Football for Unity

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Denmark; Germany; Hungary; Italy; Ireland; Netherlands, United Kingdom
Start date 01/01/2020
End date 08/31/2021
Cost of the project €669,092
Foundation funding €69,100
Project identifier EURO2020_1
Partners European Union’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund; streetfootballworld gGmbH; European Football for Development Network
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Personal development - Sponsors

Context

Factors such as cultural differences, language barriers and social stigmas can make it difficult for third-country nationals (migrants from non-EU countries) to integrate into their new European societies.

Over the past decade, the potential of sport has become increasingly recognised by the EU, with the Council of the European Union observing that “sport is a powerful social tool in many areas such as addressing increasing migrant populations, combating social exclusion or increasing solidarity between generations”. Sporting values, such as teamwork, respect, diversity, equality of opportunity and fair play, are equally European values.

UEFA EURO 2020 is the ideal opportunity to educate the European public about the social inclusion of third-country nationals. It is an occasion to celebrate unity in diversity, break down barriers to social inclusion, transform lives and inspire communities. Co-funded by the European Commission’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and coordinated by streetfootballworld, the Football for Unity project will utilise the tournament to promote a positive image of migration and help create strong incentives that will lead to a more constructive discourse on migration within European host communities.

Project content

Football for Unity will enable pan-European collaboration, cross-border exchange and peer-to-peer learning to help unite and develop the capacities of relevant European stakeholders, eager to improve their sport-based social inclusion programmes to produce more positive outcomes for third-country nationals in their local communities.

The aim is to unite and capacitate local stakeholder groups to plan, organise and implement their own local legacy sport programmes and impactful events in the context of UEFA EURO 2020. The project will bring together young third-country nationals and young Europeans in seven European capital cities in a series of local football-based programmes, youth forums, integration activities and football for inclusion tournaments (utilising methodologies such as football3) that will demonstrate football’s unique ability to promote equality and social inclusion. The young participants will be able to interact, learn from one another, acquire life skills and become agents of change and community building.

Objectives

  • Use UEFA EURO 2020 to bring football as a powerful tool for the social inclusion of third-country nationals to the attention of the wider European public
  • Build the capacity of local stakeholder groups to collaboratively organise seven awareness-raising festivals (five larger festivals and two smaller festivals) during UEFA EURO 2020 in seven strategic locations:
    1. Netherlands, Amsterdam with Johan Cruyff Foundation
    2. Germany, Munich with KICKFAIR
    3. Hungary, Budapest with Oltalom Sports Association
    4. Ireland, Dublin with Sports Against Racism Ireland
    5. United Kingdom, London with Street Child United
    6. Italy, Rome with Liberi Nantes ASD
    7. Denmark, Copenhagen with FC Nordsjælland
  • Sustainably improve the social inclusion outcomes of young third-country nationals in UEFA EURO 2020 host cities via opportunities for active participation, exchange and non-formal learning
  • Ensure maximum impact and sustainability of the multi-stakeholder collaborative approach beyond UEFA EURO 2020

Project activities

Local stakeholder groups will be created in each of the seven UEFA EURO 2020 host cities to organise the festivals. Each group will be comprised of local partners, such as civil society organisations, public authorities, football industry actors and local social inclusion experts.

The groups will organise legacy sports programmes with low barriers to entry to ensure sports activities aimed at the social inclusion of young third-country nationals continue after the UEFA EURO 2020 awareness-raising festivals.

They will also create action plans to ensure joint integration activities continue so that third-country nationals are actively given the opportunity to participate in society.

They will create an action plan for the continuation and sustainability of the multi-stakeholder cooperation and continue to implement integration activities, actively supporting their participation in society and aiding community building on the local level.

Expected results

  • Festivals will raise awareness about social inclusion of third-country nationals in seven EURO 2020 host countries
  • Local stakeholder groups (comprised of civil society organisations, public authorities, football industry actors, local experts on the topic of social inclusion) develop and implement joint activities at a local or regional level
  • Third-country nationals will take part in integration activities through which they will acquire life skills (communication, conflict resolution, leadership and intercultural knowledge) and become promoters of European values on and off the pitch
  • Local stakeholder groups will develop and implement joint activities and create action plans for utilising football as a tool for social inclusion

Partners

Football for Children with Down Syndrome

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Russia, Moscow
Start date 03/01/2021
End date 02/28/2022
Cost of the project €45,277
Foundation funding €34,850
Project identifier 20200451
Partners Syndrome of Love
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities

Context

In Russia, there are still many obstacles to the integration of people with Down syndrome into the community. Sport assists social integration since it develops physical and mental abilities, improves emotional and psychological well-being, and teaches teamworking and social skills. However, there are still insufficient clubs, coaches, methods and conditions to enable children with Down syndrome in Russia to engage in sports, including football.

The Football for Children with Down Syndrome project began in 2015, when the charitable foundations Syndrome of Love and Downside Up started to teach football to children and teenagers with Down syndrome in Moscow. Through active promotion of the methodology, the project has spread to 12 other major Russian cities. More than 1,300 sessions took place between 2015 and 2019, with over 200 children with Down syndrome benefiting from regular football lessons.

The project has proven its value and effectiveness for children with Down syndrome. Regular physical activity is vital as a means of physical, mental and social development.

Project content

Football for Children with Down Syndrome is the first initiative in Russia that teaches children with Down syndrome how to play as a team. They attend football training sessions several times a week, participate in friendly games and other sports events, and attend football matches.

The project plans to organise:

  • professional development courses at the Russian State Social University (RSSU) to train 15 coaches how to organise mini-football lessons for children with Down syndrome;
  • training camps for children with Down syndrome from Moscow and other regions;
  • an intensive training course in better competition preparation, sports form, and football skills;
  • a mini-football competition at the end of the project (in autumn 2021).

 

 

Objectives

  • Stimulate the physical development of children with Down syndrome and improve their communication and social skills through regular football playing
  • Popularise sports, physical activity and football among children and teenagers with Down syndrome and their families
  • Draw attention to sports for children with Down syndrome among parents and the professional community
  • Create a friendly and tolerant environment for people with Down syndrome that supports equal rights and opportunities

Project activities

  • Conducting regular football classes for children with Down syndrome
  • Organising training camps and refresher courses for coaches from Moscow
  • Conducting advanced training courses at RSSU for 15 trainers
  • Holding training camps for paritcipants from Moscow and other regions for a total of 150 people (children with Down syndrome, coaches, volunteers and organisers)
  • Holding mini-football competitions for children with Down syndrome

Expected results

  • Physical development in children and young people with Down syndrome
  • Broader range of communication skills to compensate for difficulties with speech
  • Active leisure time
  • Improved socialisation skills and independence
  • Raised awareness at government level of the need for sports development for children with Down syndrome
  • Increased tolerance towards people with Down syndrome and other disorders in Russian society

Partner

Cup of Trust

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Ukraine
Start date 01/01/2021
End date 12/31/2022
Cost of the project €235,799
Foundation funding €199,870
Project identifier 20200601
Partners Development of Football in Ukraine
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Personal development

Context

In 2019–2020, the charitable foundation Development of Football in Ukraine developed the Cup of Trust project in cooperation with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Ukraine, the National Police of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Association of Football and the Ministry of Education and Science. The crime prevention outreach project, funded through a grant from UNICEF, was designed to engage police officers in sport for development activities with children.

In 2020, the project was supported by a grant agreement with the United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme with the financial support of the governments of Denmark, Switzerland and Sweden. The project is continuing in 2021 in cooperation with the Luhansk Region National Police Headquarters, the Ukrainian Association of Football, and the Luhansk Region State Administration.

Project content

In 2021 and 2022, 100 police officers and 100 physical education teachers will take part in a sport for development workshop. They will be taught how to use sports, including football, to build trusting relationships, prevent teenagers from breaking the law, create healthy habits and introduce teenagers to ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Sport for development is a global UNICEF initiative that aims to help children develop the values of team effort, trust, mutual respect, and participation over victory, so that they can fully realise their potential.

Objectives

  • Teach police officers and physical education teachers how to use sport as a child safeguarding tool
  • Promote friendly and trusting relationships between children and law enforcement officials
  • Encourage girls to play football
  • Create a safe environment in the community through public awareness lectures on:
    • leading a healthy lifestyle
    • street safety and traffic rules
    • preventing internet and phone fraud
    • preventing and counteracting domestic violence and child abuse
    • environmental awareness (recycling and reduced consumption)

Project activities

  • Increasing the educational capabilities of police officers and physical education teachers through five two-day workshops on the sport for development methodology and the UEFA online course on child safeguarding
  • Facilitating the creation and training of mixed teams of children by the police officers in collaboration with the physical education teachers
  • Organising public awareness activities for the participating children and other schoolchildren led by police officers
  • Organising regional matches and tournaments, a press conference, a final match and a final survey

Expected results

  • 100 police officers and 100 physical education teachers will complete the sport for development workshop and the online child safeguarding course
  • 202 sets of sports and football equipment will be distributed among the police officers, physical education teachers and workshop trainers
  • 100 mixed teams of children aged 13 to 14 will be created by the police officers in collaboration with the physical education teachers – a total of 1,200 children (600 girls and 600 boys) will be involved
  • The public awareness activities will reach 60,000 children
  • Each year, 50 teams will take part in regional competitions and the five best teams will take part in the finals

Partner

Adopt a Ball for All

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Greece and more than 170 countries across five continents
Start date 01/01/2021
End date 01/01/2021
Cost of the project €100,000
Foundation funding €95,000
Project identifier 20200573
Partners Youthorama
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Personal development

Context

There is a challenge globally to include pupils with visual impairment in physical education (PE) in general primary schools. There is generally only one type of PE class for all pupils and there are limited inclusive sports tools. As a result, pupils with visual impairment do not participate in PE at the same level as their sighted classmates. This project meets this global need and provides a sustainable solution. It supports children’s right to education and their right to play as well as Sustainable Development Goals 4 (quality education) and 10 (reduced inequality).

Project content

Youthorama’s founder invented an innovative lightweight sound ball. The unique mini ball for all children is not for sale – it is only donated. In Greece, an educational programme using the mini ball was approved by the ministry of education for all schools – both general and special – and all grades. This project aims to establish a network of schools across the world that will promote inclusive sports through this new educational package.

         

Sierra Leon                                                              India

Objectives

  • Produce and donate up to 2,000 mini blind footballs for children
  • Create a more inclusive society through the use of these balls as a non-formal learning tool
  • Educate mainstream nursery and primary schools, NGOs and public structures on inclusive sport
  • Create a manual of up to 40 good practices
  • Launch an Adopt a Ball pilot initiative for schools to raise awareness of sports for all
  • Establish an Inclusive Football Network across the world (currently spanning 172 countries)

Project activities

  • Donation of the innovative mini blind footballs – the only ones available on a global level and not for sale – to children in need and their schools across 5 continents
  • Designing an inclusive educational package
  • Delivering up to 200 sports workshops in general and special nursery and primary schools to promote personal development, empathy and inclusion
  • Evaluation of the project’s success in achieving its aims
  • Launching the Adopt a Ball campaign and promoting open four-a-side events

Expected results

  • 100 schools in disadvantaged areas across the network delivering the educational programme
  • 25,000 sighted and visually impaired pupils in mixed classes
  • 500 schools registered in the Adopt a Ball network
  • 2,500 questionnaires
  • 500 PE teachers and volunteers using the accessible e-learning platform
  • 3,000 participants in the open four-a-side events
  • 2,000 mini blind footballs donated
  • 1 social message documentary for TV

Our vision is for the ball to be heard in every visually impaired child’s home and school around the world!

Partner

Health Goals Liverpool

Location and general information

to be started
Location United Kingdom
Start date 11/06/2020
End date 11/06/2021
Cost of the project € 211,428
Foundation funding € 80,000
Project identifier 2019708
Partners Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Personal development

Context

Football is often used to promote sexual and reproductive health in low- and middle-income countries. In fact, the Liverpool Football Club Foundation (LFC Foundation) and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) are in the second year of their 2.5-year Health Goals Malawi project. The project’s initial goal was to reduce the incidence of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STI) among teenage boys and young men in Malawi.

They have decided to run a similar project in disadvantaged areas of Liverpool because the city has the second-highest rate of new STI diagnoses in northwest England. Rates of early pregnancy are also higher than the national average. There is a strong correlation between early pregnancy and socio‑economic deprivation. Teenage pregnancy can be both a cause and a consequence of health and education inequalities. High-quality relationship and sex education is therefore crucial to address such inequalities.

The main drivers of these inequalities are:

  • Persistent school absence before year 9 (pupils aged 13 and 14)
  • Relatively slow academic progress
  • Poverty

Football is used for three reasons:

  • The strength of the Liverpool FC brand in the city engages these socially vulnerable children aged 11 to 16.
  • As football is the most popular sport in Liverpool, participants will be highly motivated to attend in order to develop their skills.
  • Football drills and games can lead to discussions about key topics.

Project content

The project will focus on:

  • relationship and sex education programmes in schools and colleges, with targeted prevention for at-risk youngsters of both sexes
  • training on relationships and sexual health for health and non-health professionals, e.g. sports coaches
  • using the influence of community sports coaches and the LFC Foundation brand to engage young people, emphasising the importance of positive male and female role models
  • developing an innovative method of delivering relationship and sex education, with a particular emphasis on overcoming health and educational inequalities by reaching out to the most at-risk young people

Objectives

A clear and comprehensive curriculum will be developed with coaching materials and resources. If this project is successful, the curriculum will be integrated into the day-to-day work of the LFC Foundation with schools throughout Liverpool.

If this approach proves to be effective, the teen pregnancy rate could be reduced.

Project activities

  • Six weeks of football training and coaching provided in different schools
  • Football tournaments
  • Project evaluation with the children and coaches involved
  • Annual survey of participants

Expected results

Some 300 children aged 11 to 16 years, 50% of whom are to be girls, are to take part in project activities. The participants will include children with disabilities and poor mental health.

Partner

Living Together – Turkey

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Şanlıurfa, Izmir, Turkey
Start date 06/15/2020
End date 12/31/2021
Cost of the project €377,234
Foundation funding €367,234
Project identifier 2019024
Partners Turkish Football Federation, Bonyan Organisation, Tiafi Community Center
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims

Context

Turkey has taken important steps to integrate more than 3.6 million Syrian refugees. But the youth population – which represents at least half of that number – presents special challenges that have received insufficient attention. Syrian youth displaced to Turkey face enormous difficulties. Too many are not in school. Most are coping with anger, trauma and loss. Failure to meet the needs of this population today could feed tensions for years to come.

Şanlıurfa, is a case in point. The province’s original two million inhabitants already faced high levels of poverty, wide educational gaps and severe unemployment. Now, with over 450,000 Syrians, most of them young and traumatised, Şanlıurfa is unable to provide sufficient jobs, bring children to schools, and ensure social cohesion. So, promoting peaceful relations between Turkish and Syrian youngsters is a valuable investment for the future of both communities.

To that end, football and other sports can play an important role in alleviating the pain of those who have been displaced by conflicts, especially children. They are at risk every day, so it is important to provide them with a safe environment and organise activities that keep them busy, teach them life skills and build their resilience through football, while also ensuring they have the opportunity to stay children, play and enjoy pleasant moments.

Project content

The project targets several different groups and addresses their specific needs. As mentioned above, Şanlıurfa has a very young population and the city lacks recreational facilities for children and teenagers. The renovated school playgrounds will fill this important gap both for the children attending the schools and those living in the vicinity, for many years to come.

Secondly, under the project, physical education teachers in 100 schools in Şanlıurfa will be trained how to utilise sports and football as a tool for peace, integration and ultimately lasting social impact. This will lead to a whole new concept of physical education classes and potentially turn it into one of the cornerstones of social integration between Turkish and Syrian youngsters, while making teachers agents of change.

More specifically, the project will bring Turkish and Syrian boys and girls from disadvantaged backgrounds together for three football tournaments. These will be played in accordance with the football3 methodology, which promotes healthy competition among players and focuses on the acquisition of communication and problem-solving skills.

The project will also benefit male and female teenagers, as they will be involved as volunteers, coaches and mediators. Before their full involvement in the project, the volunteers will be trained to build human capacity and develop their skills and confidence so that they can also put these skills to good use in their own communities and projects.

Finally, the project will engage with parents, who are also a target group of the project. Through information sessions on the sidelines, the project will aim to increase parents’ awareness of the importance of good parenting and education for the well-being of their children.

Objectives

The project’s overall goal is to use football as a tool for building peaceful coexistence between children while refurbishing infrastructure at schools in Şanlıurfa.

Specific objectives

  • Provide vulnerable Turkish and Syrian children with increased regular access to sports facilities and create opportunities to interact in a more meaningful way;
  • Promote life skills for children and teenagers, including leadership, conflict resolution, teamwork and communication;
  • Increase the ability of physical education teachers to adopt the football3 mentality in their classwork;
  • Promote positive life outcomes for participating children including increased educational attainment, enhanced social cohesion, prevention of crime and radicalisation;
  • Empower youngsters to make them role models and engaged citizens.

Project activities

The project has five main components:

  • Renovation of school playgrounds

Pitches at ten schools in the three central districts of Şanlıurfa will be renovated so that children, whether attending the schools or simply living in the area, can benefit from these facilities and engage in sports activities that will promote peaceful coexistence and improve their life skills.

  • PE teacher training

Turkish and Syrian PE teachers will be trained in social cohesion activities that can be integrated into their classwork. The project will target 100 schools, with an average of two Turkish and one Syrian PE teachers involved the training. In total, 300 teachers will be trained in 12 sessions (25 teachers for each session). Training for Syrian teachers may be held separately.

The schools will also be provided with PE materials, the football3 guidelines and training kits so that in all schools the activities can be carried out during PE classes in line with the football3 approach.

  • Volunteer/mediator training

Mediators play a key role in successfully running the tournament component of the project. They prepare and facilitate football3 sessions, mediate any conflicts arising between the teams, and act as positive role models for the children. It is therefore important to train mediators who can explain football3 to players.

  • Football3 tournament

Three leagues will be set up. The first league is for 7–10 year-old boys, the second for 11–14 year-old boys, and the last for 9–13 year-old girls. All teams will involve both Turkish and Syrian students. They can be any children in Şanlıurfa, but priority will be given to more vulnerable ones: out of school, engaged in child labour, subject to bullying, etc. Each league will comprise 36 teams of six players. A total of 72 games will be played in each league to declare the champion.

  • Parent and caregiver sessions

These sessions may be held concurrently with the football games or separately. The purpose is to raise awareness of education, promote social cohesion, and introduce good parenting practices.

Expected results

  • Pitches will be refurbished at 10 schools in the three central districts of Şanlıurfa.
  • 100 schools will benefit from the football programme.
  • 300 teachers will be trained.
  • PE materials, football3 guidelines and training kits will be distributed to the 100 schools selected.
  • Three leagues will be set up.
  • Three sessions will be held for parents, to raise awareness of education, promote social cohesion, and introduce good parenting practices.

Partners

Score For Education

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Albania
Start date 10/01/2020
End date 09/30/2022
Cost of the project € 268,883
Foundation funding € 225,588
Project identifier 2019623
Partners Save the Children
Categories Access to Sport - Personal development

Context

School children in Albania face complex challenges reflecting the country’s long and difficult political transition in the early 1990s. In conjunction with Save the Children’s existing programmes, this project aims to tackle two main issues:

  • unhealthy lifestyles and exclusion;
  • discrimination against the most deprived children, including children with disabilities, girls, minorities and those experiencing

Many schoolchildren in Albania have health risk factors due to poor nutritional status, unhealthy diet, poor eating habits and inadequate physical activity. Some schools still fail to meet the obligatory three hours of physical exercise a week, mainly due to lack of infrastructure. Only one third of the 37 schools surveyed have teachers trained in physical education, and 60% do not assess children’s physical abilities.

Bullying is common among schoolchildren and is one of the most overt forms of violence against them. Teachers reported that about 70% of schoolchildren and teens were bullied by their peers because of their physical appearance, weight or clothes (National Survey on Bullying and Violent Extremism in the Education System of Albania, Council of Europe 2017).

A strategy for the development and promotion of teaching – School as a Community Centre – was introduced for the period 2014–2020. The aim is to achieve friendly schools for all. Schools should be transformed into places where partnerships are created between families, schools and communities to develop the full potential of each pupil.

However, the concept is difficult to put into practice, as teachers and administrators admit that the lack of equipment and infrastructure is often an obstacle to performing their work and turning their schools into community centres.

Project content

The project aims to contribute to a better school environment that promotes and supports healthy lifestyles to enable children to develop their full potential. It is based on the idea that sports, and especially football, play a crucial role in helping people develop healthy practices and attitudes and in improving treatment of the most deprived children.

 

 

Objectives

The overall aim of the project is to promote and support healthy lifestyles in school environments in Albania. Its objective is to provide children aged 6 to 14 in three regions of Albania with equal access to sports facilities and a healthy childhood.

 

Project activities

The support of the UEFA Foundation for Children will help to improve the accessibility and quality of sport facilities for children in Albania. Additionally, training sessions on healthy practices, diets and physical activity will improve teachers and educators' skills and their teaching methodologies. The project will also focus on the involvement of children in sport activities and on the promotion of inclusiveness and social acceptance in communities through sport. Other components of the project include:

  • support for mini sports clubs that offer children activities in a variety of disciplines;
  • capacity building to give sports teachers ways to nurture life skills through sports;
  • workshops with parents and children on the benefits of sports for a healthy lifestyle.

Expected results

Improvements in the health, academic and social outcomes of school-aged children are expected. Other expected outcomes include:

  • a one-week event to promote the importance of sports for child wellbeing;
  • parent information sessions to raise awareness of the importance of education and physical activity;
  • improved playgrounds, gyms and sport facilities;
  • a football championship.

Partner

Play Proud

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Europe, Asia, Africa
Start date 03/01/2020
End date 12/31/2020
Cost of the project €100 463
Foundation funding €100 463
Project identifier 2019524
Partners streetfootballworld
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Personal development

Context

Sports environments are often settings where discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community is magnified, whether involuntarily or voluntarily. As a result, the unparalleled power of sport to engage youngsters and create mutual understanding can be inaccessible to children and teenagers who identify as LGBTQ+ – those who need these spaces the most.

In one study, 63% of LGBTQ+-identified respondents had experienced homophobia in sports environments, and 57% said that they would be more likely to take part in sports activities if they were more LGBTQ+-friendly. LGBTQ+-identified youngsters are twice as likely to be bullied and/or physically assaulted. The continual threat for their mental and physical safety means that the majority of LGBTQ+ youth do not openly disclose their gender and sexual identities. Unfortunately, many coaches struggle to cope with the challenge of including these children and teenagers and their needs, mainly due to a lack of skills, training, and knowledge.

Project content

Play Proud is a coach-centred exchange programme with the objective of making grassroots sport more inclusive for the LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, etc.) community, especially children and teenagers that have previously been excluded from such programmes. The direct beneficiaries of Play Proud activities are coaches who work with community organisations around the world. These coaches engage with disadvantaged children and teenagers, offering them a safe place on the football pitch to form friendships, develop life skills, and feel a sense of acceptance.

Play Proud targets both organisation and programme levels, recommending explicit policies and sports activities that foster more inclusive processes by identifying and training coaches who will push the gender-sensitive approach forward, reaching thousands of youngsters.

This year the programme is made up of organisations from Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe and India. Two representatives from each organization will engage in virtual exchanges, a 5-day in-person residency in South Africa and a 5-day in-person residency in India, as well as receiving ongoing mentorship and support.

 

Objectives

Play Proud can save lives. In 2020 and beyond, Play Proud will continue to pursue its objective to train more coaches using evidence-based methodology. This will enable us to strategically advance Play Proud around the world. We aim to create a global network of grassroots sports and LGBTQ+ organisations that apply the Play Proud methodology, reaching more coaches and youngsters every year.

We believe that we can make Play Proud the leading programme for LGBTQ+ inclusion in the sports sector. We will train more coaches and organisations to implement and share Play Proud so that we can continue to create a movement in local communities worldwide and ensure LGBTQ+ youth are safe, represented, and included, on and off the field.

Project activities

  • Football coaches receive 100+ hours of training from experts in the field, take part in capacity-building workshops and virtual mentoring, and visit the sports programmes run by local organisations.
  • Football coaches develop action plans on the topic of LGBTQ+ inclusion in their own organisations and communities.
  • Football coaches run LGBTQ+-inclusive programmes for children and teenagers and work with their organisations to improve internal and external safeguarding policies.
  • Grassroots sports organisations improve their inclusion of LGBTQ+ youth and their internal and external safeguarding policies.

 

Expected results

  • Three grassroots sports organisations in Europe and Asia join the Play Proud network.
  • Coaches in the participating organisations receive 100+ hours of training from experts in the field, take part in capacity-building workshops and virtual mentoring.
  • The project impacts the lives of over 250 disadvantaged children and teenagers in marginalised communities across Europe and Asia.

Partners

Living Together Greece

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Greece
Start date 09/16/2019
End date 12/31/2020
Cost of the project € 467,500
Foundation funding € 300,000
Project identifier 2019023
Partners Aiolikos FC, Cosmos FC, the Barça Foundation, Movement on the Ground, Iliaktida, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Personal development

Context

Over 45% of the refugees and migrants who arrived in Greece in 2019 landed on the Greek island of Lesbos, which is separated from Turkey by a 10km channel and is home to 88,000 people. In winter, incidents at sea are an almost daily occurrence. Many lives are lost as a result of shipwrecks off the coast of Lesbos.

The increasing influx of arrivals has put extreme pressure on the island, where there are more than 40,000 refugees and migrants, despite the official reception capacity being limited to 2,800. Some 18,000 are staying in Mória (capacity of 2,300) and 2,500 in Kara Tepe. There is no longer space in these official reception and registration sites, so makeshift shelters have been built in a rubbish-filled olive grove around the camp.

The number of refugees and migrants on the islands is extremely high and there is a severe lack of adequate shelter, sanitation and site management, which exposes refugees and migrants to severe risks. The majority of refugees and migrants are families and a third of the population are children, most below the age of 12. Thousands of women, men and children are currently living in small tents, exposed to cold and rain with little or no access to heating, electricity or hot water.

Hygiene and sanitation conditions are unsafe. On top of that, registration backlogs in Mória and Kara Tepe and the overcrowding of reception facilities have led to tensions among refugee groups and between refugees and the police. Towards the end of 2019, local communities also started protesting and demanding urgent action to alleviate the pressure on the island. Friction is growing between local people and asylum seekers landing in boats from Turkey. Anti-immigrant sentiment has increased with non-governmental organisations also being targeted.

https://uefafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/cosmos-fc-minors-year-2020-5fce51c762a86.mp4

 

The Live Together project is made up of three sub-projects

1) Two teams, one world

  • Cost of the sub-project: €119,000
  • Foundation funding: €119,000
  • Partners: Aiolikos FC and Cosmos FC

Context

Cosmos FC, a refugees’ football club, was founded in September 2016 on the initiative of a Lesbos native and ex-footballer who saw the potential for sports to alleviate the tensions caused by the refugee crisis on the island. Football can be more than just a game. Since 2016, the club has involved over 400 adults and minors – including girls, and regardless of religion and race – from 17 different countries.

Over the last two and a half years, Cosmos FC has been a sanctuary for people arriving on Lesbos (the island with the largest refugee population in Greece) on their way to the so-called ‘promised land’. Regular training and friendly matches against local clubs provide people with a sense of normality. At the same time, the club has gained the appreciation and respect of the local population of Lesbos.

In January 2019, Francis Kalombo, a 15-year-old Congolese boy and member of Cosmos FC became the first refugee to obtain an official licence to play in a European club, Aiolikos FC. His story instantly went viral, spreading throughout Greece and beyond and helping locals and refugees together raise awareness about refugees’ limited or non-existent access to sport. Subsequently, the Greek parliament passed legislation granting the right to participate in the amateur league and amateur cup matches not only to recognised refugees, but also to asylum-seekers, stateless persons and migrants who have a residence permit or have applied for a residence permit.

Project content

With the Two teams, one world project, Aiolikos FC and Cosmos FC are working together with the UEFA foundation to support more young refugees, including unaccompanied minors, teenagers and young adults.

The project will give 250 to 300 unaccompanied minors and other refugees aged 13 to 18 the opportunity to learn more about football through regular training. Regular exercise will help improve their physical and mental health, and football, as a team sport, will help them gain a sense of belonging, learn about teamwork and improve their self-confidence.

Friendly matches with local clubs will be combined with educational field trips to teach refugees about Greek and European societies and lifestyles, with a view to helping them adapt and integrate more easily. Refugees and Greek people from all backgrounds will play together, regardless of politics, religion or ethnicity, thus bridging possible divides between refugees and locals and creating the ideal opportunity to get to know one another.

An annual tournament (Cosmos Cup) will also be organised, involving either national or local clubs depending on the funding available, with the aim of combatting social exclusion and negative perceptions about refugees in society.

 

 

Objectives

  • Improve refugees’ living conditions and securing their fundamental right to personal development through sports and social interaction
  • Build a stable environment in which young refugees can overcome psychological disorders and build self-confidence
  • Cultivate a spirit of teamwork and solidarity
  • Integrate refugees into a European society and mainstream football
  • Reach female refugees, most of whom did not have the chance to play football or any other sport in their country of origin, because of the cultural and/or religious context
  • Combat social exclusion and negative sentiments about refugees in society
  • Use regular training and tournaments to create opportunities for refugees and locals to play together
  • Act as a pilot programme, raising awareness and encouraging and supporting other clubs to launch similar programmes, particularly on the other North Aegean islands (Samos, Chíos) that accommodate large number of refugees

Project activities

  • Knowledge-sharing between Cosmos FC and Aiolikos FC, the only professional football club on Lesbos
  • Regular football training for 300 unaccompanied minors and teenage refugees aged 13 to 18
  • Educational field trips combined with friendly games with local teams
  • Cosmos Cup tournament
  • Encouraging other clubs and refugee camps to launch similar projects, especially on the other North Aegean islands (Samos, Chíos), which also accommodate a large number of refugees

Expected results

  • Regular football training held for at least 300 unaccompanied minors and teenage refugees aged 13 to 18
  • One annual Cosmos Cup tournament
  • At least four educational field trips combined with friendly games with local teams each year
  • Increased participation of girls
  • Development of similar programmes at other football clubs

2) FutbolNet: Sports, life skills and values for unaccompanied refugee minors

  • Cost of the sub-project: €167,500
  • Foundation funding: €45,400
  • Partners: the Barça Foundation, Movement on the Ground and Iliaktida

Context

In the context of refugees, unaccompanied minors are children and young people under the age of 18 who make the journey to Europe without family or social support networks. In 2019, there were an estimated 21,000 refugee children in Greek reception and identification centres and accommodation sites, of whom an estimated 3,500 were unaccompanied minors. These children languish in reception and identification centres, protective custody or detention, in shelters for unaccompanied minors or on the waiting list for a shelter. They face a unique set of challenges and are considered to be the most vulnerable of all refugees.

This FutbolNet project proposes to work with unaccompanied minors on the Greek island of Lesbos.

Project content

With support from the UEFA foundation, the Barça Foundation will provide a year-long, socio-educational sports programme for unaccompanied refugee minors on the island of Lesbos. The aim of the programme is to create safe spaces to improve the physical and emotional well-being of unaccompanied minors, as well as fostering their social interaction and inclusion. At the heart of the programme is the FutbolNet curriculum, which imparts the FC Barcelona values and life skills through sports and cooperative games.

This project builds on an existing project through which Movement on the Ground provides daily FutbolNet training to children from the Kara Tepe refugee camp and a local school. The UEFA foundation will support Movement on the Ground to enrol 150 unaccompanied minors from Mória in its programme. The UEFA foundation will also support a new NGO, Iliaktida, to start delivering the FutbolNet programme to 45 unaccompanied minors from their centres. To this end, 40 Greek and refugee coaches and educators will be trained in the methodology to equip them with the knowledge, skills and tools to deliver the full curriculum.

Objectives

  • Create safe and appropriate spaces for 195 unaccompanied minors to learn, play and exchange experiences
  • Improve the physical and emotional well-being of unaccompanied minors, through improved confidence and self-esteem, and reduced fear and stress
  • Foster positive social interactions and social inclusion among unaccompanied minors

Project activities

  • FutbolNet training seminars with Movement on the Ground and Iliaktida staff and volunteers to equip them with the knowledge, skills and tools to deliver the FutbolNet methodology
  • FutbolNet programme delivered to unaccompanied minors from Mória at Spanos Academy (Movement on the Ground)
  • FutbolNet programme delivered to unaccompanied minors residing in Iliaktida shelters in Mytilíni and at Spanos Academy (Iliaktida)

Expected results

  • Safe, accessible and regularly available spaces to learn, play and exchange
  • Strengthened capacity of staff and coaches working with unaccompanied minors
  • Communication skills, self-esteem, confidence and values learnt and developed by unaccompanied minors
  • Unaccompanied minors participate and feel comfortable in their communities

3) Support for schools: refurbishment of sport facilities

  • Cost of the sub-project: €73,000
  • Foundation funding: €73,000
  • Partners: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

 The UEFA Foundation for Children has also decided to support the host country, which is overstretched by the situation, and to support its schools by:

  • providing sports equipment and other materials for football and other activities, including balls, bibs, cones, whistles, stopwatches, pumps and foldable goals.
  • restoring sport facilities, offering reliable infrastructure and safe facilities for children to play in.

The schools targeted by this last component of the project are primary schools hosting local and refugee children, in order to help build social cohesion among the youngsters.

Partners

aio

Sports-based employability for unaccompanied minors

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Spain, Greece and Italy
Start date 01/01/2020
End date 12/31/2021
Cost of the project € 300,000
Foundation funding € 100,000
Project identifier 20200239
Partners FC Barcelona Foundation
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Personal development

Context

Unaccompanied refugee minors do not benefit from a family context in which to develop the social and behavioural skills needed for employment and adulthood. Research highlights the importance of programmes focusing on employability skills for young migrants living in residential services. Once an unaccompanied refugee minor turns 18 and leaves the care system, they face the challenge of transitioning to self-sufficiency. Employment is therefore a critical dimension in this transition process and these young adults need targeted guidance, structure, information and tools to progress towards self-sufficiency.

Project content

The Barça Foundation project aims to develop, pilot and evaluate a new sports-based methodology that introduces and improves the required knowledge, skills and networks associated with increased employability. It is specifically tailored to unaccompanied minors aged 16–18 years and young migrants at high risk of social exclusion aged 18–21 years.

The methodology reflects the daily realities and needs of this specific population by developing habits, behaviours and soft skills that promote employability:

  • Self-organisation
  • Professional development
  • Decision-making and problem solving
  • Teamwork
  • Communication
  • Perseverance
  • Flexibility
  • Individual and collective responsibility

Objectives

The objective of the project is to combat the social and educational exclusion of unaccompanied refugee minors and young migrants.

 

Project activities

Developing the new methodology:

  • Designing and developing a new sports-based employability methodology for unaccompanied refugee minors and young migrants
  • Identifying the most relevant information, skills, and networks to equip unaccompanied refugee minors and young migrants to enter the job market in Europe
  • Designing and developing new training materials

Training coaches and educators on the new methodology:

  • Delivering training seminars via coaches and educators from implementation partner organisations in transit and destination countries in Europe
  • Equipping coaches and educators with key methodology materials and developing a pilot programme schedule

Monitoring implementation of the new methodology:

  • Developing a set of indicators to assess the social impact of the new methodology
  • Facilitating exchange and communication among coaches and educators from each implementation context to promote the sharing of learning and experiences
  • Connecting unaccompanied refugees and young migrants with companies identified as able to offer employment (to be first piloted in Catalonia)

Evaluating, reporting and communication:

  • Promoting visibility and understanding of the programme on an international scale
  • Conducting an assessment with data collected from each pilot implementation location
  • Producing a report on the impact of the methodology and giving recommendations for future implementation

Expected results

  • A new sport-based employability methodology for unaccompanied refugee minors and young migrants developed and piloted in transit and destination countries in Europe
  • A cohort of coaches and educators in transit and destination countries trained in the new methodology
  • A group of beneficiaries (unaccompanied refugee minors and young migrants) with improved employability knowledge, skills and networks
  • A set of new indicators that assess the social impact of the new methodology on unaccompanied refugee minors and young migrants
  • Strengthened workplace connections to bridge the gap between unaccompanied refugee minors/young migrants and employers
  • Capacity building of staff and coaches from key organisations working with and for unaccompanied refugee minors and young migrants
  • Networking, sharing best practices and knowledge generation among key organisations working with and for unaccompanied refugee minors and young migrants

Partner

Generation Sport

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Armenia
Start date 01/01/2020
End date 12/31/2020
Cost of the project € 37,096
Foundation funding € 32,077
Project identifier 2019483
Partners Armenian Fund for Sustainable Development (AF4SD)
Categories Access to Sport - Personal development

Context

Since 2018, Armenia has begun a process of enormous economic and social change, with a particular focus on the education of children and young people.

For many years, physical education has been neglected in Armenian schools, even though it is important for young people’s physical and psychological development. As a consequence, many schools are severely lacking in sports infrastructure and equipment. Existing sports halls have fallen into disrepair over the years and many are now in a terrible condition.

Teaching methods have also become obsolete. Overall, the conditions are not conducive to sport in Armenian schools.

Project content

Since it was established, the Armenian Fund for Sustainable Development has been closely involved in education and, by implementing this project, it is hoping to find some solutions to the aforementioned problems.

Regular participation in sport helps young people learn values such as respect, team spirit, regular attendance, politeness and personal investment, which are all indispensable for young people’s social and professional integration.

Objectives

The general objective of the project is to promote participation in sport among Armenian young people.

Specific objective: to motivate children and help them fulfil their potential through the two parts of the project described below.

1) Equipping of sports halls for 15 schools with at least 350 pupils each. Priority will be given to schools in rural areas and schools with disabled pupils

2) Organisation of an annual national sports competition

Project activities

This is a national project composed of two parts.

In the first part, schools will be invited to produce a short amateur video about their school, school life and pupils’ involvement in the community and in protecting the environment. They will need to demonstrate how motivated they are, such as by showing their sporting achievements. The AF4SD, with support from the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, will draw up an initial shortlist of schools and visit them in order to assess the condition of their sports halls and equipment.

A panel of at least five people, comprising members of the AF4SD board and the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, will select the 15 schools that will receive sports equipment in accordance with a set of pre-defined criteria.

The second part of the project involves creating an annual ‘month of sport’, during which schools will be encouraged to organise different sports events and demonstrate their involvement in the community and in protecting the environment.

A sports competition open to all the country’s schools will be organised as part of the project. This will comprise several stages and schools will be required to register in advance. The list of events will be approved by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport.

The eight best schools will compete for the top three places in the main competition, which will be held at the end of the month.

Prizes will be awarded to the winners (sports equipment, cups, certificates).

In order to encourage schools to participate in the competition, sports personalities will be invited to share their experiences, emphasise sport’s importance in life and explain to the pupils how they be drivers of social change.

Expected results

  • Fifteen schools, with rural schools taking priority, will receive sports equipment.
  • An annual sports competition will be established.
  • Direct beneficiaries of the first part: 5,250 (15 x 350) schoolchildren.
  • Direct beneficiaries of the second part: 30,000 schoolchildren.

Partner

Goals for my Future III

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Austria
Start date 01/01/2020
End date 12/31/2020
Cost of the project € 250,000 per year
Foundation funding € 100,000
Project identifier 2019525
Partners Mentor Management-Entwicklung-Organisation GmbH & Co
Categories Access to Sport - Personal development

Context

The average proportion of not in education, employment or training (NEET) youngsters aged 15–24 in Vienna for 2006–2016 was 10.9%, or 21,800 young people.

The Goals for my Future III (" Tore für meine Zukunft")  project is a follow-up to two previous projects and aims to support NEETs using football to motivate social participation and integration.

Target group: young NEETs, between 14 and 18 (possibly up to 23), who

  • have not or have not yet completed compulsory schooling;
  • need a daily structure;
  • are threatened with immediate exclusion;
  • grew up in parents' homes with uncertain, difficult employment histories;
  • come from families with low cultural capital;
  • ethnic minorities or young people without EU27 citizenship;
  • Show multiple problem situations that have led to segregation;
  • have had negative experiences in the school system (truancy, suspensions, etc.);
  • have behavioral problems.

Project content

The project is multidimensional:

  • Football training sessions twice a week, including competitions and football tournaments
  • Multiple sports activities twice a week: climbing, juggling, swimming
  • Individual coaching (once a week) and psychological support
  • Educational and professional guidance as well as remedial teaching
  • Training advice and workshops, with the support of the ÖFB

The youngsters receive intensive individual attention. Our team is available to the boys and girls almost round the clock, creating a very close-knit network where none of the participants can fail.

Objectives

  • Preparation for returning to school: resolving language deficits, reducing school-specific deficits, reintegrating young people in education or training; promoting social skills
  • Activating self-help potential
  • Educational and professional guidance
  • Creating a stable, sustainable network
  • Connection in a football club

Project activities

  • Highly professional football training twice a week, in three-hour sessions
  • Variety of sports: swimming, basketball, volleyball, table tennis, climbing, bowling, mini-golf, frisbee, and much more; 3 hours a week
  • Joint tournaments, friendly games and training with friendly clubs
  • Participation in the Kleinfeld-Liga football league
  • Joint activities with the team: cinema, excursions, visits to companies, workshops, juggling training, etc.
  • Provision of training equipment
  • Jerseys, football boots and shin pads
  • Supervision and tuition, lesson support
  • Social support and social work
  • Psychological support
  • Coaching and work assistance
  • Remedial work for compulsory schooling
  • Individual coaching
  • German language
  • Parent support and social support

Expected results

  • Increase participation: today 166 people (129 boys + 37 girls)
  • Target achievement rate (education, school): 90.96%

Partner

Football Pitch for youth with disabilities

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Kazakhstan
Start date 01/01/2020
End date 12/31/2020
Cost of the project €To be announced
Foundation funding € 45,000
Project identifier 2019294
Partners National Paralympic Committee of Kazakhstan
Categories Children with disabilities

Context

According to statistics from Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the number of people with disabilities has increased by 20.7% over the past 7 years. Approximately 4% of these 680,000 people have a visual impairment. Visual impairment has a negative effect on children’s physical development, including height, body weight, lung capacity and chest volume. Most visually impaired children have poor posture, curvature of the spine, and flat feet, as well as reduced motor abilities, strength, speed, endurance, coordination, and static and dynamic balance. In addition, complete or partial loss of vision leads to psychological pathologies in some cases. Limited contact with others can lead to isolation, lack of communication and introversion, making it difficult to form business and personal relationships with the outside world.

Project content

The Paralympic Committee plans to provide a football pitch for people with disabilities to offer all citizens equal development opportunities and advance societal development.

 

Objectives

The aim of the project is to run blind football training sessions to allow visually impaired children to:

  • develop their physical strength;
  • improve their motor abilities and posture;
  • combat their isolation and limit psychological pathologies.

Project activities

  • Building of the football pitch
  • Provision of blind football sessions
  • Hiring of coaches from football teams
  • Further improvement of the pitch in the future

Expected results

  • Football facilities with easy access for people with disabilities
  • Specific training for football coaches to support people with disabilities
  • Football sessions for visually impaired children
  • Enhanced mobility and social integration of people with disabilities in society
  • Increased self-esteem in people with disabilities

 

Partner

Welcome through Football

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Cyprus, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, the UK and Ukraine
Start date 01/01/2020
End date 06/30/2022
Cost of the project € 250,487
Foundation funding € 175,000
Project identifier 2019565
Partners European Football for Development Network (EFDN)
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Personal development

Context

A large proportion of refugees around the world are children and young people. In 2016, more than four in five (83%) first-time asylum seekers in the European Union were younger than 35 years old,  with those aged 18 to 34 accounting for slightly more than half of first-time applicants (51%). Nearly a third of all first-time applicants were aged under 18 (32%).

While the resettlement of individuals and families is a priority, ensuring their long-term inclusion into society is also crucial. The Council of Europe’s youth policy focuses on providing all young people with equal opportunities and experiences, thus enabling them to develop their knowledge, skills and competencies and to fully participate in all aspects of society. Special attention is paid to vulnerable groups of young people such as refugees, asylum seekers and migrants.

The Welcome through Football project was developed in line with the statement on the refugee crisis in Europe adopted by the Advisory Council on Youth in 2015, which sets out various priorities and calls for special attention to be paid to the growing number of vulnerable and marginalised young people in Europe.

Project content

Participation in safe and structured activities is vital for the development of young migrants and refugees and the need for additional services for this population is even greater than in previous years owing to the numbers of new arrivals. Almost all the countries participating in the project have high numbers of refugees concentrated in the inner cities. These young refugees are mostly excluded from society and participation in sport can be a first step towards social integration, as it allows them to make friends and establish social networks. Cultural understanding is a central theme of the programme and, by working with and playing alongside their peers from different countries, youngsters build mutual respect and gain a shared educational experience. It is also valuable for young people to understand that, while sporting talent can create opportunities, success can also be achieved by giving back to local communities through citizenship projects.

The project activities are organised into three stages:

  1. Socialisation to sports – different football activities are offered for young refugees of both sexes, taking into account any special needs, such as language skills or trauma.
  2. Socialisation in sports – the participants work on team structure and are given more responsibility. Participants also have the opportunity to engage in activities outside the sports training sessions.
  3. Socialisation through sports – participants focus on the skills they have acquired, with a view to qualifying for further education in and outside of sports.

These three stages offer the participants many opportunities to contribute to their own development, their community and the project itself.

During the first stage, sporting activities enable the participants to relieve stress, cope with trauma and learn a new language. They take part in activities, but do not have any responsibilities other than their own personal development.

During the second stage, participants are introduced to a grassroots club where they discover the importance of volunteering to ensure the sustainability of such clubs. Cooperation with local schools and NGOs provides them with the opportunity to develop themselves further, participate in regular sports training and matches, and take part in a wide variety of volunteering activities offered by a professional or grassroots club, in cooperation with local partners.

During the third stage of the project, participants have the opportunity to do short internships in local businesses, receive additional language training and develop important employability and life skills.

 

Welcome through football is implemented in partnership with SV Werder Bremen, Everton in the Community, Fundação Benfica, Sheffield United Foundation , Shakhtar Social, FC Emmen (Naoberschap United) and Apollon Limassol FC.

 

Objectives

The Welcome through Football methodology focuses on the social inclusion and employability of newly arrived young migrants and refugees. To this end, the activities aim to improve the quality of youth work and intercultural dialogue, raise awareness and increase acceptance of diversity in society. The project also builds the capacity of football coaches and youth workers, helping them to develop and share effective methods for reaching out to the marginalised target group and preventing racism and intolerance. The project aims to empower vulnerable and marginalised young people and ease their transition to adulthood, with a particular focus on integration into the labour market.

Better cooperation between local youth and sporting organisations will be established through multiple cross-sectoral partnerships. The project focuses on improving active citizenship, reducing social exclusion and promoting the social autonomy of young migrants and refugees in their new home. To this end, the project aims to encourage volunteering among the refugee and migrant population.

Specific objectives of the project:

  • Evaluating existing methodologies
  • Delivering Welcome through Football activities and developing the Welcome through Football methodology, practitioners guide and other resources
  • Tackling racism, discrimination and violence in sport
  • Promoting healthy lifestyles and regular physical activity
  • Improving the emotional well-being of refugees through participation in sport
  • Improving perceptions about refugees
  • Raising awareness among stakeholders (sports clubs, NGOs and national and local governments) of the positive impact of football and sport in general
  • Increasing the community and sporting participation of refugees who are at risk of social exclusion
  • Encouraging refugees to volunteer in sport
  • Raising awareness of the social power of sport
  • Sharing experiences and best practices
  • Integration into grassroots clubs
  • Integration into the labour market

Project activities

  1. Delivery of five 12-week programmes during which the critical success factors of the Welcome through Football methodology will be tested. Seven clubs will organise a minimum of 672 activities as part of the project, but the total number of activities organised is expected to be around 1,000.
  2. An affiliation and advocacy programme for youth organisations, sports clubs, associations, federations and public bodies.
  3. Development of the Welcome through Football methodology and a methodological guide that can be published as an open-access resource on the EFDN educational online platform.
  4. Networking activities: five transnational project meetings will be organised and presentations will be made at four international conferences to introduce the project, its outcomes and the resources developed (November 2020, Breda, the Netherlands (EFDN conference); March 2021, Budapest, Hungary; November 2021, Bremen, Germany; and March 2022 Liverpool, UK).
  5. Establishment of a communication and dissemination plan (including workshops at conferences, resources for an online platform for sharing experiences and examples, participation in #FootballPeople action weeks).
  6. Development of a pilot affiliation programme for youth organisations, sports organisations, clubs and associations to develop and test an innovative approach for promoting the values of sport (respect, fair play, etc.) and facilitating the integration of refugees through sport.

Welcome through Football – Apollon Limassol FC

Expected results

Participants will receive non-formal education on refugee integration through sports, giving them a greater awareness of the benefits of social integration. The establishment of intercultural teams will be encouraged, helping to familiarise participants with European sporting values (fair play, respect, teamwork).

Participants will be empowered by their increased responsibilities and active participation in sport.  The project will therefore help to develop a generation of young refugees in Europe with the potential to become community leaders.

The project will also have a direct impact on sports stakeholders, raising awareness of initiatives for refugee integration at all levels of sport and youth work and leading to new partnerships and new networks across Europe.

Partnerships will be established with local grassroots clubs in order to integrate and continue to create opportunities for refugees and migrants after the delivery of the project.

Partner

Live match commentaries

Location and general information

Terminé
Location France
Start date 01/01/2020
End date 12/31/2020
Cost of the project € 79,700
Foundation funding € 10,700
Project identifier 2019144
Partners Bel endroit pour une rencontre
Categories Personal development

Context

The ‘Bel endroit pour une rencontre’ association promotes an inclusive, fairer society where everyone belongs. In an effort to combat exclusion, the association provides young people of all ages with the opportunity to develop their full potential through various socio-cultural, educational and civic programmes, while respecting themselves, others and their environment.

The Live sport commentaries training to develop verbal and soft skills (“Raconte moi un match”) was a result of the following observations in young people from disadvantaged neighbourhoods:

  • Poor verbal communication skills leading to difficulties interacting with friends, acquaintances, teachers and their social environment
  • Verbal or even physical aggression resulting from the frustration associated with difficulties in making themselves understood, understanding others and expressing their thoughts
  • Some young people limited to a language built around a divisive identity and the use of combative, violent speech
  • A lack of self-esteem and confidence in those at risk of dropping out of school
  • Higher exclusion and dropout rates

This was coupled with the following observations in relation to journalism:

  • A lack of (ethnic and gender) diversity in the media and in sports journalism in particular
  • Poor understanding of the principles of freedom of expression, freedom of the press and ethics in some young people

After three years setting up and testing the programme in Lyon, in 2018/2019 the association decided to see whether it could be replicated. It was rolled out in Lyon (five locations), Grenoble (three locations) and Marseille (one location). The results were resoundingly positive in terms of both the programme’s set-up and its impact on the beneficiaries.

All the beneficiaries are young people aged between 11 and 18 years in difficult circumstances:

  • living in disadvantaged urban areas and/or at risk of dropping out;
  • under court-ordered supervision and living in a juvenile detention centre; or
  • in a workforce integration or job seeking programme.

Project content

The association uses initiation to the commentary of men and women’s football as an educational tool to improve speaking skills. The participants learn to commentate men’s and women’s football matches like on radio. Their love of sports is used to engage them in the challenging task of improvised oral expression and sophisticated collaboration, which helps them develop their public speaking and life skills.

Objectives

The ‘Bel endroit pour une rencontre’ association aims to:

  • continue to roll out the project, increasing the number of beneficiaries from 57 in 2018/2019 to 110 in 2019/2020;
  • work on two of the main components to ensure the longevity of the project:
    • reduce the hourly cost by training volunteers to deliver some of the sessions and develop skills-based sponsorship,
    • develop profitable activities sponsored by companies;
  • expand its activity throughout France, including Grenoble, Marseille, Toulouse, Nantes and Saint-Étienne;
  • adapt the programme to sports other than football, such as and basketball;
  • establish its presence in schools in disadvantaged neighbourhoods through academic achievement programmes and develop sports news-related programmes;
  • set up new partnerships or sponsorships and strengthen existing partnerships;
  • develop volunteering.

Project activities

  • Radio match commentaries in tandem
  • 14-hour workshops for up to eight children, delivered by professional journalists and actors
  • Public performances in front of juries and mentors, with prizes awarded

 

Expected results

In addition to expanding (from 57 to 110 beneficiaries), the project hopes to support its beneficiaries in a variety of ways, to improve their chances of social success.

  • Oral expression: vocabulary, precision of expression, syntax, elocution, public speaking, selecting and prioritising information, analysis and synthesis
  • Social skills: concentration, assertiveness, self-confidence, overcoming personal limits, listening, posture, body language and self-awareness
  • Living together and citizenship: cooperation, respect, mutual support, commitment, knowledge of the media, critical analysis and ethics in journalism and sports
  • Equal opportunities and inclusion: developing young people with educational difficulties, bringing neighbourhoods together, social and intellectual openness and breaking down barriers to professions

Partner

Synthetic sports field

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Romania
Start date 01/01/2020
End date 12/31/2020
Cost of the project € 38,000
Foundation funding € 33,000
Project identifier 2019179
Partners Luncşoara Bihorului Association
Categories Access to Sport

Context

Luncşoara Bihorului Association is active in Luncşoara village in western Romania. Over the years, it has dedicated time, resources and passion to help the local community and especially to provide the basis for the healthy growth and development of children. The association has already carried out three different projects in the village.

Project content

The association is the owner of the ground (924m2), which was bought in 2014 thanks to numerous donations. It comprises a synthetic sports field, fences and floodlights. Luncşoara secondary school is a key partner in this project.

Objectives

  • Build a synthetic sports field
  • Install surrounding fences
  • Install floodlights
  • Set up other infrastructures

Project activities

This sports field is an alternative way for the younger generations and pupils of the local school to spend their free time, and is conveniently located next to the school. As this is a rural area, the children do not have many other options for spending their free time, so this football pitch and sports area will help the integration of the community and give a chance to the children to practise football and other sports, such as handball, tennis and running.

Being located in a rural area, the sports field is meant to be an opening towards nature. The children will be involved in keeping the ground clean and watering the plants.

Expected results

Between 300 and 1,000 people, mainly children, will benefit from the project in the village and the surrounding area.

Official website : Luncşoara Bihorului Association

Partner : Luncşoara Bihorului Association