Football Without Borders

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Austria
Start date 01/01/2020
End date 12/31/2020
Cost of the project 131,476€
Foundation funding 27,000€
Project identifier 2019253
Partners Kicken ohne Grenzen
Categories Conflict victims - Personal development

Context

Around 11% of Austria’s 15 to 24-year-olds are neither in training nor employed, otherwise known as NEET (not in employment, education or training). Most of these young people have a migration or refugee background.

In the years 2016 and 2017, around 60,000 refugees requested asylum in Austria. Around 40% of them were female. Those wishing to enter the Austrian education system may have to wait months or even years before they can do so.

Young people caught up in this kind of situation very often lack self-confidence, motivation, self-discipline, family support, and indeed the soft skills required to manage their re-entry into the education system and start working towards a career.

Project content

Kicken ohne Grenzen’s mission is to use the unifying power of football to help young people from disadvantaged communities integrate sustainably and equitably into society. Football here is seen as a tool and a common language that can be used to discover and develop skills and potential that can be transferred into everyday life and applied in practice.

Kicken ohne Grenzen is member of the streetfootballworld and Fare (Football against Racism in Europe) networks, as well as being part of the Transparent Civil Society Initiative set up by Transparency International in Germany.

The UEFA Foundation is supporting Kicken ohne Grenzen's project "Football Without Borders" for the second year in a row.

Objectives

Fussball+ will help young people from disadvantaged communities to develop social and professional skills and improve their chances of entering the education system or getting a job. In doing so, the project promotes equal opportunities and sustainable social integration.

The training sessions are aimed at young people who are hard to reach through conventional training programmes, especially asylum seekers and refugees.

Project activities

Fussball+ is a programme of weekly football training sessions that has no performance-related admission criteria and uses specific exercises to train soft skills such as self-confidence, teamwork and decision-making.

Through Fussball+ and its Job Goals programme, Kicken ohne Grenzen organises:

  • workshops on topics such as gender equality, team-building, conflict resolution, communication and practical football skills;
  • weekly football training sessions in four different teams, using specific exercises to teach skills young people need to successfully embark on training or employment;
  • CV sessions, a ‘learning buddy’ scheme and vocational training days;
  • a football tournament involving 24 mixed teams and a football3 workshop for children.

Kicken ohne Grenzen also works on joint projects with partner organisations:

  • to implement the ‘Kick it but fair’ fair play training manual in AMANDLA EduFootball coaching sessions;
  • to develop a toolkit to increase youth employability through sport, as part of Scoring for the Future, a project funded by the EU’s Erasmus+ programme and eight partner institutions in Europe.

Expected results

  • 200 people taking part in the programme between January and December 2020
  • All participants from migrant or refugee backgrounds, and 50% of them female
  • 25 certified skills coaches trained through Kicken ohne Grenzen’s own #BeASkillCoach Academy by December 2020
  • 300 participants in the annual Kicken ohne Grenzen tournament, promoting gender equality and social inclusion

Partner

We welcome young refugees

Location and general information

Context

Royal Europa 90 Kraainem Football Club is an amateur club in the eastern suburbs of Brussels. With 350 young players of 42 different nationalities, the club stands out as a true model of cultural diversity. This is reflected at every level, from the children to the managers, coaches and volunteers. The club puts this diversity to good use.

Kraainem FC has always been proactive in its efforts to promote social integration and is convinced that football is more than just a game. As a grassroots sports organisation, it feels it has an important role to play in inculcating all the social and societal values of sport in its young players, to make them not only better footballers but also better citizens.

In the wake of the migration crisis of 2015, the club decided to become an example of proactive social integration by adapting its everyday activities so that it could involve young refugees in the life of the club. It now provides football training, language classes and various other activities, and its work with young refugees has become an essential pillar of club life.

The project specifically targets unaccompanied minors seeking asylum in Belgium. As the home countries of these children are wracked by war or great instability, they are likely to stay in Belgium, where they find themselves in new surroundings with a completely different lifestyle, yet lack the cultural or linguistic knowledge they need to fit in. The task is therefore not merely to welcome them but also to give them the tools they need to successfully integrate into Belgian society and professional life.

Project content

Each week, the club welcomes around 30 unaccompanied refugees aged between 10 and 18 under a partnership agreement between Kraainem FC and FEDASIL (the governmental organisation in charge of welcoming asylum seekers). Three times a week, a group of six to ten children are brought from a local asylum centre to spend the afternoon at the club. The youngsters share in the normal life of the club, train with a qualified coach and attend teaching sessions such as French and Dutch language classes. They also receive free equipment and lunch in the club cafeteria.

The initiative has been a tremendous success for the club, the reception centres and, most importantly, the young refugees themselves. Local, national and European media have regularly covered the Kraainem project. This has encouraged the club to take the project a step further, not only by consolidating its own activities, but also by raising awareness and supporting other Belgian clubs that wish to follow suit.

Objectives

  • Invite 30 unaccompanied minors aged 10 to 18 to join in the club’s activities each week.
  • Encourage other clubs and refugee centres to launch similar projects, in collaboration with the Royal Belgian Football Association.
  • Share experiences with other Belgian clubs working with refugees.
  • Organise football weeks during school holidays for club players and refugees. Mornings will be dedicated to training sessions and afternoons to excursions and cultural exchanges.

Expected results

Kraainem FC has been running this project for four years. By the end of the 2018/19 season, more than 2,000 refugees and asylum seekers will have been welcomed at the club. Some of them only attend a few times before being transferred to another reception centre where they will continue with their integration process. Others are able to attend on a regular basis and become full members, enabling them to play competitive matches at the weekend. The aim is to have around 20 refugees as club members every year.

This project has enabled the club to establish itself on the Belgian footballing map. In collaboration with the Belgian FA, Kraainem FC’s model has been shared all around the country, inspiring other football clubs. More than 40 Belgian clubs have so far launched similar initiatives, joining a national network launched by the Belgian FA. Kraainem FC wants to continue to inspire others by exporting its model abroad and creating a Europe-wide network. It is also reaching out to other sports federations in Belgium, as football is not the only discipline that brings people together.

Nobody cannot make a significant difference on their own. However, by joining forces with other civil society initiatives, Kraainem FC can expect to have an impact on the future of asylum seekers in Belgium. Through its daily sessions, it hopes to help improve the lives of the participants, who have fled misery, civil war and persecution, and who are hoping to start a new chapter of their lives.

Partners

Logo Kraainem

Active Lives

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location England
Start date 02/01/2020
End date 12/31/2020
Cost of the project 1,156,610 €
Foundation funding 50,000€
Project identifier EUR-2018347 - 2019729
Partners Newcastle United Foundation
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Personal development

Context

Whatever their differences, all children have the right to play and to enjoy the best conditions to stay fit and healthy. Unfortunately, this is not a reality for many disabled children, especially those living in disadvantaged areas. In England, disability is most prevalent in the north: in a survey conducted by the Department for Work and Pensions in 2015/16, 25% of people in the northeast reported a disability, compared with only 14% in London.[1] In this context, the Newcastle United Foundation wishes to use the power of football to overcome barriers and ensure that disadvantaged and disabled children are not left behind but are given opportunities to participate in a wide range of sports, to learn, to stay healthy and to have fun.

[1] Department for Work and Pensions Family Resources Survey 2015/16

Project content

The aim is to establish a regional centre of excellence for disability sport, where disabled people of all ages and abilities will be able to enjoy sport and exercise without barriers as part of a ground-breaking activity programme using high-quality indoor facilities. The flagship centre will not only promote active lifestyles and the recreational enjoyment of sport alongside the associated health and well-being benefits; it will also raise aspirations and support the development of Paralympic champions of the future. A wide programme of pan-disability and disability-specific football sessions will be offered under one roof at this brand-new centre, which will be accessible to individuals and families from across northeastern England and encourage them to get active and stay active for life.

Objectives

The project will give disabled children the opportunity to improve their fitness, mobility and balance. Football and other physical activities will also be used as a tool to help participants build their self-confidence, make friends and achieve their own personal goals on the football pitch and in life.

Project activities

The new centre will be home to numerous clubs and teams offering weekly sessions for children in the following areas:

  • DSActive (sport for people with Down’s Syndrome)
  • Visually impaired football
  • Deaf football
  • Cerebral palsy football
  • Amputee football
  • Walking football
  • Frame football
  • Pan-disability sessions
  • Powerchair football
  • Sensory sports

The centre will provide a venue for regular disability football matches and competitions with other teams and groups from across the UK, bringing flagship disability sports events to the city. In addition, the centre will be a thriving community hub on matchdays, offering matchday experiences for disabled fans and a home for the Newcastle United Disabled Supporters Association.

All registered users of the centre will be able to access the wide variety of programmes delivered by the Newcastle United Foundation, including personal development, education, employability, and health and well-being programmes. The centre will also be accessible to schools and community organisations that support disabled and disadvantaged people.

Expected results

  • Host 10 disability football clubs, each offering weekly sessions for 36 weeks of the year
  • Work with 40 schools for children with special educational needs
  • Work with 35 regional disability support organisations
  • Organise 15 festivals, tournaments and competitions for 1,000 disabled people
  • Deliver a comprehensive coach education programme and continuous professional development for 100 coaches of disabled footballers and athletes
  • Recruit 50 disabled young adults for a personal development programme

Partner

Football for Peace Academy

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Bosnia and Herzegovina
Start date 04/01/2021
End date 03/31/2023
Cost of the project 473,407€
Foundation funding 96,142€
Project identifier 2018499
Partners Genesis Project, Fundlife International
Categories Personal development

Context

Bosnia and Herzegovina is home to a large number of ethnic groups. The three main groups in the country are Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats. The post-independence war in 1995 has left the country in a fragile and ethnically divided state. Furthermore, the division can also be felt in the education system, thanks to the existence of divided schools. This kind of school demonstrates the phenomenon of “two schools under one roof”. These schools, which are found in cantons and areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina where the ethnic composition is mixed, are segregated on the basis of ethnicity. This situation is amplified by the fact that the education professionals generally tolerate this way of thinking. Children are thus prevented from participating in joint activities with pupils from different ethnic groups. Some teachers even feel that separate schools should exist for the different ethnic groups. As a result, research conducted by the Open Society Fund Bosnia and Herzegovina has shown that the education system in Bosnia and Herzegovina does not prepare young people for life in a multi-cultural society. This could in turn lead to other problems, such as intolerance and a lack of understanding towards people of different cultures or ethnic groups.

Project content

The Genesis Project organisation has been working with these schools and has implemented various joint activities. By working with teachers, students and parents, the Genesis Project hopes to break down barriers to mutual comprehension, overcome ethnic separation between the ethnic groups present in these schools and create the building blocks for peaceful coexistence.

The supported by the UEFA Foundation for Children, will target eight ethnically divided schools in the Central Bosnia canton. Over the course of the three-year implementation period the Genesis Project will conduct numerous joint activities in 24 primary schools.

  • 113 workshops per year for children
  • 112 workshops per year for parents
  • 48 workshops per year for teachers
  • 30 educational puppet shows per year for younger children
  • 30 educational theatre shows per year for older children
  • Football for Peace Academy

Objectives

As football is the most popular sport in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Genesis Projects wants to use its power to engage children’s minds and harness their passion, providing an alternative to the influence of conflict and ethnic segregation. The Football for Peace Academy will be used as a means for decreasing the threat of recurring conflicts and violence within schools and as a social tool to promote peace, communication and respect for the diversity existing among the project beneficiaries.

Project activities

The Genesis Football for Peaceful Communities (GFFPC) project will use football to foster trust, dialogue and tolerance in communities where these things currently do not exist. It will use the football3 methodology as a way to encourage peace and reconciliation and promote peaceful community development. With the support of international capacity-building partners, Genesis will train 72 local mediators from Bosnia and Herzegovina and 48 local schoolteachers, who will set up and lead the activities of the GFFPC project.

The project will involve:

  • the selection and training of fooball3 mediators;
  • the selection and training of football3 coaches;
  • the donation of necessary equipment and signature of the memorandums of understanding with school management to enable them to provide extracurricular football activities;
  • the selection and training of the football3 players, chosen based on respect rather than sporting ability, with a view to forming local football teams;
  • the organisation of football matches.

Expected results

  • Delivery of three football3 and Football for Social Development training sessions to 24 young people who will become football3 mediators, making 72 football3 mediators in total
  • Delivery of Football for Social Development and football coach training sessions to 48 community and school coaches, giving each coach the potential to directly train up to 50 children
  • Delivery of two weekly football sessions at the coaches’ schools, making a total of 72 sessions per school over the 36 weeks of the academic year
  • Organisation of 120 football matches (five per primary school)

Partners

From Sport to Work in the heart of disadvantaged neighbourhoods

Location and general information

Terminé
Location France
Start date 11/30/2018
End date 11/30/2019
Cost of the project 2,479,020 €
Foundation funding 200,000€
Project identifier EUR 2018087
Partners Sport dans la Ville
Categories Personal development

Context

Sport dans la Ville works with 6,500 young people aged between 7 and 22 who live in disadvantaged areas of Lyon, Grenoble, Chambéry, Saint-Etienne, Lille and Paris.

The young participants live in areas targeted for urban regeneration, where access to training and employment is very limited. The rate of unemployment for 16- to 25-year-olds in the areas in which Sport dans la Ville operates is 45%.

Sport dans la Ville created the From Sport to Work programme to help every young person find employment. The programme aims to help 1,300 young people aged 15 and above to find training and employment opportunities by preparing them and enabling them to acquire skills and long-term employment through practical activities and individual supervision. Young participants in the sports programmes run by Sport dans la Ville also join the From Sport to Work programme.

The UEFA Foundation for Children is supporting this employment programme for the second year in a row.

Project content

At its centres, Sport dans la Ville provides continuous support for children from the age of six by offering academic, social and professional integration activities (generally lasting between 10 and 12 years).

 

Long-term support

  • Sport dans la Ville uses sport to pass on values and life skills such as confidence and personal development to young people living in the neighbourhoods in which it operates.
  • Sport dans la Ville supports the success and access to employment of young people from areas targeted for urban regeneration by offering them cultural opportunities and numerous pathways into employment.
  • By working alongside young people, their families and local stakeholders, Sport dans la Ville promotes the transformation of disadvantaged areas and fosters equal opportunities.

 

Five practical measures to help each young person acquire new skills and long-term employment:

  1. Individual support from a professional development coach (a permanent employee of Sport dans la Ville).
  2. Preparation for the world of work thanks to visits to companies and explanation of the rules of the workplace and recruitment procedures.
  3. Mentoring by company employees, who share their experience of work and support the young people with their professional integration.
  4. Discovery of new cultural horizons in France and abroad, enabling young people to gain initial work experience (internships, work-study contracts, fixed-term contracts, permanent contracts) and taking them out of their everyday environment in order to foster in them a desire to succeed.
  5. Sport dans la Ville programmes are designed to promote gender equality and cultural and social openness with a view to fighting the stigmatisation of young people from areas targeted for urban regeneration.

Objectives

  • To increase the number of participants in the From Sport to Work programme by opening ten new sports centres in three regions: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Île-de-France and Nord-Pas-de-Calais Picardie. These new centres will be able to accommodate more young people (1,300 in 2018/19).
  • To increase the involvement of young people at the existing Sport dans la Ville sports centres.
  • To help more young people find long-term employment.
  • To make employment more accessible for the young participants in the From Sport to Work programme.
  • To promote equal job opportunities for all, regardless of social background.

Expected results

  1. In 2018 and 2019, the structuring and development of the From Sport to Work programme are continuing at national level and partnerships are being strengthened in order to ensure the financial sustainability of the programme and enable the planned improvements to be made.
  2. Positive impact on the development of young participants in the From Sport to Work programme.
  3. Improved social integration of young participants in the programme.
  4. Positive effects on academic success.

Positive effects on professional integration.

Partner

Giovanni van Bronckhorst Foundation – SV GIO

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Netherlands
Start date 08/12/2019
End date Ongoing
Cost of the project 620,264€
Foundation funding 50,000€
Project identifier EUR-2019718
Partners Giovanni van Bronckhorst Foundation, Vriendenloterij, Shell, Rotterdam World Gateway, Friends of GvB Foundation, Athlead UK, Arsenal in the Community, Rangers Charity Foundation, Vlemmings & Van Zwam, Feyenoord Rotterdam N.V., Université Erasme de Rotterdam, Erasmus Sport Foundation, Access to Sports Project
Categories Personal development

Context

Inspired by a strong desire to give back to the community Giovanni van Bronckhorst (former captain of the Dutch national football team with 106 caps) and his wife Marieke established the Giovanni van Bronckhorst Foundation (GvB Foundation) in 2008. After supporting third-party projects for several years, the idea came about to alter the goals of the foundation and for it to start focusing on the development of its own projects.

What seemed to be lacking were projects aimed at closing gaps in learning and promoting sports and a healthy lifestyle to children, especially in the deprived parts of South Rotterdam, which is home to football club Feyenoord and the area where Giovanni grew up.

Giovanni and Marieke felt that the challenges of this area were something they could tackle, after all sport offered Giovanni many opportunities to grow and improve his life chances. Marieke's passion for teaching was born when she started studying for her primary school teaching qualifications. This was back when the pair were living in Glasgow and Giovanni was playing for Glasgow Rangers (1998–2001).

The GvB Foundation believes that every child deserves to become the best version of themselves. In football you have to learn quickly to create opportunities on the spot to improve the game. At S.V. GIO children are shown strategies and skills to recreate these opportunities in their day-to-day lives.

The Foundation also aims to provide children with a boost in their last two years at primary school in order to prepare them for a more successful educational path. At S.V. GIO children work hard and play hard, both individually and as a team, to overcome any academic obstacles and to re-establish a genuine sense of self-esteem.

Project content

S.V. GIO’s flagship project: best in class sports education

This sports education programme offers guidance to children in the last two years of Dutch primary school, coaching them like world-class athletes and helping them get off to a good start at secondary school. As part of an intensive 20-week programme, children meet up once a week to participate in sports and to work on the subjects they are struggling with at school. S.V. GIO also provides a programme for refugee children which helps them to settle into their new environment.

Sharing knowledge across Europe

The content of the project has been continually revised and developed over the last six years and the GvB Foundation is now sharing its expertise with other players, player foundations, clubs, club foundations, youth centres and educators across Europe.

Objectives

  • Help disadvantaged children in large cities to develop their core life skills, therefore overcoming personal and social barriers and improving their educational and career prospects, by engaging with them at a crucial developmental stage, i.e. the transition from primary to secondary school.
  • Promote sports participation, thereby improving the health of undernourished children.
  • Through Gio’s network of former clubs (such as Glasgow Rangers and FC Barcelona) and with the help of other organisations, encourage and embolden other clubs, players and managers to use this proven model to help many other children in cities and towns around the world.
  • Create an opportunity for underprivileged children who are unable to go on a summer holiday and give them an unforgettable educational and sports-focused summer with their favourite football club.
  • Broaden children’s horizons by giving them the opportunity to meet like-minded individuals.
  • Further develop and improve the content of S.V. GIO by exchanging coaches and knowledge internationally.

Project activities

Alongside the 20-week programme, two separate summer school events are being organised for summer 2019, one in London and one in Glasgow. Each course will last two days. There will be eight coaches training the 40 children attending, supervised by one head coach. The coaches are being trained by Paul van Zwam and Mano Radema, both from the Netherlands, who together with Giovanni developed the S.V. GIO learning method. The coaches are trained in line with this method and therefore the principles of the Feyenoord youth training and education programme also apply.

Expected results

Within the project there are several building blocks related to resiliency. These include, among many others, goal setting, problem solving, cooperation and taking responsibility. As such, the expectation is to see an enormous increase in resiliency. Children’s awareness of healthy eating and sporting activities should also be increased and it is hoped that they will have fun in the process!

 

Partner

Humanitarian crisis in Greece

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Thessaloníki and Ioannina (Greece)
Start date 04/01/2018
End date 12/31/2018
Cost of the project 1,474,495€
Foundation funding 78,000€
Project identifier EUR - 0148
Partners Terre des Hommes
Categories

Context

The bombing in Afrin and Ghouta in Syria, and the escalating violence in parts of Afghanistan is driving people to flee. According to the UNHCR, 21,887 people have crossed the Mediterranean since the beginning of the year, one-third of whom have arrived on Greek islands. The number of new arrivals was 33% higher in the first four months of 2018 than during the same period in 2017. The emergency reception centres for refugees and migrants are overcrowded. At the same time, national organisations and NGOs are forced to close shelters and programmes for the youngest of those affected by war, conflict, migration and displacement because of administrative bottlenecks. Homelessness among asylum seekers has become an issue because of inadequate procedures which do not guarantee pre-registration.

In 2017, Terre des Hommes provided safe accommodation for 361 vulnerable families and young people. It currently manages 19 apartments in Ioannina. As part of the same protection package, Terre des Hommes has provided legal counselling and representation to over 1,250 refugees and migrants, and mental health and psychological services to more than 1,500. In addition, access to medical services has been ensured in 70% of all cases.

Project content

Terre des Hommes will continue its mission of supporting Greek authorities and civil society by assisting with the emergency reception of refugees and migrants, supporting their effective integration and helping to build integrated and sustainable child protection systems.

The accommodation programme run for nine months, from April to December 2018, and will be implemented in Thessaloníki and Ioannina.

Objectives

  • To expand the existing accommodation programme.
  • To provide the bare minimum of accommodation and cash.
  • To guarantee a range of protection services, including daily social work, protection activities, legal counselling and interpreting.
  • To ensure children have access to adequate child protection services.

Project activities

The project aims to increase access to safe accommodation and social care in Ioannina and Thessaloníki by expanding its existing arrangements to make 400 beds available in northern Greece. The beneficiaries in Ioannina will have access to a large community centre, which will be the venue for cooking events, language classes, Greek film nights, discussion groups, arts and craft events and child-friendly spaces.

In this way, Terre des Hommes will be supporting vulnerable children with caregivers by providing them with accommodation, and giving older unaccompanied minors (males aged 16–17) somewhere where they can live independently.

Furthermore, the project will focus on psychological support for refugee children, young people and their parents by using games, structured creative work, informal learning, theatre, sport, music, reading and any other activities that will improve self-esteem, trust, cooperation, well-being, safety and life skills.

Expected results

Terre des Hommes is the only remaining international child-focused NGO in northern Greece. The housing programme is essential to ensure urgent action to protect migrant children, prevent child exploitation and provide humanitarian aid to children and their families.

Partner

Football Film Festival

Situation géographique et informations générales

Context

The Foundation of Polish Soccer is founded Polish Football Association. The foundation’s aim is to promote and develop football in Poland, to take action to develop and raise the level amateur football, and to support the activities of the Polish Football Association.

In 2017, Foundation of Polish Soccer initiated the first edition of Football Film Festival in Cracow in connection with UEFA EURO Under-21. This festival had the aim to promote football culture by seemingly football and film. This innovative concept was very successful and an innovative way to communicate with younger generations who had free access to the event.

The European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) showed clearly that kids from the poorest social group in Poland are in need of support to help them out of poverty giving them options and perspectives for personal development.

The Foundation of Polish Soccer wants to use the social and educational dimension of the Festival Film Festival by allocating a special free ticket pool for children and orphanages.

Project content

The football film festival was held in Warsaw from 25 to 26 May 2018.

The purpose is to promote sport and film culture especially among children and young people.

This year, the festival screened the most important documentaries of recent months, reflecting on the modern football world – its issues, absurdities and challenges, along with film portraits of football legends.

The festival had three sections:

  1. the main section included full-length documentaries produced after 1 January 2017
  2. the Krótka Piłka short-film section included both professional and amateur works
  3. the retro section looked back on important, yet forgotten films with a football theme, and we screened the best documentary along with feature films about football produced before 2016

The young participants had the opportunity to meet filmmakers, athletes and journalists.

On the sports side, a period was reserved exclusively for children to participate in practical activities on the playing field to promote physical and mental development.

Activities included:

  • film screenings dedicated exclusively to children – free entry;
  • zone of football activity at the cinema – trainings with trainers, football players from youth clubs
  • meetings with footballers and coaches,
  • distribution of football equipment
  • meetings with filmmakers, actors, publishers
  • exhibition of football posters

The novelty of the second edition of the Festival was to give the opportunity to youngsters to submit their own film to the festival organiser.

Objectives

  • With the support of the ministry of national education, the objective is to involve pupils from 459 primary schools, high schools and technical schools.
  • Support local communities and children from orphanages
  • Give access to football and culture to children in the poorest social groups and give them a new perspective of personal development and empowerment

 

Expected results

  • Attendance of 2,800 children aged 7-16 from schools and orphanages for free film screenings and football classes
  • Promote and develop football among children in need so that they practise sport for their physical and mental well-being, to gain self-confidence and new perspectives and believe in a better future
  • Promote and develop grassroots football in Poland

Partner

Brave Hearts

Location and general information

Context

Jojug Marjanli is a village of Jabrayil district, one of the seven surrounding districts of Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, located on the contact line with Armenian armed forces. Recently the village was liberated. After regaining de-facto jurisdiction over the village, the government of Azerbaijan immediately started rebuilding roads, schools and hospitals in order to create acceptable living conditions for everyone and to allow internally displaced people and refugees to return.

The Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA) is sensitive to charity causes and social responsibility projects are one of its main priorities. The association works closely with UNICEF on the promotion of healthy lifestyles, children’s rights and the eradication of violence against children, and also has a national disability football team.

Project content

As a universal game, football is an excellent way to provide internally displaced people and refugees with an enjoyable and unifying pastime.

The Brave Hearts project aims to improve the health and well-being of people living on or close to the border. Whether in a refugee or in a school camp, in the street or in the pitch, the project wants to give them the opportunity to play football anytime and anywhere.

Three-day football festival with monthly follow-up mini-tournaments in different refugee camps in Jojug Marjanli and nearby locations will involve the installation of mini-pitches, small-sided football games and other football activities, other games, face art, personal development workshops and training, a concert and the distribution of football kits and equipment. The festival will be open to the whole population and will brighten up the lives of adults and children, uniting and encouraging them to stay strong, continue achieving their goals and lead healthy livestyles in turbulent times. Afterwards, every three months, there will be a one-day long mini-tournament in Jojug Marjanli, until the end of the project.

«Brave Hearts» Football Festival

Partners

Talent Group

Location and general information

Context

Self-esteem and self-confidence play a fundamental role in a child’s personal development. A healthy level of self-esteem will help a child to make and articulate choices in a composed and confident manner, while fostering creativity in his/her everyday life. Unfortunately, many children do not enjoy such advantages.

Project content and objectives

The Talent Group project – the brainchild of former Dutch international Ruud van Nistelrooy – revolves around children’s personal development, drawing on the former player’s personal experience in order to encourage children to fulfil their dreams. Van Nistelrooy explains that his success in seizing all of the various opportunities that led to his career in football was down to the continuous encouragement of all the people around him. This project seeks to pass on the baton by producing coaches who will encourage children to discover their talents and develop them with confidence and assurance. Talents may vary from sport to learning, drawing, dancing or making music.

Expected results

The project’s organisers are currently working with 60 primary school pupils between the ages of 9 and 12. They are also providing training to 80 coaches, and workshops (4 times a year) for teachers and other people working with children, in line with the philosophy of the Ruud van Nistelrooy Foundation.

Partners

Global Peaces Games

Location and general information

Context

The Peace Village is a hostel run by a non-governmental organisation in the small Belgian village of Messines. Every year, the hostel plays host approximately 20,000 children from all over the world, they benefit from the educational material, sports and the tranquil historic environment. The money that the Peace Village makes from its activities is reinvested in projects promoting peace.

Project content

The Children’s Football Alliance is a coalition of agencies and organisations which uses football to safeguard and further the rights of children. In 2014, inspired by the Christmas Truces during the First World War, the Peace Village and the Children’s Football Alliance worked together to organise various programmes and events marking the 100th anniversary of the start of the Great War. In memory of the Allied and German soldiers who laid down their weapons at Christmas and came together to play football, this project seeks to promote peace around the world. Against the background of the major issues stemming from today’s mass migration, this programme seeks to encourage diversity and social integration through two weeks of sporting and educational activities in the context of the 2018 and 2019 Global Peace Games.

Objectives

This project seeks to bring together children from all walks of life, regardless of their ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds, giving them the opportunity to participate in various programmes focusing on the development of interpersonal and intercultural skills, as well as key life skills. With many children today lacking hope and compassion, this project seeks to foster a shared identity through football and sport in general. By establishing a positive environment in which play, sport and history are intertwined, this project encourages young participants to express their feelings and opinions with confidence and respect, especially as regards issues relating to current conflicts.

This project uses football – and sport in general – as a platform for the training of ambassadors, especially in the areas of conflict resolution and the promotion of peace. The ultimate aim is for participants to return to their own communities and pass on the skills and knowledge they have acquired.

Expected results

  • Two weeks of events will take place in 2018 and 2019 based around the International Day of Peace, which is celebrated on 21 September each year.
  • A total of 6000 children will benefit from this project.
  • A total of 120 ambassadors will be trained.
  • Each sporting activity will feature mixed groups and involve children with and without disabilities.
  • All Global Peace Games participants will help form The International Children’s Football Alliance.

Partners

www.childrensfootballalliance.com

https://www.peacevillage.be/

http://www.endas.it/htm/ita/home.html

https://www.groepintro.be/nl/

 

 

Football for Respect!

Location and general information

Context

Hungary has been reluctant to keep its border open to the influx of refugees since 2015. This difficult situation is a major obstacle to the integration of these people and in particular refugee children.
This project targets:

  • underprivileged children and teenagers, e.g. those living in the slums of Budapest and the most deprived north-eastern region of Hungary together with their families
  • children and teenagers living in institutions
  • refugees and asylum-seeking children and teenagers

Project content

Regular football training: Regular exercise improves physical and mental health and overall well-being. Team sports help children enlarge their social network and gain a sense of belonging, which is very important to their mental health. The success they lack in other areas of life can be found in football, boosting their self-confidence.

Continuous social support: Social workers are present at each training session and football activity. Through this contact the participants can receive support services for housing, employment, education, healthcare, mental health and administrative issues. Close cooperation with teachers provides support for the children’s education.

Girls’ club: This club will provide special support for girl players. Experience shows that they face different challenges from boys and lack sufficient support on account of their underprivileged background. Experts will hold ten monthly sessions on specific issues, such as prevention of early pregnancy, drug prevention, knowing your rights, domestic violence, sexual abuse, and human trafficking.

Employability programme: Tailored support is provided, such as individual job coaching and weekly English classes to improve employability. International tournaments are great opportunities for players to practice their English in real-life situations and that increases their motivation to learn.

Young leader scholarship programme: Experience shows that special emphasis needs to be put on supporting young leaders who have been taking part in the football programme for a long time. Throughout the project, ten young leaders will be selected to take part in the scholarship programme. Their task will be to organise football activities, while they will also take part in the employability programme and receive a monthly allowance to cover their accommodation and living expenses, which will enable them to study without needing to work full-time. Young leaders play a key role in the sustainability of the project, as they will be able to hold training sessions and organise football events independently.

Fair Play Football roadshows: Special emphasis is placed on marginalised participants, especially refugees, playing football with other social groups. Peace-building and social inclusion of underprivileged groups are fostered by six Fair Play Football roadshow events, at which teams from different backgrounds play each other using football3 rules that teach players respect, improve their tolerance, help them articulate their interests, and negotiate with others. They learn how to manage their anger and their communication skills improve. Playing against others helps challenge stereotypes and reduces social exclusion.

Summer football camp: A summer football camp will be organised in a remote village called Hejce in north-eastern Hungary. A total of 40 children, 5 staff members and 5–8 volunteers will take part in the five-day camp that will give the underprivileged children a holiday. Besides various sporting activities, the camp is a great opportunity to make new friends, enhance their social inclusion and improve their Hungarian.

International tournaments: Taking part in an international tournament boosts motivation that can then be invested in studying: learning English, starting or re-starting education, setting new goals in life.

Monitoring and evaluation study: The Oltalom Social Network (OSN) database records data on all participants (training attendance, physical state, school results, training activities, any needs or issues, training memo, etc.). The OSN is a client-centered system to monitor the work done, achieve greater transparency, and improve the quality of the work.

Objectives

  • Regular training and tournaments provide a prejudice-free experience for refugees and local youngsters where they can get to know each other by playing football together.
  • The knowledge of Hungarian and customs improves through social contacts with locals.
  • Tournaments provide great opportunities to make new friends and improve language knowledge.
  • Regular sport contributes to the well-being of refugees suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder syndrome.
  • New qualifications, good knowledge of English and positive experiences give young people more self-confidence and the opportunity to escape from their current situation.

Expected results

  • Regular football training in six locations. (three pitches in Budapest, and one each at the correctional institution for girls, the home for unaccompanied minors in Fót, and a local school in Abaújkér)
  • Special support for girls with ten monthly theme sessions to help them face various challenges
  • Support ten specially trained young leaders by means of a scholarship programme
  • rganise six Fair Play Football roadshows bringing various social groups together to play football, challenge stereotypes and reduce social exclusion.
  • 40 children invited to a summer camp.

Partners

FIFA Football for Hope, Fédération hongroise de football, Oltalom Charity Society, streetfootballworld, Homeless World Cup

Football for Development in the Czech Republic

Location and general information

Context

INEX is a non-governmental not-for-profit organisation founded in 1991 that supports international work and intercultural education. One of its flagship projects, Football for Development, engages young people in the Czech Republic by means of football-based informal educational activities. The project is run in various urban environments in the Czech Republic (Prague, Usti nad Labem region, Pilsen region, Ostrava region, Karlovy Vary region), where INEX partners with low-threshold clubs, social services, youth clubs, leisure centres, orphanages and youth detention centres. The target group comprises children and teenagers who are at risk of social exclusion or discrimination due to their ethnic background or where they live. Thanks to the work of these organisations, the children and teenagers enjoy a safe space for social interaction and personal development.

The aim is to provide a way for these youngsters to re-engage with society and develop skills they need to be active and responsible citizens. Experience shows that regular planned sporting activities are effective. Football is a comprehensive learning and preventive tool using rules and options to resolve conflicts without violence.

Project content

Because sport, and football in particular, is very popular among young people, it plays an active role in combating discrimination, intolerance, racism, xenophobia and violence. The Football3 methodology*, based on the principle of fair play, inclusion and mutual respect, is used to instil important social values, such as teamwork, discussion, and mutual understanding. It also develops the ability to create rules.

Objectives

The foundation’s support will enable a national network of Football3 leagues to be set up and extend the regional implementation of Football3 methodology into the everyday work of Football for Development’s partner organisations with their target groups. Each league will feature matchdays where groups from different organisations and backgrounds will play together in a spirit of respect and fair play.

  • 4 matchdays in each of the four regions (these will count towards the total points at the end of the respective league competition)
  • 1-day training in the use of Football3 methodology and to endorse the role of mediator
  • 1 workshop per region before the league starts to prepare the participants for the special football format
  • 2 national coordination meetings to arrange the schedule, participation criteria and guidelines and the evaluation process
  • 1 national final matchday to be held in one of the regions and organised as a public event. Two teams from each region will qualify for the finals.

Expected results

  • Lay the foundation for regular Football3 league matches.
  • Create a sustainable and independent network of Football3 leagues throughout the Czech Republic.
  • Focus on educating youngsters in targeted communities and encourage their continued involvement in the activities after reaching adulthood.
  • These individuals will work as role models in their communities to share and multiply the ideas and principles of the project.

* Football3 methodology is used by the streetfootballworld network. It harnesses the educational potential of street football by ensuring that dialogue and fair play are integral to the game. Its overall objective is to promote life skills and empower young people to become leaders. The emphasis is on resolving conflict through dialogue.

Partners

Game Changers

Location and general information

Context

Young adults (16–24 year-olds) in London are better educated on leaving school than ever before. The proportion of 19 year-olds with qualifications has improved significantly in inner-city London, overtaking the English national average. Nevertheless, they are more likely to be unemployed and, even when in work, young adults are very likely to be low paid. Nearly 11% of 16–24 year-olds in London were unemployed in 2014, more than twice the level for 25–64 year-olds, while 77% of 16–20 year-olds and 41% of 21–24 year-olds are low paid. (Source: London’s Poverty Profile website)

At the same time, there are more than 1,450 football clubs with over 3,300 teams across the city. (Source: London Football Association website)

Kick It Out is primarily a campaigning organisation that enables, facilitates and works with the football authorities, professional clubs, players, fans and communities to tackle all forms of discrimination in football. It offers a wide range of educational activities to help pupils and college or university students understand about equality and inclusion within football and across society.

This project targets young adults who are looking for professional opportunities in the football industry. Sustainability is key to its success in providing a new pathway into football leadership and governance for communities that are under-represented in the game.

Project content

Training and development days

At the core of the programme will be eight full-day training sessions on the themes of empowerment, leadership, football governance, project planning, business, coaching, commercial/public affairs and law.

Kick It Out, in partnership with the Premier League, will source expert trainers from the football business, teaching staff from the University Campus of Football Business (UCFB) – a higher education institution offering undergraduate and postgraduate degrees along with executive education in the football business, sport and events industries – and BPP University Business School, and experienced educators from outside the sector.

The programme will start with four full-day training sessions on the core learning themes of empowerment (Premier League trainers), leadership (Premier League trainers), football governance (FA trainers), and project planning (Mitre Group trainers). Participants will be expected to attend at least three of the four sessions and will be tested in these areas at the start and end of the project in order to measure how much they have learned.

In between these sessions, the participants will be given additional reading tasks, group discussion questions and other assignments based on the themes covered.

Raise Your Game (RYG) events

Participants will receive priority access to Raise Your Game career events throughout the year.

Raise Your Game is a unique Kick It Out programme that provides opportunities for people who aspire to work in the football industry, and is currently supported by the Premier League. Since its inception in 2012, the programme has helped numerous individuals find career pathways in roles such as coaching, media and communications, player engagement, physiotherapy, refereeing and sports science.

Equality and diversity in football awareness course

Kick It Out is working with Southampton Solent University to offer this unique course aimed at educating future leaders of football and increasing awareness of Kick It Out’s work in all sectors of the game. This course is designed for people who will lead the football industry to greater equality and inclusion.

Mentoring

Mentors will be sourced at the beginning of the project and introduced to participants after their induction. They will deliver a minimum of three coaching sessions to facilitate development at each stage of the programme. They will also support the participants at the end of the project by guiding them as they develop their action plans for the following six months.

The project will also include a scheme in which current members of the Game Changers programme will be able to pass on what they have learned. This peer-to-peer learning can be invaluable as it enables young people to learn directly from recent programme .

Objectives

  • Providing a new pathway into football leadership and governance for communities underrepresented in the game.
  • Create a tailor-made learning curriculum to promote the values of Kick It Out, such as the benefits of equality, inclusion, diversity policies and practices in football.
  • Create pathway opportunities for young adults with a good education and looking for job opportunities in the sports industry.
  • Develop broader awareness and acceptance of Kick It Out’s activities and its enabling and facilitating roles as a contributory force for good in football.

Project Activities

Pathways can be defined as opportunities available to leaders wishing to progress to senior positions, including .

During the project, Kick It Out will work to identify pathways for participants. Mentors will help each participant to access one of the following opportunities within six months of the project ending:

  • Boards pathway
  • County FA youth councils
  • Grassroots club youth councils
  • Professional club youth councils
  • Internships or work experience within the football industry
  • Leadership roles at grassroots or community level
  • Community leadership programmes run by professional football clubs, Premier League Communities and EFL Trust

Expected results

  • Key football stakeholders will be encouraged to address the issue of under-representation of women, disabled people and individuals from BAME and LGBT communities in leadership and governance positions in football.
  • A new pathway into football leadership and governance will be provided for communities under-represented in the game.
  • Learning and development opportunities will be offered to young leaders from communities under-represented in the game.

Partner

From Sport to Work

Location and general information

Context

From sport to work project
Sport dans la Ville works with 5,500 young people aged between 7 and 22 who live in disadvantaged areas of Lyon, Grenoble, Chambéry, Saint-Etienne, Lille and Ile-de-France.
The young participants live in areas targeted for urban regeneration, where access to training and employment is very limited. The average unemployment rate for 16 to 25-year olds in the areas in which Sport dans la Ville operates is 45%.
Young participants in the sports programmes run by Sport dans la Ville are able to join the Job dans la Ville programme from the age of 15. In 2017, the programme will help around 950 socially disadvantaged young people aged between 15 and 22 to find training and employment opportunities.

Project content

The Job dans la Ville programme uses five practical measures to help each young person obtain a qualification and long-term employment (work-study contract or permanent contract):

  • Individual training and employment support from a professional development coach, a permanent employee of Sport dans la Ville.
  • Visits to companies and training providers, partners of Sport dans la Ville.
  • Training and preparation for the world of work, in particular the rules of the workplace and job interview procedures.
  • Mentoring by company employees, who share their experience of work and support the young people with their professional integration.
  • Company placements in France and abroad, enabling each young person to gain initial work experience (internships, work-study contracts, fixed-term contracts, permanent contracts).

The Job dans la Ville programme aims to have an immediate impact on the young people by offering social and professional integration activities in the districts where they live, thus developing close relationships with the young people and their parents. By working with children in its centres from the age of six, Sport dans la Ville provides young people with long-term, continuous support (lasting an average of 10 to 12 years).

All year round, the programme offers:

  • workshops and company visits during school holidays;
  • programme presentation ceremonies in January and June;
  • ‘Foot & Job’ events, where young job-seekers can meet company employees on the sports pitch and talk about their jobs;
  • employment forums, where young Job dans la Ville participants can meet our partner companies who are looking for new recruits (internships, work-study contracts, fixed-term contracts, permanent contracts).

Objectives

  • to increase the number of participants in the Job dans la Ville programme by opening ten new sports centres in three regions: Rhône-Alpes, Ile-de-France and Hauts-de-France. These new centres will be able to accommodate more young people in the Job dans la Ville programme (1,100 in 2018);
  • to increase the involvement of young people at the existing Sport dans la Ville sports centres.

Expected results

  • In 2017 and 2018, to continue the structuring and development of our programme at national level.
  • To strengthen our team of partners, whose objective is to ensure the financial sustainability of the Job dans la Ville programme and of the improvements we intend to make to the programme.

Partner

Youth advisory centres (‘missions locales’) and CIO (‘centres d’information et d’orientation’).
Second-chance schools, vocational schools, apprentice training centres, adult vocational training centres, universities and higher education establishments
Local and state authorities
120 private companies
Logo Sport dans la ville

A ball for all children, a goal for inclusion

Location and general information

Context

Visual impairment often raises questions or creates fear, especially fear of people who are different. Unfortunately, partially sighted or blind people are stigmatised and often seen or defined primarily as disabled rather than perceived as fully-fledged human beings. This attitude emphasises their exclusion and hinders their integration and inclusion in society, including that of the younger generations. Visually impaired children are often the target of taunts and thoughtless comments in schools. In Greece, schools’ lack of understanding or awareness is a barrier for inclusion.

Project content

Orama Neon Youthorama is a non-governmental organisation that has been operational since 2003. Following its international ‘Everybody Wins’ campaign, which promoted the Olympic and Paralympic values by using specially adapted footballs for the visually impaired, the organisation is now planning to launch the ‘A ball for all children, a goal for inclusion’ project. The project aims to inform and support schools, NGOs and the public sector organisations in order to create an inclusive society in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes. To this end, adapted balls that contain bells and feature the UEFA Foundation for Children logo will be distributed to the participants. These balls will play a key role in the project, in which the participants will play blind football, a sport that is truly inclusive. Every team must contain a mix of sighted and blind players, who must all demonstrate mutual understanding, trust and support as they work together as a team. Blind football also helps to promote a strong message of integration and social cohesion. By raising awareness, the project aims to change how visually impaired people are perceived. They should not be defined by their disability, but treated as fully-fledged players and people.

Objectives

  • To create a more inclusive society at local and international levels
  • To promote healthy lifestyles by improving access to sport for everyone

Expected results

  • To impact 1,000 schoolchildren through awareness workshops in 15 schools
  • To provide 500 balls to the project participants
  • To support visually impaired child refugees in refugee camps by giving them specially adapted footballs
  • To work in schools with a high number of blind and visually impaired children
  • To produce a promotional video in order to raise awareness of inclusion activities

Partners