Personal development Archives

Sport for inclusion: football against racism

Location and general information

En cours

Location Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia

Start date 11/06/2020

End date 11/06/2021

Cost of the project € 199,662

Foundation funding €more than 50% financed by the Foundation for Children

Project identifier 2019519

Partners International Organization for Migration (IOM)

Context

In 2017, there were an estimated 303,000 migrants in the Maghreb region, for a broad variety of reasons. The majority of vulnerable migrants are from sub-Saharan Africa and suffer racial discrimination from local populations, fuelled by prejudices and stereotypes about their status and origins. The discrimination also feeds on and exacerbates forms of social exclusion that can have serious consequences for migrants such as ghettoisation, physical violence or human rights violations. However, the social exclusion of migrants also has negative effects on host societies with consequences such as a degradation in social cohesion, an increase in violence, social and political instability or underuse of the migrant labour force.

Project content

The focus is on integration through sport. For many young people around the world, football is an ideal and a way to climb the social ladder. It is an extremely popular sport in the Maghreb region. The project promotes the inclusion of migrants in host societies through the shared practice of football, with the aim of fighting racial discrimination in vulnerable communities in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. Aimed at migrant youth and host communities, the project football to foster integration and reduce potential tensions between communities. This project corresponds to UEFA's vision and objectives, fighting racial discrimination by promoting tolerance and diversity in the region.

Objectives

Sports activities enable marginalised individuals to reintegrate into society, regain a sense of normality and security, and re-establish social relationships. In short, sport is an excellent bridge over the social divide.

Giving migrants and local community members the opportunity to share an activity like sport enables both groups to change their perceptions of each other. Shared experiences can rehumanise those who are perceived as opponents off the field. Sport will then lower the barriers of difference and mistrust by showing that everyone can play together safely and share a love of sport. This is more significant as sport (and especially football) is common to everyone, regardless of their geographical origin. Sport becomes a real creator of social bonds, camaraderie, even friendship. In addition, this social link can be a vector of social stability and cohesion between communities.

As mentioned, many migrants suffer from social stigma and are marginalised. Trapped in this isolated situation, sport can help renew social contacts. As it is an accessible gateway for the most isolated individuals, sport can encourage their commitment to society by enabling them to discover the host society, learn socio-cultural codes, practice the language and develop a network. Sport can even be a first step towards mainstream integration, paving the way for other opportunities, including access to a stable job.

Project activities

The main activities are:

Supporting the inclusion of migrants in existing football leagues and tournaments
Refurbishing/building football pitches in these regions and hosting tournaments
Providing local teams with sports material
Creating new competitions if needed
Training coaches with appropriate tools and competences, focusing on promoting inclusion and social cohesion, as well as fighting against social and racial discrimination

In every project, the IOM will look carefully into respecting gender equality and giving access to people with special needs.

Expected results

Beneficiaries of the above-mentioned activities will be young people from migrant and host communities. Thanks to improved pitches and materials, better trained coaches and the opportunity to take part in friendly competitions, migrants in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia will be better included in their communities thanks to the peaceful and social power of sport.

Special attention will be paid to the project’s sustainability strategy to make sure the initiative is adapted to local preferences and interests and acknowledge likely cultural and resource constraints.

Finally, the IOM will ensure the project is not a stand-alone initiative and that there is coordination between established sports structures and development stakeholders. Before developing or refurbishing facilities, the IOM will ensure that a third party (governmental or non-governmental) commits to the upkeep and maintenance of the facility after project termination. Further, the IOM will not only partner with elite athletes in the respective countries, but also with local sports leaders and community coaches due to the influential roles they play in their communities, in particular with young people. The involvement of such stakeholders will maximise the likelihood that the project will continue to have an impact after it is completed.

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

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

Score For Education

Location and general information

Ongoing

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

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

Wash and Learn Initiative

Location and general information

Ongoing

Location Texas (United States)

Start date 08/01/2019

End date 06/01/2021

Cost of the project € 225,000

Foundation funding € 100,000

Project identifier 2019999

Partners Libraries Without Borders United States (BSF-US)

Context

Libraries Without Borders (Bibliothèques Sans Frontières - BSF) is a non-proﬁt organisation committed to increasing access to information for those in need by meeting people where they are—whether in a launderette in the Bronx or a refugee camp in Jordan. BSF-United States (BSF-US) partners with local organisations to transform launderettes, residential lobbies, parks and recreation centres into spaces for children’s education and community development. Internationally, BSF has worked in more than 30 countries, running innovative library programmes to serve refugees, remote villages and disaster relief zones since 2007.

Project content

The average launderette customer spends up to two and a half hours a week there. By meeting families where they are, when they are available, the Wash and Learn Initiative (WALI) makes literacy education accessible for low-income families who may not have the time or money to access other services. Now in eight states, WALI equips launderettes with computers, specialized software, Wi-Fi hotspots, books, specially designed furniture and other educational resources designed to create playful, literacy-rich spaces for young children and families. BSF-US works with libraries and local organisations to align their needs and interests with those of launderette customers. Together with its partners, BSF-US offers bilingual story times for children, workshops on nutrition or maternal health and games and activities to promote parent-child interactions. Researchers at New York University found that children engage in significantly more sustained literacy-related activities (compared to children at non-WALI launderettes) when a librarian is present in the launderette.

WALI San Antonio focuses specifically on the city’s low-income Hispanic migrants. One-third of the population in San Antonio is foreign-born, and as many as 100,000 are undocumented. Thanks to the support of Google Fiber and local organisations and libraries, BSF-US has piloted WALI in two launderettes in the city, delivering dynamic opportunities for early childhood education, digital literacy and community development.

Objectives

With the support of the UEFA Foundation for Children, BSF-US is expanding WALI San Antonio to better support newly arrived migrants. Our goals include:

Bringing knowledge and information to those who are most in need. Libraries are excellent places for both personal growth and collective development.
Reaching people where they are. Librarians and early-childhood professionals offer in-person classes and opportunities at the launderette, making these services accessible for all.
Ensuring equal access to information, which is important to achieve equity. WALI launderettes equip residents with technology and help to spread information about important issues like education, health, employment, citizenship, environment, sustainability and technology.

Project activities

To reach this goal, the following activities are being undertaken:

Expanding the Wash and Learn Initiative in San Antonio from two to four launderettes.
Collaborating with local non-proﬁts and government agencies to add new services to existing literacy programmes. These new services will include immigration legal services, culturally relevant health information and English language education—all at the launderette.
Collecting and disseminating a set of curricula and case-studies so that other non-proﬁts and public agencies can independently scale the work of WALI in San Antonio and across the US.
Providing opportunities for parents to observe ideal models of interactive reading and language-rich activities.

Expected results

From October 2019 to February 2020, the San Antonio Wash and Learn Initiative:

Oversaw over 100 hours of programming from partners, ranging from story time to voter registration;
Engaged with 252 people, from toddlers to seniors;
Partnered with 6 different organisations to better serve the community;
Delivered 29 library programmes, where library staff at the launderette helped participants download e-books, use their mobile devices and find online resources.

Looking forward, we aim to:

Operate four WALI launderettes that serve as community-driven hubs for learning and digital equity.
Provide over 300 hours of programming from partners who engage with over 1,000 people of all ages and backgrounds.
Partner with a total of 10 different organisations to better serve the communities we are in, especially around issues of legal access and social support for newly arrived migrants.
Support the Digital Inclusion Alliance of San Antonio and other digital literacy providers to meet people where they are, when they are available, and create a more equitable San Antonio.

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

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

A safe space for displaced Yazidi youth

Location and general information

Ongoing

Location Sharya, Duhok Governorate, Iraq

Start date 01/01/2020

End date 12/31/2020

Cost of the project €619,085

Foundation funding €120,000

Project identifier 2019558

Partners Jesuit Refugee Service Iraq

Context

Over 4 million people in Iraq are in need of humanitarian assistance due to decades of conflict, widespread violence and displacement brought about by the self-proclaimed Islamic State (ISIS), endemic corruption, and ongoing political instability. According to the United Nations, 1.46 million people – 46% children under the age of 18 – are in acute need and face “critical problems related to their physical or mental wellbeing”. Although more than four million of the six million displaced by post-2014 conflict have been able to return to their areas of origin, families returning to conflict-affected areas face restricted access to basic services and security risks. They must contend with destroyed properties and critical infrastructure, as well as a lack of livelihood opportunities and financial resources. In some instances, this has led to secondary displacement.

Over 1.4 million people continue to be displaced, including hundreds of thousands of Ezidi (commonly referred to as Yazidi) survivors of the August 2014 genocide in Sinjar in their sixth year of displacement in the Duhok governorate of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. At the end of 2019, the displaced population in Duhok stood at 319,584, the highest number in Iraq after Ninewa[1]. In addition, the governorate hosts upward of 80,000 Syrian refugees.[2] Fewer than half of Duhok’s internally displaced persons (IDPs) live in one of the seventeen IDP camps in the governorate.[3] The majority live in a variety of out-of-camp settings, ranging from rented accommodation to unfinished buildings and improvised dwellings, such as tents. Out-of-camp IDPs living in critical shelter are the most numerous vulnerable group.[4]

Although urban centres such as Duhok city and Zakho have a greater mix of ethnic and religious groups all fleeing conflict, the vast majority of remaining in-camp and out-of-camp IDPs in the Duhok governorate are Ezidi genocide survivors from the Sinjar district of Ninewa governorate. To date, Sharya town (also referred to as Sharya Collective) and the surrounding villages hold the largest out-of-camp population of IDPs (23,940) anywhere in Duhok governorate and one of the highest concentrations nationwide.[5]

[1] International Organization for Migration (IOM), Data Tracking Matrix DTM) Iraq, 31 December 2019, available at http://iraqdtm.iom.int.

[2] See Registered IDPs and Refugees in Kurdistan Region – Iraq for January 2019, available at http://jcc.gov.krd/contents/reports/19-02-2019/1550569468.Total%20No.%20IDPs%20%20Refugees%20for%20January%20in%20Kurdistan%20Region.pdf.

[3] See Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Ministry of Interior, Humanitarian Situational Report (SitRep), No. (2-20) for February 2020. Available at: http://jcc.gov.krd/contents/files/25-02-2020/1582612800.Humanitarian%20Situational%20Report%20(2-20)%20for%20February%20%20Kurdistan%20Region%20of%20Iraq.pdf.

[4] See UN-OCHA, Iraq Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) 2020, available at https://reliefweb.int/report/iraq/iraq-humanitarian-needs-overview-2020-november-2019-enarku

[5] International Organization for Migration (IOM), Data Tracking Matrix DTM) Iraq, 31 December 2019. Available at http://iraqdtm.iom.int/

Project content

In addition to its specific programme activities, the Jesuit Refugee Service Iraq adopts a multi-layered unified project model that promotes mutual understanding, social cohesion, and peace.

The various project modules and programmes will be complemented by the construction of a fenced multi-purpose sports ground and an annex with facilities and equipment. The complex will provide safe and supervised sports and recreational activities for children, teenagers and young adults from both IDP and host communities. It will promote integration and enable young people from this minority population to develop social skills, fundamental personal and community values, and team spirit. Sports will promote the physical and mental wellbeing of young people in protracted displacement, improve social cohesion, and facilitate conflict management. The sports ground will provide a much-needed facility and safe space to help them engage in positive, healthy activities and boost their overall wellbeing, as well as prevent self-harm linked to a sense of no future prospects.

The Jesuit Refugee Service Iraq’s educational activities, community outreach, and MHPSS services will dovetail with targeted awareness sessions and the thorough work of Jesuit Refugee Service family visitors. The sports ground and adjoining facilities represent a combined response to the need to heal the deeply embedded trauma in both the personal and collective psyche of the Ezidi population.

Objectives

To enhance the psychosocial wellbeing of IDPs facing protracted displacement and improve their access to services, emergency assistance, and protection networks
To support the right to education of children and young people in protracted displacement by providing access to quality education and psychosocial support
To enhance the resilience of IDPs and improve knowledge through access to safe spaces, adult education, and awareness activities

Project activities

JRS projects and programmes in Sharya pay special attention to the well-being of traumatised child, teenage, and young adult genocide survivors as an at-risk category of IDPs. The proposed sports ground and ancillary facilities will enhance JRS’ capacity to serve the affected population proactively and holistically. Out-of-camp IDP children, teenagers, and young adults will benefit from access to a sports ground that better enables them to engage in positive and healthy recreational activities. JRS’ multi-layered intervention includes:

Systematic support for genocide survivors in protracted displacement from the family visit teams; provision of core assistance, including cash-based and in-kind assistance, food and non-food items; specialised psychological and psychiatric care, as well as psychiatric medication, for the most vulnerable families and individuals
A multi-sectoral education programme consisting of tutoring classes for 540 young people aged 12, 15, and 18 years during the school year; a summer programme for 140 children and teenagers, which includes drama, handicrafts, awareness sessions on relevant topics, and recreational activities; a licenced kindergarten for 220 children aged 4–5 years, in two shifts; training for teachers, including intensive training leading to a university diploma, as well as seminars on child safeguarding and psychological first aid
Adult education and skills training courses that enhance IDPs’ income generation and employment opportunities and complementary protection activities to contribute to an improved sense of well-being; awareness sessions on topics such as health, hygiene, stress management, and parenting skills, which enable IDPs to better cope with the experience of protracted displacement
A legal service to enable undocumented genocide survivors to obtain civil documentation
A twice-weekly primary healthcare service hosted by the JRS Community Centre in Sharya in collaboration with a partner organisation
Protection, mainstreamed in all programmes
A range of transportation solutions to enable the population served to access the various services listed above

Expected results

The proposed multi-purpose sports ground and facilities build on best practice and lessons learned from an earlier JRS project in Ozal City, Kasnazan (2015–2018). The JRS Community Centre in Ozal City comprised a sports ground that became a magnet for hundreds of children and young people from over 2,000 displaced families of diverse ethnic, religious, and social backgrounds. During school hours, the sports ground was an integral part of an organised education programme (for children aged 4–18 years) that supplemented the scant delivery in the public schools for IDPs. Beyond that, the sports ground was a place of socialisation among people from different areas of origin and an effective instrument in peacebuilding and social cohesion.

The immediate and quantifiable beneficiaries of the proposed multi-purpose sports ground include:

220 preschool children (4–5 years old) during school hours
540 children in the youth education programme (aged 12, 15 and 18)
140 children in the three-month long summer programme
Other children and young people participating in one-off or recurring activities laid on by JRS

At other times, the facility will be open (under supervision) to children, teenagers, and young adults from the IDP and host community. Users will be primarily out-of-camp IDPs and members of the host community.

The adjoining multi-purpose hall will host a range of activities, from indoor sports and fitness, to drama, film screenings, awareness workshops, and community-building events. It will constitute a safe and protective alcohol-free environment. The combination of indoor and outdoor areas will enable use during different weather conditions and – more importantly – will enable equal access for females and males.

Partner

A goal for gender equality

Location and general information

Ongoing

Location Santa Cruz Department (Municipality: El Torno), La Paz Department (Municipality: Pucarani) and Chuquisaca Department (Municipalities: Incahuasi, Culpina and Villa Charcas), Bolivia

Start date 02/01/2020

End date 03/31/2021

Cost of the project €106,060

Foundation funding €87,380

Project identifier 2019984

Partners Plan International Belgium

Context

Bolivia has ratified numerous international human rights treaties, of which the following are particularly relevant to Plan International’s work: the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination against Women. However, despite progress in legislation promoting the rights of children and young people, violations still occur, especially in rural and indigenous populations. Girls in particular face specific barriers to exercising their rights, especially in the three following areas:

Education:

According to the Ministry of Education, only 11% of young people aged 18 to 24 attend university or a technical training centre. Young women are more affected than young men, mainly due to limited access to alternative or post-secondary education in rural areas and limited support from the family and community environment.

Sexual and reproductive rights:

A large proportion of Bolivia’s population is under 18 years, some of whom are sexually active. Despite this, their sexual and reproductive rights are not recognised, nor is their right to protection against sexual violence. In addition, 25% of teenage girls are already mothers at the age 19 (National Plan to Prevent Teen Pregnancy), and this figure is often higher in rural areas. Furthermore, unwanted pregnancy is an important factor in maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality.

Gender-based violence:

According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in 2014 Bolivia ranked among the countries where girls and women are most exposed to violence.

Project content

The project’s main component is its social football methodology, divided into three stages:

During the first stage, the mixed teams are formed and the girls and boys agree on the rules and how long they will play for. This stage allows the participants to engage in dialogue and reach agreements and compromises.
During the second stage, the game is played respecting the previously agreed rules.

The third stage is a time for participants to reflect on their in-game behaviour and the behaviour of their teammates. In social football, sticking to the previously agreed rules is more important than competitiveness.

Objectives

Change behaviour towards girls and women and put an end to all types of violence, including sexual violence
Support gender equality
Ensure children and teenagers can exercise their sexual and reproductive rights

Project activities

Work plans for student governments (40) and the community social education councils (40) incorporating the social football methodology
Training workshops on the football social methodology for students and student governments (3), community social education councils (2), district directors, unit directors and secondary level teachers (3)
Social football cards and audiovisual products (600)
80 student sports meetings applying the social football methodology with a focus on gender equality, violence prevention and the exercise of sexual and reproductive rights
Assessments of the educational units’ sports fields
40 refurbished and improved sports fields (one for each educational unit)
80 awards for winners of sports events

Expected results

Student government organisations strengthen their organisational capacity and representativeness through the social football methodology; they value the participation of women and positively influence their sexual and reproductive rights, gender equality and prevention of gender-based violence.
Community social education councils increase their participation and support for the development of social football with a focus on gender equality, prevention of gender-based violence and the exercise of sexual and reproductive rights of girls, boys and teenagers, especially women in the municipalities where the project is developed.
District directors, directors of educational units and secondary level teachers improve the management of sports in the educational units by promoting gender equality, sexual and reproductive rights and the prevention of gender-based violence.

Partner

Exercising change in Palabek refugee settlement

Location and general information

Ongoing

Location Uganda

Start date 02/01/2020

End date 01/31/2021

Cost of the project € 34,168

Foundation funding € 34,168

Project identifier 20199933

Partners Street Child

Context

Palabek is one of the newest refugee settlements in Uganda, hosting over 50,000 refugees primarily from South Sudan. According to the 2019 United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Report, 85% of arrivals are women and children. Due to the conflict, many children in the camp have been traumatised by violence, exploited as child soldiers and lost loved ones. Women and girls in particular face gender-based violence and discrimination. In 2018, the UNHCR reported 4,822 incidents of sexual gender-based violence. The cultural taboo around menstruation also makes girls skip school or even drop out entirely. Limiting their educational and economic opportunities, they increase their risk of child marriage, abuse and teen pregnancy.

Project content

As repatriation is unlikely to occur soon and the refugee settlements welcome more and more people every day, there is a need to strengthen social cohesion and forge closer ties between the communities. Street Child and its partner African Women and Youth for Action Development (AWYAD) use sports and educational workshops to promote well-being, community engagement, child protection and social cohesion, and combat gender stereotypes. They provide the opportunity for children to escape from traumatic experiences and provide safe spaces where they can flourish. Sport will not be limited to school times, but also held during after school clubs, thereby creating a greater educational environment.

Objectives

Inspire both refugee and host children through sport
Address the disparity in girls’ active participation in sports
Provide safe spaces for marginalised children
Increase opportunities for schools to take part in inter/intra-class and regional competitions
Provide an inclusive sport offer for girls, boys and children with disabilities
Train local coaches to ensure the longevity of the project
Introduce and develop four sports across the settlement: football, netball, volleyball and athletics
Build infrastructure for sports

Project activities

Train community coaches to recognise psychosocial risks in children and understand referral pathways at settlement level
Train community coaches on the importance of inclusivity, with particular reference to girls and children with disabilities
Train community coaches to promote fair play, cooperation, sharing and respect in sport
Dialogue with communities at 10 schools, on health, education and inclusivity, in conjunction with sports sessions

Expected results

Target 11,000 beneficiaries – 8,000 children between the ages of 6 and 13, of whom 60% are girls and 40% boys, and 3,000 community members
10% of the beneficiaries will be children with disabilities
As Palabek is facing extreme levels of poverty and in need of support similar to the refugees, 30% of the children will be from host communities.

Partner

Living Together Greece

Location and general information

Ongoing

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)

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.

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

Future leaders of DRC

Location and general information

Ongoing

Location Kalebuka, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Start date 01/01/2020

End date 12/31/2020

Cost of the project €76,740

Foundation funding €18,000

Project identifier 2019997

Partners Georges Malaika Foundation

Context

Despite the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) being one of the wealthiest countries in the world due to its natural resources, a large majority of its population live in extreme poverty. This is also true of the area of Kalebuka (Lubumbashi) in the south-eastern part of the DRC where many services are lacking. The Munama quarter, where the Kalebuka Football for Hope Community Centre is located, has one of the lowest literacy rates in the country (source: Georges Malaika Foundation). Furthermore, the decades-long conflicts in the DRC have led to the displacement of many Congolese people in this area, with families often lacking the money to meet their basic needs, such as education and healthcare. This situation has also led to health issues, such as malaria, reproductive health problems, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Members of the community have lacked education and opportunities to thrive, hampering their ability to make a significant change in their community.

Project content

The Georges Malaika Foundation believes in the enormous potential of the Congolese people to bring about change on their own terms. It aims to support the youth of Kalebuka in becoming future leaders who will bring about positive change in their community. To achieve this mission, the foundation offers access to a variety of sports, including football, basketball, tennis, and volleyball. Through the community centre, young people in Kalebuka have access to sports programmes which was not previously available to them. The centre allows boys and girls to play football and attend matches and tournaments. They have peer and coach-led mixed-sex football training, providing a common ground on which to relate and build trust. The foundation has also developed games and sporting activities that address issues relevant to the children such as conflict resolution, health and well-being, and gender equality.

Objectives

Help young people living in Kalebuka access educational opportunities and become economically self-sufficient so that they can bring positive change to their community
Use sports activities to help change the internalised beliefs and practices of community members, such as gender inequality and ethnic conflicts
Improve health issues by giving young people the tools to remain healthy and active

Project activities

The Georges Malaika Foundation’s activities target three mains areas:

Leadership and life skills:

The foundation trains participants to become coaches and helps them develop leadership skills through sports. It attaches importance to engaging boys in activities with girls to promote gender equality.

Health:

The foundation has developed a fun programme which gives participants the opportunity to have open and honest discussions about relevant health topics, such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and general well-being. The coaches are trained to provide workshops on these topics, and football activities are used to promote the social messages.

Improvement of life outcomes:

Many of the foundation’s beneficiaries come from families affected by child and domestic abuse. By providing information and tools that allow young people to express their feelings and peacefully resolve conflict, the foundation aims to set in motion change that will positively affect their future, as well as lead to a community-wide decrease in conflict and abuse.

Expected results

OUTCOME/OBJECTIVE	BASELINE	TARGET
Increase young people’s leadership skills through training programmes, thereby increasing the number of peer leaders and coaches	10	15
Create a safe space to discuss health topics and increase the number of young people attending health-based sports sessions	64	80
Improve life outcomes by positively changing the youth mentality in regards to conflict resolution, drug and alcohol use, domestic violence, etc. and increase the number of young people attending training sessions related to life outcomes	90	115

Partner

Sports-based employability for unaccompanied minors

Location and general information

Ongoing

Location Spain, Greece and Italy

Start date 01/01/2020

End date 12/31/2020

Cost of the project € 317,933

Foundation funding € 200.631

Project identifier 2019022

Partners FC Barcelona Foundation

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

Ongoing

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)

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

Ongoing

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

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

Busajo Campus: Equal chances through sport

Location and general information

Ongoing

Location Ethiopia

Start date 01/01/2020

End date 12/31/2021

Cost of the project € 99,221

Foundation funding € 65,000

Project identifier 2019659

Partners Busajo Onlus

Context

Busajo Campus is social and educational project aimed at street children living in the Ethiopian city of Sodo and the surrounding rural areas. It supports rehabilitation, prevention and family reintegration, thereby helping the beneficiaries to regain their dignity and trust in the future. It is estimated that there are about 3,000 street children in Sodo.

Inside Busajo Campus, sport is promoted as an educational activity that supports people’s physical and emotional growth and a social activity that teaches people the rules of coexistence and community.

Project content

The support of the UEFA foundation will enable Busajo Campus to build a gym, changing rooms and bathrooms, to extend the use of its sports fields and facilities to children and young people in non-residential programmes and neighbouring communities, and to promote equal opportunities for boys and girls through the universal language of sport.

The gym will increase and diversify the sports activities available to improve motor and social skills, while enabling activities to continue even during the long periods of heavy rain that are typical of the Ethiopian climate. In addition, the changing rooms and bathroom facilities will enable to project to teach and promote day-to-day hygiene rules and good practices among Busajo Campus residents and other users.

The Busajo Campus project aims to encourage the socialisation and integration of resident street children, with the help of guests who have successfully integrated society (e.g. university students and children without any particular social problems) offering positive life prospects for those that remain socially vulnerable.

The project also offers educational activities to socially marginalised children living off campus, in order to offer an educational pathway to as many young people as possible and involve the surrounding community.

In this way, sport becomes an important social vehicle that creates strong emotional bonds and human relationships that encourage respect and tolerance.

Particular attention is given to the inclusion of culturally and socially marginalised girls, who need special care and attention both psychologically, socially and physically, and need to learn how take care of their own person.

Objectives

Improve the socio-educational conditions of Sodo street children, permanently removing them from social exclusion and offering them better prospects, a greater sense of dignity and confidence in the future
Teach minimum hygiene standards and improve conditions and practices among residents and visitors to the campus
Improve the motor skills of children and young people and enable sports activities even during the rainy season
Increase the interpersonal skills of boys and girls on Busajo Campus
Promote equal opportunities between girls and boys, teach rules of tolerance and respect, increase children’s capacity for socialisation
Encourage integration between children and young people living on campus and the surrounding community

Project activities

Construction of a gym, changing rooms and bathroom facilities
Educational sports activities for Busajo Campus residents using existing sports fields (volleyball, football, basketball)
Other informal educational activities (recreation and play, agricultural activities) Busajo Campus residents
Extension of the project to non-residents and inclusion of new indoor disciplines for residents and non-residents (gymnastics, martial arts)
Awareness-raising and promotion of equal opportunities through sport

Expected results

Construction of the gym to enable activities to continue year-round, even in the rainy months, to increase the range of activities on offer, to improve the motor skills of children and young people and to fight against diseases such as rickets in a more effective way
Construction of changing rooms and bathroom facilities, promoting improved personal hygiene
Delivery of an educational pathway that uses sport to promote equal opportunities for girls and boys and integration between street children living on campus and the surrounding community
Beneficiaries: 100 street children (Busajo Campus residents) and 100 non-resident children (external users)

Partner

Coaching for Life

Location and general information

Ongoing

Location Indonesia

Start date 01/01/2020

End date 12/31/2020

Cost of the project € 727,177

Foundation funding € 144,500

Project identifier 2019854

Partners The Arsenal Foundation and Save the Children

Context

More than a million children between the ages of 10 and 17 live in Jakarta. The city is home to 300 slum communities, where many girls and boys live on less than one US dollar a day. Children living in these dense slum communities are often forced to work from a young age. Many scavenge on landfill sites, work in fisheries or undertake daily labour in order to earn money for their families. In doing so they often miss out on school and other vital developmental opportunities. Subsequently, many are forced into working long hours, sometimes in multiple jobs and exposed to exploitative situations.

Societal gender expectations dictate that girls perform domestic chores such as housekeeping and taking care of younger siblings. As a result, girls are often isolated from peers, with limited access to education. One in six Indonesian girls are married before they reach the age of 18.

In 2018, the Arsenal Foundation and Save the Children teamed up to design Coaching for Life. This innovative programme sees Arsenal combine its expertise in coaching and delivery with Save the Children’s extensive experience in supporting children living in some of the most challenging environments in the world.

Project content

Building on combined experience and expertise, the project aims to help children develop their resilience and vital life skills and support them in maintaining positive relationships. To this end, Arsenal is leveraging its coaching experience in London, where it has long used football as a tool to engage with some of the hardest-to-reach young people in the city.

Coaching for Life is delivered exclusively through football and on-pitch sessions, which are also informed by Save the Children’s expertise in child protection and resilience building.

The programme is based on the principle that children and young people have the ability to overcome difficulties and learn new skills to cope with future adversities using their own internal resources. The key skills for building resilience naturally occur in football and are embedded within this programme.

Leah Williamson visits Coaching for Life in Jakarta

Objectives

At the core of the programme is the sustainability of its impact for children. Therefore, it is necessary to work with all influencers in a child’s life and include strategies to ensure long-term changes are adopted. The programme has five key objectives:

To build children’s resilience, supporting them to cope with the stresses they currently face and will face in years to come.
To provide support services and safe spaces to play. In Indonesia, the programme is linked to the government-led Child Friendly Cities Initiative and has been designed to support the government to achieve its targets to make Jakarta a safe and protective environment for children.
To increase the capacity of caregivers and communities to support children’s resilience and well-being.
To elevate the voices of girls and boys affected by physical and emotional distress, empowering them to influence policy and practice in their communities.
To use the impact of the programme to influence the future practice of others.

Project activities

Building resilience through football coaching sessions:

Delivered during 20 weekly two-hour sessions. Children explore topics such as emotions, communication skills, conflict management and decision making.
Six-week bespoke coaching education delivered by Arsenal coaches.
Support and mentoring throughout the programme.

Providing safe spaces and support services:

The refurbishment of football pitches provides safe spaces for children. Mechanisms will be put in place to protect children from violence and exploitation.
Access to local support services and further training including psychological first aid.

Training for parents and caregivers, including an outreach campaign for girls’ participation in sport

Thinking to the future: A robust monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning framework is being implemented. The outcomes will be used to promote the model and disseminate best practices widely.

Expected results

The monitoring and evaluation framework will assess Coaching for Life’s impact on children’s resilience and well-being, the children’s sense of belonging to the programme and the importance of trusted adults and trained coaches. The reasons why change has (or has not) come about will be established and actionable recommendations will be identified from independent research to further improve the Coaching for Life model.
The monitoring and evaluation framework will also assess to what extent sports interventions contribute to improving resilience and whether they help or hinder the development of resilience skills compared with programmes following the same methodology without the added sports component.
Arsenal coaches will train 35 coaches in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Over 1,000 children will directly participate in Coaching for Life. The resilience through football coaching sessions are delivered through 20 weekly two-hour sessions.
Seven pitches will be renovated and maintained. The football pitches provide a safe space for children. Mechanisms will be put in place to protect children from violence and exploitation.
Some 1,500 parents and caregivers will participate, enhancing their ability to support their children’s well-being. Parents also play an important role in driving gender equality in their communities.
Children will be empowered to influence practice and policy, by including the voices of children affected by conflict and violence in the decision-making process to bring about long-term changes.
Proof of impact will be established so that Coaching for Life can be reproduced on a larger scale.

Partner

Football in Zaatari refugee camp

Location and general information

Ongoing

Location Jordan

Start date 01/01/2020

End date 12/31/2020

Cost of the project € 320,000

Foundation funding € 120,000

Project identifier 2019499

Partners Association Football Development Programme (AFDP) Global

Context

AFDP Global and the UEFA Foundation for Children are helping people displaced by the conflict in Syria, particularly children and young people living in Zaatari refugee camp.

The UEFA Foundation for Children took over and develop this project since 2015. This legacy project started with UEFA in September 2013.

Project content

The UEFA foundation and its partner AFDP Global provide weekly sporting activities for displaced Syrian boys and girls, ensuring a fun and safe environment for training and competitive activities. These activities are not limited to football, but also include judo, Zumba and table tennis. The project will continue to support the Syrian coaching and management team established in the camp to provide football activities for children and young people. Sport is used to raise awareness of social issues and impart the life skills necessary in the context. Continuous training for skills development will also be provided. Proper supervision of the children taking part in the programme will be ensured, with appropriate role models. This will ensure the continuity of the project.

Objectives

Engaging Syrian children and young people

To provide football and other sports activities in an appropriate, safe and supervised environment, allowing children to enjoy their childhood. In addition to playing and spending time together, the youngsters will learn football skills and the fundamental values of sport such as respect, fair play, team spirit and solidarity. They will also receive education on specific social issues.

Training Syrian football coaches and referees

To provide training for Syrian refugees on how to run football coaching sessions, equipping them with the skills required to manage a league and run football clubs, with specific classes on refereeing.

Integrating a life skills curriculum

To teach coaches how to best use the values of sport to facilitate children’s personal development and raise their awareness of certain social issues, with a particular focus on conflict resolution, early marriage, birth control and the importance of schooling, health, hygiene and well-being.

Maintaining established football clubs and league

To support administrators and coaches, ensuring that they have the capacity to maintain the football clubs and league established by the project in previous years.

Project activities

Infrastructure and training material

The UEFA foundation, in cooperation with AFDP Global, has contributed to the construction of a sports centre. Known as the House of Sport, it is a place for social activities and a safe environment where children and young people can have fun and make friends, especially those who are interested in football.

Since the beginning of the project, 20,000 footballs, 20,000 T-shirts, caps and backpacks, 5,000 pairs of shoes and 1,000 training kits (cones, plates, bibs, stopwatches, whistles, etc.) have been distributed for sports activities.
At each tournament, 1,000 snacks and 2,000 bottles of water are distributed.
The coaches have also been fully equipped.
The two main pitches used for tournaments have been upgraded to artificial turf and are fully equipped for football matches.
Eleven containers of various material (sportswear, balls, etc.) have been provided by the UEFA foundation.

Football pitch

Pursuing the aim of providing a safe environment for the beneficiaries of the project, the UEFA foundation, in cooperation with AFDP Global and the Jordanian Football Association, contributed to the conversion to artificial turf of a full-size football pitch (in 2017) and a small pitch for girls (in 2018), with the financial support of LAY’S.

Four containers were sent from the Netherlands with artificial turf, construction material (including geotextiles, adhesive, tape, a tractor and other maintenance equipment), and pitch equipment such as goals and corner flags.

Figures (November 2019)

Some 250 adult refugees – including 87 women and 163 men – have already benefitted from the coaching education offered by the foundation, equipping them with the necessary skills to become good coaches and therefore to supervise and organise sporting and football activities such as weekly training and tournaments. Twenty-seven of these coaches are currently working for the project and the others for other non-governmental organisations in the camp.
Experts appointed by the UEFA foundation and AFDP Global have already run workshops on refereeing, trauma recovery, sport as a tool for social cohesion, early marriage and conflict resolution. Some 54 referees have been trained, of whom 21 are women.
Around 5,110 children and young people – boys and girls – regularly take part in the weekly sports activities and monthly football tournaments supervised by qualified male and female educators. This peaked at 7,137 young Syrians in October 2019 – 4,947 boys and 2,190 girls aged between 8 and 20.
Monthly football tournaments are organised in the camp for the age groups under-13, under-15 and under-20. An average of 1,000 children and young people aged 8 to 20, including 300 girls, take part in the monthly tournaments. The highest number of participants was 1,580 in March 2019.
Monthly events are organised for under-8s, with an average of 100 children participating.
Men’s teams can use the field for two hours per day.
Apart from football, other sports and activities are organised. Some 340 boys regularly do judo (age groups under-13 and under-15), over 180 boys and girls participate in table tennis activities (age groups under-13 and under-15), and 300 girls take Zumba classes.

Expected results

Coaching and football activities to be organised for a total of 2,800 boys and 1,800 girls between the ages of 8 and 20.
Monthly football tournaments to be organised in the camp, with an average of 1,000 participants aged 8 to 20, including 300 girls.
More than 18 men’s teams to be provided with the facilities to play football daily and tournaments to be organised for them.
Other daily sports and activities to be organised, offering a greater diversity of activities to the beneficiaries, including judo, table tennis and Zumba.
A team of 13 male and 13 female staff to be maintained. They will use sport, and football in particular, as a tool for social cohesion and conflict resolution, and will be responsible for managing teams for the different age groups.
External events to be organised, boosting social impact through awareness and increased friendship-building opportunities.