Fitba First

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Scotland
Start date 01/03/2022
End date 12/31/2022
Cost of the project €59,149
Foundation funding €47,461
Project identifier 20210327
Partners The Scottish Football Partnership Trust
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Personal development

Context

The Fitba First project invests in young, vulnerable primary schoolchildren living in poverty across deprived areas of Scotland. It aims to maximise their future prospects for health and well-being by providing free-to-access fun football activities, health education and hot, healthy meals.

 

Project content

This project aims to invest in 600 young primary school children all across Scotland to help maximise their future health and well-being by providing fun, free-to-access football activities, positive nutritional messages, healthy meals (breakfast and lunch) and bespoke training in sports first aid.

Objectives

To provide 600 young primary school children with opportunities to take part in the following free activities during school holiday periods:

Football

  • Free activities help reduce the financial barriers facing many children in Scotland. The project aims to use the positive medium of football to create a sense of inclusion at the same time as improving the participants' physical and mental well-being.

 

Sports first-aid training

  • Educating children through sport. Increasing knowledge and understanding. Increasing confidence. Developing life-saving skills. Safer sport/safer communities.
  • What to do in an emergency. How to call an ambulance. Chest compressions. Using a defibrillator.
  • What do to if someone chokes. What to do is someone’s bleeding. When and how to use ice on injuries. How to help someone having an asthma attack.

 

Meals and positive nutritional messages

  • Tackling food inequalities during school holidays with the provision of free healthy breakfasts and lunches, while sending positive nutritional messages about leading a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

Project activities

Hour 1 - Football and fitness session

Session structure:

  • Structured warm-ups and cool-downs
  • Weekly football themes – passing, dribbling, technique and control, shooting, defending and football agility
  • Fun game-related activities
  • Team-building and problem-solving activities focusing on improving confidence, communication, team-work, decision-making, respect for others and developing participants’ cognitive skills
  • Small-sided games – fun and competitive play and freedom of expression

 

Hour 2 – Positive nutritional messages and healthy, hot, homemade meal

Session structure:

  • The Eatwell Guide
  • Food groups and their purpose
  • Water and hydration
  • Energy values
  • Healthy cooked meal
  • Personal hygiene – washing hands and table manners

Expected results

  • Provide opportunities for 600 young disadvantaged children to take part in the Fitba Firs project, helping them to become happier, healthier and more engaged through the delivery of 9,600 individual hours of football activity and health education
  • Encouraging and enabling the inactive to be active
  • Developing physical confidence and competence from the earliest age
  • Improving opportunities to participate, progress and achieve in sport
  • Supporting the well-being and resilience of communities through physical activity and sport
  • Tackling food inequality

Partner

Miracoli Football Club

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Rome, Italy
Start date 06/01/2022
End date 06/30/2023
Cost of the project €120,100
Foundation funding €100,100
Project identifier 20210871
Partners Calciosociale
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Personal development

Context

The Rome suburb of Corviale is characterised by the largest social housing complex, designed in the 1970s and known as ‘Serpentone’: a one-kilometre-long apartments block that is home to more than 5000 people.

Young people living in Corviale lack prospects and are highly exposed to negative life examples. This difficult context means that new ways continuously need to be found to engage them and convince them to pursue a socio-educational path. The most obvious problems are the illegal occupation of hundreds of apartments, financial issues, degradation and high rates of illiteracy and unemployment.

Project content

The Miracoli FC project aims to set up the first mixed-gender football school in Corviale based on Calciosociale® principles and values.

Miracoli FC is a revolutionary football school whose players can lay the foundations not only for solid athletic training (basic playing techniques and movement coordination) but also an education. Once a week, the children also take part in a social football tournament.

Calciosociale comprises an innovative sporting and educational methodology that totally rewrites the rules of football to enable players to develop soft skills and civic skills. Football pitches become places where those who might be perceived as ‘different’ are completely integrated. The project activities use social development as a powerful tool to promote universal human values: sociability, sharing, cooperation, respect, acceptance and acknowledgment of diversity, peace, psychological welfare, quality communication and empathy.

Objectives

  • Fostering access to sport for boys and girls facing social difficulties;
  • Fostering inclusion and reducing discrimination through football;
  • Promoting and developing emotional skills and positive social attitudes among young people in Corviale who might be drawn to antisocial behaviour and risk social exclusion.

Project activities

Monitoring

Within the organisation, a dedicated team handles the project: a project manager, educators, coaches, psychologists, and nutritionists. Regular meetings are held to follow up on progress. Before and after the project, the youngsters complete assessment tests along with short video interviews that use emotion detection system to provide both an objective and a subjective evaluation.

Football

Practice sessions are held twice a week, coordinated by expert coaches, educators, psychologists, and nutritionists. Once a week, a social football tournament is held with the Calciosociale rules.

Every year, the tournament has a specific theme that enhances the educational value of the project. The chosen topic inspires the names of the teams. For example, topics related to legality and inclusion (the articles of the Italian Constitution, role models), words that have a strong meaning for the youngsters (such as friendship, courage, union, etc.).

This year, the topic was environmental protection and the youngsters chose the names of women and men who fought for this cause. Some of the off-the-pitch activities were also based on this topic.

Expected results

  • Networking: Local associations and institutions jointly decide what activities are to be carried out off the pitch throughout the year;
  • Active change: Football helps participants become change makers;
  • Promotion of the suburbs: Activities enable Corviale to open up to the rest of the city;
  • Self-confidence: Working towards a common goal (on and off the pitch) and seeing the results improves youngsters’ self-confidence and their sense of empowerment;
  • Reduction in prejudice: Playing in a team alongside people who have a different ethnic, social or religious background or with a disability will help youngsters to overcome stereotypes;
  • Social and civic awareness;
  • Reduced anxiety.

Partner

Path of a Champion

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Serbia
Start date 02/01/2022
End date 02/01/2023
Cost of the project €90,000
Foundation funding €30,000
Project identifier 20210486
Partners Novak Djokovic Foundation
Categories Access to Sport - Personal development

Context

The role of parents in sports is more important than ever, especially in children’s early years. The Path of a Champion project aims to give parents the education and knowledge they need to provide much-needed support to their children. It will teach parents about the benefits of sport for their children as well as the potential challenges. Studies have shown that 46% of children give up sport by the age of 14 due to stress or pressure from parents to compete.

Project content

The project aims to create a happier and healthier sports environment for children by educating and supporting parents.

Objectives

  • Improving parents’ knowledge of sport in general
  • Improving parents’ self-regulation skills in the sports environment
  • Improving parents’ ability to motivate their children to start and continue to play sports
  • Educating parents on how to choose a fun and happy sports environment for their children

Project activities

  • Interactive workshops for parents with videos of athletes, their parents and their coaches sharing their experiences and the challenges they faced
  • Online panel discussions and lectures featuring guest speakers, with a live Q&A session for parents

Expected results

  • Improving parents’ knowledge and awareness of the importance of sport for their children’s development and growth
  • Making the sports environment healthier and happier for children, and encouraging more children to get involved in sport

Partner

Growing up with dignity

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Madagascar
Start date 02/01/2022
End date 06/30/2023
Cost of the project €189,354
Foundation funding €75,742
Project identifier 210951
Partners Grandir Dignement
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Gender Equality - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development

Context

In Madagascar, the detention conditions of the approximately 950 incarcerated children are extremely precarious and detrimental to their proper development. Their basic needs (food, health and hygiene) are not even minimally met. Children are regularly victims of serious violence from prison officers, who are often unaware that children have rights. Finally, there is virtually no preparation for their socio-educational reintegration.

Project content

The project will run for 18 months and support 400 children (girls and boys) in six jails and 100 children living in two Grandir Dignement post-incarceration centres or supported by social workers. The aim is to provide educational, sports, literacy and occupational training activities, to improve their detention conditions and socio-educational integration so that they can live independent lives when they are released. The project involves daily contact with activity leaders, educators and trainers, six days a week both inside and outside prisons.

Objectives

  • Improve the detention conditions and socio-professional integration of incarcerated children.
  • Provide 400 incarcerated girls and boys with sports/educational activities and occupational trainingHelp
  • 100 children or teenagers to reintegrate into society after their release
  • Educate families and prison officers about children's rights, educational topics and gender issues
  • Raise awareness among the general public to combat stigmatisation

Project activities

Objective 1

  • Educational activities: (i) social and educational support (individual interviews for newcomers, individual information sheets, monthly individual interviews and weekly educational schedules), (ii) home and family visits to involve the families in the process and (iii) life project’ building and preparation for social reintegration.
  • Sport and cultural activities to improve well-being : (i) artistic and cultural activities and (ii) sports activities.
  • Occupational training and literacy relevant to the life project: (i) literacy activities and (ii) occupational training.

Objective 2

  • Educational activities : (i) educational support, (ii) home and family visits and (iii) life project building and preparation for social integration.
  • Sport and cultural activities: (i) artistic and cultural activities, (ii) sports activities and (iii) sports tournaments with other organisations.

Objective 3

  • Raise family awareness of educational and social issues : (i) identify topics for family workshops and (ii) workshops.
  • Raise awareness of educational and social issues among prison staff and social workers: identify topics for workshops and (ii) workshops.

Objective 4

  • Establish dialogue with the communities and local authorities to combat stigmatisation: (i) meetings with judiciary and ministry of justice officers and (ii) meetings with local organisations, local authorities and community leaders.
  • Raise awareness among the population to combat stigmatisation: (i) run an awareness communication campaign and (ii) distribute an awareness media release.

Expected results

Objective 1

  • 400 incarcerated children given support
  • Increase activities in prison: (i) 1 session of artistic and cultural activities per week/prison and (ii) 2 sessions of sport, literacy activities and occupational training per week/prison
  • 80% of families visited

Objective 2

  • 100 children receive support after their release
  • 50 children involved in tournaments with other organisations
  • 80% of families visited

Objective 3

  • 36 workshops with families: quarterly in six jails
  • 36 workshops with prison staff: quarterly in six jails
  • 6 topics for workshops with families and prison staff

Objective 4

  • 18 meetings with judiciary and ministry of justice officers: half-yearly in six localities
  • 18 meetings with local organisations, local authorities and community leaders: half-yearly in six localities
  • 6 radio awareness campaigns broadcast three times each in two localities
  • 12 awareness press releases distributed three times each in four localities

Partner

Goals

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Leicester, UK
Start date 12/01/2021
End date 12/01/2023
Cost of the project €113,907
Foundation funding €100,000
Project identifier 20210524
Partners Leicester City in the Community
Categories Access to Sport - Personal development

Context

Young people faced with inequalities are held back in their personal development and access to community sport and broader opportunities, all of which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, there is a lack of tailored, suitable support to help them overcome these challenges, putting them at risk of exclusion from education and community sports services.

Project content

Providing young people at risk of exclusion who face inequalities with tailored development opportunities in a 12-week alternative education programme. This programme will not only use football to develop their personal and life skills, such as confidence, aspirations and resilience but also provide them with leadership skills and accredited qualifications that will help them progress onto volunteering and young leader roles.

Objectives

Deliver three 12-week alternative education programmes, incorporating six weeks of life skills through football and a six-week leadership course.

Tailored provision will utilise sport to stimulate personal development and inspire engagement. Each session will include football activities and workshops that cover teamwork, confidence, resilience and self-esteem, and each participant will complete ASDAN and/or PlayMakers qualifications and be provided with young-leader and volunteer opportunities.

Project activities

  • Alternative education – 12-week programme engaging young people at risk of exclusion from education (six-week leadership course and six-week life skills workshops)
  • Social action – young people have the opportunity to improve issues that are important to them and their community
  • Football tournaments – young people have the opportunity to organise a local football tournament to positively engage their peers
  • Young leader and volunteer roles – young people have the opportunity to take ownership of the project by taking on young leader and volunteer roles, helping them to further their development and broaden their opportunities

Expected results

  • 50% of participants rate improvements in their confidence
  • 80% of participants complete at least one formal qualification
  • At least 10 young people progress to young leader and volunteer roles

Partner

Scoring Girls

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Germany and Iraq
Start date 01/01/2022
End date 12/31/2022
Cost of the project €275,000
Foundation funding €136,000
Project identifier 20210550
Partners Háwar Help
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Gender Equality - Personal development

Context

Nowadays, more people have been displaced from their homes than at any time since World War II. In Germany, roughly 1.4 million people live as refugees. In post-conflict Iraq, about 1.2 million people live as internally displaced persons (IDP).

In Iraq, the Scoring Girls live in an IDP camp outside of Dohuk, home to 15,000 people. Most belong to the Yazidi minority group from the Ninawa governate, a region in the north-west that was overrun and largely destroyed by ISIS in 2014, causing hundreds of thousands of people to flee. Many of the project’s beneficiaries have been living in the camp for over five years.

In Germany, the Scoring Girls come from more than ten countries. Many of the girls underwent treacherous journeys to get to Europe. Despite living in Germany for over five years, many are still in refugee shelters on the outskirts of Berlin and Cologne.

Project content

The Scoring Girls projects offer girls in Germany and Iraq  the chance to identify their strengths and passions and build up enough self-confidence to realise their dreams in life, regardless of their background, socio-economic status or faith. Through team sports, school and homework help, career guidance and the involvement of strong female role models, project participants learn to treat each other with respect and believe in themselves.

 

Objectives

  • Empower refugee and IDP girls to integrate into their host societies through soft-skill development and new knowledge
  • Support the development of a strong, inclusive community by strengthening social cohesion and improving access to community services for refugees and their families
  • Promote direct engagement and mutual understanding between refugee and IDP girls and the host communities in Germany and Iraq
  • Raise awareness of the potential of sport as a tool to empower and integrate refugee girls

Project activities

Weekly empowerment programme: recruitment and relationship building

  • Weekly football-based soft-skills programme
  • Empowerment dialogues with role models

Community-building programme

  • Scoring Girls yearbook with Iraqi and German participants
  • Group excursions in the community
  • Family engagement events and trainings
  • Friendly matches

Dissemination of impact

  • Capacity-building between the Scoring Girls teams in Iraq and Germany
  • Press work and dissemination

Expected results

  • 150 girls (refugees, IDPs and from the host community) have improved soft-skills such as self-confidence, teamwork and resilience
  • Cohesive communities of girls with diverse backgrounds are created in five locations
  • 300 family members actively support the girls’ participation
  • 40 multipliers gain insights into how to use sport to promote integration in Iraq and Germany
  • 100,000 people learn about the power of sport to build cohesive communities and empower girls

Partner

Football for Unity

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Ireland, Dublin
Start date 01/01/2022
End date 12/31/2022
Cost of the project €60,000
Foundation funding €45,000
Project identifier 20210976
Partners Sport Against Racism Ireland (SARI)
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Gender Equality - Personal development

Context

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

Life’s a ball

Location and general information

Terminé
Location South Africa, Tshwane et Johannesburg
Start date 01/01/2022
End date 12/31/2022
Cost of the project €272,499
Foundation funding €41,823
Project identifier 20210212
Partners Altus Sport
Categories Access to Sport - Employability - Gender Equality - Personal development

Context

In some areas of Tshwane (Pretoria) and Johannesburg, children live in poor socio-economic conditions with inadequate educational opportunities due to a lack of teachers, resources and classroom space. With no access to online learning, these children missed out on nearly two years of schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Physical education is practically absent from the school system. Sports facilities are non-existent or run-down and there are few physical education teachers and coaches.

Girls find it difficult to stand up for their rights and myths about health and reproduction hold them back from reaching their full potential.

The unemployment rate is very high. Many young people lack the self-confidence and skills to find employment, and positive role models are scarce.

Project content

The goal of the project is to utilise sport to empower children to make positive changes in their lives. The project involves training young people to run sports and life skills sessions for children. At these sessions, the children will play football, cricket, touch rugby, netball and hockey and learn about positivity, resilience, hygiene, puberty and menstruation, avoiding pregnancy, healthy relationships, bullying and peer pressure, gender-based violence and financial management.

Objectives

  • Empower unemployed young people by educating them in personal development and leadership, basic employability skills, and fitness and sports
  • Promote physical and mental activity by introducing children to various sports and brain fitness activities
  • Increase positive behaviour and reduce violence, abuse, crime and drug use
  • Instil positive values and good citizenship through Olympism and Olympic education
  • Motivate people with disabilities to be active
  • Support educational skills such as reading and writing
  • Empower girls by educating them about hygiene and reproductive health, leadership and basic financial managementPromote entrepreneurship through vegetable gardens that will teach children responsibility, financial management and leadership

Project activities

Youth sport leaders (YSLs) will attend monthly sessions to learn how to facilitate and lead sports and life skills training sessions and develop their coaching, leadership, personal development and financial management skills. Each YSL will identify suitable schools and other venues in their local area to hold sports sessions for children. They will work four days per week teaching a different group of 25–30 children each day. Each session will last two hours and consist of a warm-up, sport skills training, life skills training (through games, role play and discussion) and a cool-down.

Additional events for the children will include holiday sessions and tournaments, Olympic Day and Peace Day events, reading corners and chess sessions. Vegetable gardens where the children will plant, tend to and sell vegetables will teach them how to budget, plan, be responsible and manage their time as well as boost their self-worth.

Expected results

  • Male and female youth sport leaders aged 18–35 will have a broader skill set that will improve their employability.
  • Male and female participants aged 11–17 will have a broader sports skill set and a better understanding of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle.
  • Female participants aged 12–17 will have a better understanding of their rights, reproductive health issues and gender-based violence, and will be able to locate and access community resources when needed.
  • Male and female participants aged 11–17 will demonstrate leadership qualities, increased self-confidence and positivity at school, home and when playing sports and a financially savvy attitude to money.

Partner

Kick the Ball, Save our Wildlife

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Kenya
Start date 02/01/2022
End date 07/28/2023
Cost of the project €20,337
Foundation funding €17,337
Project identifier 20210215
Partners Water4Wildlife
Categories Access to Sport - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development

Context

Maasai Mara is an ecosystem of wildlife conservation and is home to several conservancies hosting both humans and wildlife. Like most children, the children within the conservancies love to engage in sports especially football during their leisure time. However, being a remote area, there is a lack of adequate facilities despite having access to public land in schools which could be used to construct a conducive football pitch that will enable children to play and have fun. During the sessions, community mobilizers and local rangers will be invited to raise awareness on wildlife conservation to both the players and spectators.

Project content

We will enhance wildlife conservation by organizing football activities integrated with sessions of creating awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation. Further, in collaboration with other local partners, we will support friendly matches for schools within the wildlife conservancies and work with community mobilizers and local rangers to share information on wildlife conservation.

Objectives

The main objective of the project is to use football as a fun activity for children to learn more about wildlife conservation. Through football, we will create awareness about wildlife conservation and its importance thus encouraging children to become future wildlife conservationists.

Project activities

  • Working with game rangers to sensitize the children on the importance of wildlife conservation during football-friendly matches.
  • Construction of a football pitch and procurement of sports
  • Continuous monitoring and evaluation of the project throughout the project execution
  • Launching of the project to the children of Ngosuani Primary School and Ngosuani
  • Handing over the project to the school and

Expected results

By the end of this project, it is expected that 1,300 children will have access to a good football pitch and football kits. Within the project implementation, we involve a series of sensitization sessions that will bring positive impact to both the children of Ngosuani Primary School and the Ngosuani Community towards embracing wildlife conservation thus resulting in a future generation of wildlife conservationists.

Partner

Football for social cohesion and regional cooperation

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Monténégro
Start date 01/01/2022
End date 12/31/2022
Cost of the project €64,705
Foundation funding €39,605
Project identifier 20210919
Partners FK Breznica
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Gender Equality - Personal development

Context

Social exclusion and marginalisation can be a problem for children and young people in northern Montenegro, depending on their social and economic background. This is especially true for girls, children with special needs and Roma children, many of whom lack opportunities for enriching educational and leisure activities, which in turn hinders their development. The COVID-19 pandemic, political tensions and migration crises have exacerbated these problems. Thanks to its popularity, football offers opportunities to develop social cohesion and educate through play.

Project content

FK Breznica’s goal is to use sport as platform for social inclusion, women’s empowerment and regional reconciliation. Coaches and youth leaders from Montenegro and neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia will be trained to use football as a tool to engage kids in inclusive educational and developmental activities. They will then organise inclusive in-country and cross-border activities involving Roma, migrant children and children with special needs.

Objectives

  • Educate coaches and youth leaders to use football as a tool for inclusive education and development
  • Use a ‘train the trainer’ approach to ensure the benefits are multiplied and sustainable
  • Promote gender equality and equal participation of boys and girls
  • Promote social cohesion through inclusive and integrated educational and sports activities involving
  • Roma, migrant children and young people with special needs
  • Promote regional reconciliation through joint cross-border activities

Project activities

  • Training in Football3 methodology and football for good for coaches and youth leaders
  • Monthly inclusive and integrated educational and sports activities
  • Two Football3 festivals
  • Friendship tournament in Pljevlja to celebrate International Migrants Day, involving
  • migrants, Roma and children with special needs from Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia
  • Translation of Football3 manuals into Montenegrin
  • Quarterly project support and monitoring of online sessions with the Czech Association for Voluntary Activities INEX-SDA

Expected results

  • 30 football coaches and youth leaders educated and their professional skills increased
  • 150 coaches given informal training
  • Up to 5,400 youngsters involved in project activities and their social skills increased
  • More girls involved in sports activities
  • More children with disabilities and special needs involved in social activities
  • Migrant and Roma children included in activities
  • Football3 manuals published in Montenegrin

Partner

Football for All in Vietnam

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Vietnam
Start date 01/01/2022
End date 12/31/2023
Cost of the project €81,500
Foundation funding €42,000
Project identifier 20210432
Partners Football Association of Norway/Football for All in Vietnam
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Personal development

Context

The Vietnamese cultural preference for boys in ethnic minority areas, together with the belief that only men can perform ancestral rites, has given boys and men more socio-cultural benefits than girls and women. Due to the socially constructed norms related to gender, girls are expected to grow up to be wives and mothers. As a result, girls are denied an education, forced into early marriage, and have limited opportunities to advance in other aspects of society. In many communities, the belief that ‘football is for boys; not for girls’ is basic gender discrimination that restricts, excludes, and denies girls’ rights.

Project content

FFAV utilises a football programme with life skills education as a focal point to change community perceptions of gender roles. It offers equal opportunities for boys and girls on the football pitch and in a life skills education programme.

Objectives

Raise awareness of equal rights and foster gender rights practices in ethnic minority groups to increase the equal participation of women and girls in football, empower them and equip them with leadership skills.

Project activities

  • Set up football clubs
  • Organise football training sessions for PE teachers – priority given to female teachers
  • Organise life skills training sessions for female teachers who will then educate girls in life skills
  • Develop a FFAV life skills toolkit and social campaign messages with events to promote equal rights in the community
  • Organise regular activities at clubs

Expected results

  • 19 football clubs with the participation of 1,520 girls and 1,520 boys
  • 1,520 girls equipped with knowledge about gender rights and life skills
  • 114 teachers trained as football coaches/referees
  • 58 female teachers trained as life skills facilitators/master trainers
  • 3,800 community members exposed to social campaign on gender rights/equality through club activities
  • 19,120 children experience football and life skills through 38 Fun Football Festivals and 2,736 football sessions
  • Gender equality education materials distributed

Partner

All In: Girls Play

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Tonga and Vanuatu
Start date 01/01/2022
End date 01/01/2023
Cost of the project €1,150,000
Foundation funding €200,000
Project identifier 20210417
Partners Oceania Football Confederation (OFC)
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Gender Equality - Personal development

Context

The OFC is committed to raising the profile of women’s football, breaking down the barriers to access and creating greater opportunities for participation. Sport for development is a critical component of the OFC’s approach to helping to build stronger Pacific Island communities.

Violence against women and girls in the Pacific is among the highest in the world. Up to 80% of Pacific women experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime and 75% adolescent boys think that it is acceptable to beat a wife. Girls face discrimination, exclusion and inequalities, and these are exacerbated by COVID-19. Sport plays a critical role in changing perceptions and relations between boys and girls, providing a supportive and safe environment.

Project content

This project drives gender equality in and through football by facilitating interaction between boys and girls, challenging perceptions of gender stereotypes and norms of violence as well as providing the tools to develop female leaders in communities across the Pacific region. Gender equality and safeguarding strategies and training will support the sustainable and safe delivery of football for all and ensuring a lasting legacy hosting the 2023 Women's World Cup in the region.

Objectives

  • Change perceptions among boys, girls, women and men involved in football to promote greater lifelong inclusion and access to football
  • Empower youth to be leaders and advocates for broader social change
  • Train youth and coaches on gender-based violence and ensure access to services
  • Ensure strategies, systems and training are available to combat discrimination and reduce risks of harm

Project activities

  • Boys’ and girls’ gender integration programmes to teach vital skills and attitudes relating to gender equality and acceptance
  • Girls’ football programme teaching life skills, leadership and how to respond to violence and abuse
  • Development of gender equality training and capacity building for coaches in 13 countries
  • Safeguarding training for all instructors across the Pacific
  • Long-term gender inclusion and safeguarding action plans developed in 13 countries

Expected results

  • 7,000 girls (13–18) participating in football with messages of empowerment and responding to gender-based violence across the Pacific
  • 30,000 boys and girls (6–12) participating in a gender-equality promotion programme
  • 800+ coaches with enhanced knowledge and attitudes toward girls’ participation in football across the Pacific region
  • 800+ coaches trained in effective child safeguarding
  • Enhanced safeguarding awareness, with a regional campaign and 176 festivals promoting safe sport

Partner

Football for Kids – the ball is spinning for everyone!

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Switzerland
Start date 01/01/2022
End date 12/31/2022
Cost of the project €41,500
Foundation funding €18,500
Project identifier 20210333
Partners PluSport
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Personal development

Context

Over the past 10 years, Football for Kids programme from PluSport has been establishing football as a sport for everyone. Weekly training sessions and competitive tournaments run by many programmes all over Switzerland meet the high demand and enable children and young people to practise their favourite sport. Roughly 100 children with various kinds of disabilities presently enjoy football and new teams are being set up all the time.

To finance the programme, we rely heavily on support from local partners, sponsors and donors. A key project partner for many years withdrew its support at the end of 2021, putting the programme in jeopardy. The financial support of the UEFA Foundation secures the future of the football activities for kids and youngsters.

Project content

Football for Kids offers weekly training sessions and competitive tournaments for children with disabilities through several programmes all over Switzerland. It positions football as a sport for everyone, but it does more than that: it provides children with an opportunity to enjoy the camaraderie and emotions of a team sport, fosters inclusion, provides both physical and mental benefits as well as a sense of accomplishment. It builds social bridges and provides everyone involved with a sense of respect and admiration for each other and the game of football.

Objectives

General objectives (2022–24)

  • Ensure exercise through sport (especially football) for children and young people with disabilities
  • Systematically promote and develop football as a sport of inclusion
  • Facilitate access for children and young people with disabilities
  • Expand the number of participating children and young people (+20 new children)
  • Increase the proportion of girls taking part in this sport
  • Secure enough financing to ensure the continuation of the football programme, especially the weekly training sessions and the tournaments

Project activities

Football is the world’s most popular sport, including among people with disabilities. Almost all youngsters want to play football. Promoting football and ball sports in general as integrative disciplines is of major importance to PluSport : they bring joy and team spirit to the lives of young athletes together with essential qualities that also help children with a disability to progress in their daily lives. Over the past few years, the development of disability football has been in full swing. What started with the promotion and integration of children and young people with disabilities in a youth development project has continued successfully with the creation of football teams and regular tournaments for all age groups and all kinds of disabilities.

  • Regular weekly training sessions held throughout Switzerland
  • Four or five tournaments per year
  • Opportunity for trial training sessions
  • Programme promotion through PluSport’s communication channels and network

Expected results

  • Expand the number of children and young people taking part (+20 new children)
  • Set up or expand football teams for children and young people
  • Increase the number of girls taking part (+5)
  • Expand the number of annual tournaments to at least five a year

Partner

Learn&Play – Equal educational and sports opportunities for all children!

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Montenegro
Start date 02/01/2022
End date 05/31/2022
Cost of the project €78,180
Foundation funding €59,180
Project identifier 20210481
Partners NGO Parents
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development

Context

Although they are enrolled in school, vulnerable children often do not attend regularly, and often drop out at an early age due to difficulties fulfilling basic needs (food, shelter).

  • Only 7 % of them continue to high school (source: UNICEF). After primary school, girls often get married (aged 14–15) and boys start to work on the street collecting raw materials.
  • Most are victims of discrimination, rejected by their peers and socially very isolated.
  • Alcohol, deviant behaviour, and violence are often present in their lives.
  • Their parents are often unable to support them, so the youngsters do not acquire basic knowledge and have very low school achievement, with only basic reading and writing.
  • Roma minority children have additional problems as they do not speak Montenegrin well, which is a further barrier to social inclusion.
  • None of them have ever had an opportunity to do any sport and are additionally deprived of opportunities to improve their health or have social interactions with their peers.

Project content

The Learn&Play project will help these 1,400 children, through sport and education, to socialise and become involved in peer activities to improve their social skills, which are neglected because of extreme poverty.

Equal educational and sports opportunities for all children! The project will improve opportunities for children aged 6–12 who live in poverty in suburban and rural areas of Podgorica, by supporting their education and social inclusion through sport. The project consists of football training, literacy classes, and a final event, the Learn&Play Cup. The project will help children turn their lives around by finishing school and gaining social skills.

Objectives

Support education and social inclusion of 1,200 children who live in extreme poverty.

Specific objectives

  1. Provide access to sport – free football training for 1,200 children who live in extreme poverty.
  2. Provide free literacy lessons for 400 children.
  3. Increase the children’s self-esteem, motivation, and social skills.
  4. Promote equal opportunities for all children among the main stakeholders.

Project activities

Organisation of free football training in 10 schools

Select ten elementary schools in Podgorica, with a total of 1,200 pupils, in coordination with the ministry for education, culture, science and sport.

Selected schools will be in areas with the greatest poverty.

2 near to an informal settlement with mostly Roma children

5 in suburban areas

3 in rural areas

Football training, twice a week for 120 children per school in two groups:

Years 1–3 (6 to 8)

Years 4–6 (9 to 12)

Each group will consist of two teams of 30 children, both boys and girls, with a minimum of 30% of girls, and 5% of children with disabilities. Each team will be trained by one coach (licensed physical education teacher from the school or a licensed coach) and one volunteer.

Training programme

This activity will involve 20 physical education teachers or licensed coaches and 20 volunteers. The training will focus specifically on working with children who live in poverty and offer guidance on its mission and values: equality, social inclusion, tolerance, teamwork, stressing the importance of education.

Providing sports equipment:

  • T-shirts will be provided for all 1,200 children (branded with project logo and UEFA logo)
  • Donated second-hand sneakers will be provided for the most vulnerable children
  • Football jerseys and sneakers with the name of their school will be provided for 400 children taking part in the tournament

Visits by famous football players

To motivate the children and promote the project, Montenegrin football players will visit each school and play football with the children.

 Free literacy classes

  1. a) In coordination with the schools, a group of children with literacy difficulties will be chosen for support.
  • 400 children will be provided with free literacy classes (40 children per school): 50% will be girls, 40% Roma children, 5% children with disabilities.
  • Children will be divided into two groups, regardless of age or grade: children with no knowledge of reading (including Roma children who do not speak Montenegrin) and children with reading skills below the normal level for their age.
  • 90-minute classes will be held in schools once a week.
  1. b) Recruiting and training coordinator and volunteers who will help children to learn
  • This activity will involve ten learning supervisors (Montenegrin language teachers) and 40 volunteers. The supervisors will develop learning plans and supervise the volunteers.
  • A training programme will be organised for all of them, focusing on the specific approach in working with children who live in poverty and guidance for the project’s mission and values: equality, social inclusion, tolerance, teamwork, and stressing the importance of education.

Learn&Play Cup – one-day football tournament

  • The Learn&Play Cup will be the first tournament of its kind in Montenegro, promoting social inclusion, equal opportunities and the importance of education and sport for all children.
  • 400 children (4 teams from each selected school) will take part in the tournament.
  • A detailed schedule of football matches will be drawn up in cooperation with the Football Association of Montenegro.
  • The tournament will be organised in the country’s largest stadium, belonging to FC Budućnost, and will resemble regular matches in every way – anthem, lights, security, judges, medals, and a trophy.
  • Football jersey and sneakers will be provided for all children taking part.
  • Transport and snacks will be provided for all children taking part.
  • After the tournament final, a press conference will be held to highlight the project’s achievements and results.

Expected results

  • 840 will children take part in sport for the first time in their lives (a total of 1,200 children given training).
  • 400 children learn to read and write.
  • 1,200 children will improve football skills, self-esteem, self-awareness, motivation, social skills.
  • Increased awareness of social isolation and education challenges of children living in poverty and importance of creating equal opportunities for all.

Partner

YES!: Youth Empowerment through Sport

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Cameroon
Start date 01/01/2022
End date 09/30/2022
Cost of the project €48,954
Foundation funding €48,954
Project identifier 20210730
Partners Street Child
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Conflict victims - Gender Equality - Personal development

Context

The ongoing conflict in Cameroon’s northwestern and southwestern regions has affected over 900,000 children, many of whom have been exposed to violence as well as the risk of family separation, exploitation, and abuse. Approximately 85% of schools have closed. Most of the children concerned have missed out on several years of schooling, and many have been separated from their parents and communities after fleeing fighting. To overcome the challenges they face, children need safe spaces to play, recover from trauma and regain psychosocial stability. This project will use sport to provide these safe spaces, and as an entry point for the children to heal, develop life skills and improve their resilience and well-being.

Project content

The aim of this project is to provide psychosocial support for 4,990 children through sport, to improve their psychosocial well-being and resilience.

Both in-school and out-of-school children will be enrolled in the project and participate in weekly sports and games along with psychosocial support (PSS), counselling and life skills development. The project seeks to be inclusive, so the sports activities and PSS/life skills sessions have been tailored to different ages, genders and disabilities.

Teachers, community coaches and youth leaders will be trained to lead the sports and PSS sessions, and refer any children who are in need of specialised child protection or therapy services. Each school and community will be provided with a package of sports equipment, such as footballs, bibs and cones. By supporting schools and community centres, and training teachers and community leaders to lead the sessions, we expect the sports and PSS sessions to continue at community level even after the UEFA project ends.

Objectives

  • Provide PSS and life skills through sports to school children affected by conflict and displacement.
  • Provide PSS and life skills through sport to out-of-school teenagers affected by conflict and displacement.
  • Build the capacity of teachers and community stakeholders to promote children’s rights and strengthen protection mechanisms in their communities.
  • Reduce protection risks and strengthen menstrual hygiene management for out-of-school teenage girls.

Project activities

  • Training community-based coaches, teachers and youth leaders in coaching skills, PSS, child protection and safeguarding

Ten community-based coaches, 16 teachers and 6 youth leaders will be trained over the course of two days to lead the sports and PSS sessions, as well as educated on key child protection and child safeguarding issues.

  • Provision of sports and play equipment for schools and communities

The schools/community centres will be provided with sports and play equipment to be used during the weekly sessions. This will include footballs, handballs, plastic balls, skipping ropes, bibs and whistles – all of which will be used in a variety of international and local games and sports activities.

  • Provision of weekly sports and PSS sessions for 4,240 in-school children and 750 out-of-school children

Every week, the coaches will lead sports and PSS sessions for the children, supported by the trained teachers or youth leaders. Alongside games and sports activities, the coaches will provide PSS and life-skills sessions (on topics such as health, general hygiene, menstrual hygiene, children’s rights, self-esteem, teamwork and leadership) to help the youngsters overcome trauma and build resilience. The sessions will be held at selected schools (integrated into the school day) and at community centres. A total of 4,990 children will take part, at least 50% of whom will be girls. It is expected that 50% of the children participating will be internally displaced persons as a result of the current crisis, and 25% will be children separated from their parents through displacement.

  • Distribution of dignity kits for protection and menstrual hygiene management to out-of-school teenage girls

In recognition of the particular vulnerability of teenage girls, dedicated sessions will build their knowledge of their rights and protection mechanisms available. These sessions will include information on menstrual hygiene management and sexual and reproductive health. Out-of-school teenage girls will be provided with dignity kits to allow them to maintain hygiene and respect and also to offer protection.

Expected results

  • Ten community coaches, 16 teachers and six youth leaders (50% female) have improved knowledge of coaching skills, PSS skills, child protection and safeguarding.
  • Eight schools and three community centres are provided with a package of sports and play equipment.
  • 4,990 children (at least 50% girls) participate in weekly sports and PSS sessions.
  • 375 out-of-school teenage girls are provided with dignity kits and have improved knowledge of their rights, health and hygiene.

Partner

Extension of the Unis Vers le Sport school in Mali

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Sala, Mali
Start date 03/01/2022
End date 03/31/2022
Cost of the project €56,800
Foundation funding €36,000
Project identifier 20210653
Partners Unis Vers le Sport
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development

Context

For many years, Mali has been shaken by economic and political instability that has left most of its population out of work and struggling to survive. Despite these difficult circumstances, the Unis Vers le Sport school has been able to function normally since it was founded with UNESCO’s support in Sala, 30km from Bamako, in 2008.

Most of the region’s inhabitants make their living from agriculture or diving for sand from the bed of the river Niger. As many families cannot afford to send their children to school, they often have to work in the fields or the river.

Project content

This year, the school aims to take in more children to give them an eduction and better future prospects. The project will build a new classroom, with space for 50 pupils, and recruit two extra primary-level teachers.

Objectives

  • Increase the school’s capacity.
  • Improve the conditions and the quality of the education.

Project activities

The Unis Vers le Sport school is accredited by the Mali ministry of education and applies the national curriculum.

The school is mixed and every day after classes, the pupils do a variety of sporting activities, under the supervision of the teachers, to improve their physical and mental well-being and help them to thrive.

Once they have finished school, the children can go on to learn a trade in the partner training centre in Bamako.

Expected results

  • 50 more girls and boys in school.
  • 2 extra teachers.
  • Better teaching conditions.

Partner