers from high levels of deprivation, poverty and disadvantage with high concentrations of:
- Single parents: 80% in some areas
- Unemployment: approx. 50% men and 40% women (national average: 13%)
- Low educational attainment: 50% aged 15+ only have primary-school education (national average: 9%)
- High levels of crime and substance abuse
This is also the area of Ireland with the highest percentage of ethnic minorities.
Project content
Based on the success of the Football for Unity tournaments run in the North East Inner City of Dublin during June and July 2021 alongside EURO 2020 with the support of the European Commission and the UEFA Foundation for Children, the project runs three months of training nights to build capacity in the community followed by a number of seven-a-side tournaments in a range of age categories. The aim is to encourage participation in football, the inclusion of third-country nationals and youth empowerment.
Objectives
- Increase mutual understanding between children and young people from diverse ethnic backgrounds, helping migrants and third country nationals to integrate into Irish society
- Combat racism and xenophobia
- Creating safe spaces for youngsters to play football
- Promote the involvement of migrants in sport and volunteering
- Youth empowerment through sport
- Create more cohesion between young people, community groups, police and local authorities
Project activities
- March, April and May: weekly football training sessions for boys and girls aged 12–18, including refugees, asylum-seekers, Travellers and Roma
- Actively supporting community groups and individuals for the creation of football teams to play in the Football for Unity tournaments
- June–July: football tournaments for boys and girls – both youth and children – in various age groups held at four artificial turf pitches
- Support young people to encourage them to take their coaching badges
Expected results
- 400 participants both male and female in various age groups
- Integration of third country nationals and migrants, with approx. 150 participants
- Participation of minimum 120 girls and young women
- Increased participation in playing football
- 20 young people attain their PDP1 coaching badge
Partner
