Refugees Archives - UEFA Foundation

Safe-Hub – EduFootball

Location and general information

Ongoing

Location Germany/Austria

Start date 01/12/2018

End date -

Cost of the project €221,796

Foundation funding €74,486

Project identifier EUR - 2018748

Partners AMANDLA, Oliver Kahn Foundation, DFL Foundation, Beisheim Foundation, Coca-Cola Foundation

Context

Even in wealthy countries such as Germany and Austria, social inequality has grown over the last few decades. These growing wealth and resource gaps affect young people and their futures: once a young person has been born into a cycle of poverty, unemployment and inequality, their social mobility is limited. This not only affects access to high-quality education and employment; it also leaves young people vulnerable to violence, discrimination and crime.

AMANDLA is working to break this destructive cycle by offering a constructive alternative: the Safe‑Hub. A Safe-Hub is a place where young people have equal access to opportunities, strive to realise their full potential and dare to dream.

Project content

AMANDLA seeks to create safe spaces that combine the power of football and learning to empower young people and change lives. At the heart of the organisation’s work lies its award-winning approach to youth development: the Safe-Hub social franchise model. Safe-Hubs are designed to disrupt cycles of poverty, unemployment and inequality, especially for young people growing up in disadvantaged communities. At a Safe-Hub, young people can access services, opportunities and support from strong role models through a football-based after-school programme with a focus on health, education and employability. Each Safe-Hub provides a safe place for all young people, including those from minority groups.

Having successfully established three Safe-Hubs in South Africa, reducing crime rates and increasing employability in surrounding communities, AMANDLA is now in the process of setting up its first Safe-Hub in Europe, with its new centre in Berlin due to be completed by 2022. Offering a unique perspective on the question of how football training can be used to develop social competencies and strengthen values for young people, AMANDLA is already organising ‘train the trainer’ workshops for NGOs and football clubs (both amateur and professional). As part of this project, AMANDLA is introducing its EduFootball training curriculum to coaches as a way of fostering social change both on and off the pitch. With more than ten years of experience in youth and community development in South Africa, AMANDLA is currently testing and evaluating its proven concept in order to tailor it to a German/European context. This will allow AMANDLA to ensure the best possible training programme for participants in Berlin once its first centre outside South Africa is operational.

Objectives

Equip German and Austrian coaches to support the development of social competencies through football coaching
Encourage amateur and professional football structures to see value in life skills and integrate them into their football training
Improve the pro-social behaviour of young people participating in EduFootball sessions
Enhance internal knowledge of the project’s methods in order to effectively monitor and evaluate activities

Project activities

‘Train the trainer’ workshop series
1. Diversification of current workshop curriculum
2. 10 one-day workshops with 10 participants each (open to the public)
3. 10 one-day workshops with 10 participants each (open to partner organisations across Germany and Austria)
4. Internal workshop aimed at tailoring existing monitoring and evaluation system to planned activities
5. 10 follow-up site visits at partner organisations

EduFootball training with football clubs
1. 20 EduFootball ‘train the trainer’ sessions (four workshops – each with five engagement sessions) with up to eight coaches across four/five football clubs
2. 200 EduFootball training sessions with up to 600 girls and boys
3. 20 ‘on the job’ supervisory visits to football clubs

Expected results

AMANDLA develops a modular training curriculum that suits various groups of beneficiaries (e.g. both experienced and less experienced coaches)
Coaches across Germany and Austria are better equipped to support the development of social competencies through football coaching
Coaches improve their professional competencies and qualifications in the ‘football for good’ sector
Coaches are better leaders and football coaches and can integrate life skills into training sessions
Coaches significantly improve their ability to support players’ personal development and are more able to resolve conflicts between players
Children have more positive interactions with each other
Children can cope better with conflicts and setbacks
Children have agency and take responsibility for their own actions and lives
Professional football structures see the value of integrating life skills into accredited coaching programmes
The youth development sector has greater awareness of the importance of football as a tool fostering personal development and systemic social change
AMANDLA develops a monitoring and evaluation system to track the implementation of ‘Kick It But Fair’ workshop activities and post-workshop site visits
Staff on the ground have a better understanding of how to monitor workshop activities and post-workshop site visits

Partner

RISE – Beyond goals

Location and general information

Ongoing

Location Greece

Start date 01/15/2019

End date -

Cost of the project €246,225

Foundation funding €198,020

Project identifier EUR‐2018738

Partners ActionAid Hellas

Context

The beneficiaries are young people between 12 and 18 years old that live in and around the disadvantaged Kolonos district of Athens. Their families face financial issues and are at risk of social exclusion, with limited opportunities for engaging in athletic activities (lack of motivation or financial resources, gender stereotypes). Some of these young people face high stress, domestic violence, social exclusion and a lack of creative and life-skills education, which leads to fewer opportunities. The challenges they face can lead to depression, aggressive behaviour, misbehaviour, academic failure, inability to interact with other youngsters, a lack of self‐esteem and a lack of guidance. Family ties are often broken and the link to the community can be problematic.

Project content

The RISE project is a youth empowerment through football programme, led by international football player Dimitris Papadopoulos. It provides children with life values and skills, and enables them to have a better life, dignity and opportunities to develop themselves and their communities. Football players are role models for young people and can empower them to fight for a better life. Their role will be crucial in implementing and disseminating the project.

ActionAid is working closely with football clubs, national football associations and the Super League at national level to raise awareness of the methodology and potential of football as a driver for change and development in the communities.

Objectives

Empower disadvantaged youth in vulnerable areas by helping them to gain skills, providing access to opportunities and building resilience that will help them improve their quality of life while fighting poverty and social exclusion through football.
Support young people, so that they own a community-led programme in all stages, from design to implementation.
Help footballers to become agents of change for a society of diversity, mutual respect and solidarity.
Empower young members of the football team to become agents of change for a society with diversity, mutual respect and solidarity.
Support the multiplication of programme methodology and principles and influence other institutions’ agendas.
Empower members of the youth club to develop sustainable valuable life skills.

Project activities

FOOTBALL

Football3 match with famous national football players to ‘lead by example’

Dimitris Papadopoulos and other famous football players (men and women) will demonstrate that, by changing the rules of the game, we can change ourselves and our society for the better.

Football matches with mixed teams

Bring together civil society associations, football clubs and athletics associations to share, play together, discuss and interact by taking part in friendly matches based on Football3, with mixed teams of girls and boys, locally and regionally. The aim is to give children from diverse vulnerabilities – migrants, children living in poverty, girls – the chance to interact.

Other football clubs’ matches

Initiate and train football clubs in the region on Football3 methodology to multiply the impact of this programme and raise awareness of the values that children can acquire from football.

SKILL DEVELOPMENT

The youth club will be based in the ActionAid Epikentro community centre in the deprived neighbourhood of Kolonos. Children will have the chance to attend the following courses:

Computer classes/digital literacy: A lack of computer skills one aspect of illiteracy. By teaching children how to navigate the internet and use basic computer programs, we help them break down barriers and open doors to new opportunities.

English lessons: English is essential in the global communities. It helps children improve school performance and integrate better into society.

Job orientation: The goal is to help children discover their skills and abilities, set a life plan and goals for themselves.

Psychological support: Children learn to deal with stress and regain self‐respect and self‐ confidence. This is a crucial part of the empowerment process that enables children to engage and commit to all other courses and to football training.

Empowerment/recreational activities: Children are given the opportunity to interact and have fun. Taking part in small festivals, celebrations and entertaining activities is important to engage young people in the community centre.

Expected results

Direct beneficiaries

Football team: 20 young people between 12–18 years old (mixed gender) who are members of the football team

Youth club: 60 young people (mixed gender, social status, national/ethnic origin) actively engaged in youth club activities and in the long term.

Indirect beneficiaries:

80 beneficiaries of other organisations directly engaged in matches (diverse gender, ages, social status, ethnic origin)

40 beneficiaries of national level organisations directly engaged in matches.

Partner

Come On, Let’s Play

Location and general information

Ongoing

Location Ukraine

Start date 04/15/2019

End date 04/30/2020

Cost of the project €84,036

Foundation funding €58,400

Project identifier EUR-2018297

Partners Shakhtar Social

Context

FC Shakhtar Donetsk was based in the town of Donetsk until 2014. Due to the military conflict in the Eastern Ukraine, the club has relocated to Kyiv. Some of Donetsk’s inhabitants have also been forced to move away. According to government data, more than 1.6 million people escaped the conflict region and eight cities near Donetsk, namely: Krasnohorivka, Marinka, Kurakhove, Avdiivka, Shchastya, Popasna, Toretsk and Volnovakha. Some of the children from this region have sustained injuries as a direct result of the military conflict.

Project content

“Come On, Let’s Play!” is a grassroots project which aims to help migrant children from the war zone in Eastern Ukraine, and disadvantaged and disabled children living close to the frontline. Football is a way to instil values, such as respect, integration, responsibility, fun, physical exercise, psychological support and personal development, in these children. The programme includes regular football training sessions for juniors and disabled children, competitions and a final tournament. The possibility of meeting and playing with players from FC Shakhtar’s first team is an additional motivation for these children.

Objectives

In close co-operation with local partners and an international partner – EFDN, the grassroots football project “Come On, Let’s Play!” aims to improve access to football for children living close to the frontline, refugees and socially disadvantaged children.

It seeks to promote social inclusion, improve children’s quality of life, boost extracurricular learning and activities and provide relief from the pressures of living in a crisis area. The main beneficiaries are children aged between 7 and 12, including disabled children. The project aims to attract 620 participants.

Project activities

The first activity is a “Come On, Let’s Play!” grassroots football project for children aged between 7 and 12, with the aim of improving the social inclusion of children living close to the frontline.

It will be a 12-month programme comprising the following elements.

Free football sessions held three times a week by the main coach and two volunteers.
The main coach and volunteers train 60 children per playground (with the exception of Toretsk – 80 participants) in two different age groups (U10 and U12), with at least 10% of participants being girls.
Four groups of disabled children will be trained in four project locations, involving 40 children.
The disabled children will have an adapted programme and will be provided with the necessary equipment.
During the implementation of the project, FC Shakhtar first team players will visit each project location and play a football game with the children.
The Saturday football session will include football matches between different age groups.
The children will be provided with all the necessary equipment: training kits, balls, flat disks, bibs, a whistle, football nets, first aid kits, pumps, freeze sprays and coordination ladders.

The second activity is the “Come On, Let’s Play!” competition (one day). Twice a year, a local “Come On, Let’s Play!” competition will be held at each playground, in autumn 2019 and spring 2020. These competitions aim to enhance the children’s enjoyment, promoting a healthy lifestyle and allowing them to meet other children in locations close to the frontline. The participants of the “Come On, Let’s Play!” competition are organised into U10 and U12 teams. The expected number of participants is 480, with a minimum of 10% being girls.

The third activity is the “Come On, Let’s play!” final tournament in Volnovakha (two days). The “Come On, Let’s Play!” final tournament aims to unite all participants from the locations close to the frontline and promote social inclusion. It will take place in Volnovakha in April 2020. The final tournament will feature four U10 teams and four U12 teams from the eight different towns located close to the frontline. The total number of participants is 80 children aged between 7 and 12, with at least one girl per team. There will be 30 support staff (coaches and parents). Each town is allowed to put forward just one team of ten participants in one of the two age categories (U10 or U12). The tournament participants will be provided with accommodation, food and refreshments.

Expected results

620 children aged between 7 and 12 are expected to benefit from the “Come On, Let’s Play” programme.
Regular football training sessions will take place three times a week in two age categories (U10 and U12).
Two local tournaments will be held in autumn 2019 and spring 2020 involving 480 participants.
One final tournament will be held in Volnovakha in April 2020 involving one team from each of the eight cities.

Partner

Give Everyone a Chance

Location and general information

Ongoing

Location Central and northern Hungary

Start date 01/01/2018

End date 12/31/2019

Cost of the project €76,180

Foundation funding €60,680

Project identifier EUR_2018493

Partners Oltalom Sport Association, John Wesley Primary and Secondary School, Girls’ correctional institution, Home for Unaccompanied Minors, Oltalom Charity Society, Prevention Centre

Context

Oltalom Sport Association (OSA) was founded by a group of individuals and NGOs in Hungary in 2005. Its goal is to use sport as a tool to increase self-esteem and promote a healthy lifestyle among people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Playing football with teams from other social groups enhances the social integration of the target group. OSA provides free, regular football training sessions and equipment for homeless people, refugees, disadvantaged young people and children.

The young participants come from dysfunctional families that lack one or both parents and face constant problems with unemployment, substance use, housing and finance. Many are also abused and neglected. Other problems they face include criminal behaviour brought on by the lack of secure employment, a shortage of employment opportunities and insufficient education. OSA also works with refugees and homeless people, with many participants coming from a refugee or migrant background. Attitudes towards migrants and refugees that have emerged in Hungary in the past few years make their situation in the country difficult. They also have to cope with problems such as post traumatic stress disorder, which requires urgent treatment, a lack of family and friends, loneliness and isolation from mainstream society.

Project content

OSA has developed a programme of regular training sessions at local schools in Budapest to help Roma minorities, migrants and refugees to develop their skills. The weekly sessions are held at six locations (three pitches in Budapest, a girls’ correctional institution, John Wesley Primary School and Fót Home for Unaccompanied Minors). As OSA does not have its own permanent pitch, training sessions are held on public pitches or at residential homes.

As in previous years, OSA will organise Fair Play Football Roadshows at six different locations – three in Hungary and three in neighbouring countries – using a portable pitch that was purchased with the support of the UEFA Foundation for Children.

OSA also runs a scholarship programme for participants in an employment scheme that helps beneficiaries find suitable jobs or start or complete their education.

OSA also provides continuous social support through a network of social workers who help resolve housing, employment, education, health care and administrative issues. Focusing on individual needs, social workers create individual development plans in order to offer a more comprehensive, customised service.

Objectives

to enhance participants’ physical and mental health
to increase participants’ employability
to develop participants’ English language skills
to enhance refugee inclusion
to increase social connections by organising Fair Play Football Roadshows and international tournaments

Project activities

Regular football training sessions in six different locations
Fair Play Football Roadshows
Scholarships for young leaders and street soccer coaches
Workshops:
- Health education
- Prevention and handling of bullying
- Appreciative inquiry

- Girls’ club: a group activity for female participants focusing on sex education, partner violence, various issues linked to gender and relationships, and opportunities to increase social connections.

Continuous social support
Data collection for monitoring activity

Expected results

Fair Play Football Roadshows will be held at three locations in Hungary and three in other countries. In 2019, two coaches from developing countries (India, South America, etc.) will be invited to help train and educate OSA and other Hungarian coaches. Since the target group includes children with health problems such as obesity and diseases caused by lack of knowledge about healthy nutrition, OSA will organise monthly workshops on themes such as personal hygiene, physical changes, basic anatomical knowledge, nutrition, etc.

In summer 2019, OSA will organise a five-day football camp in north-eastern Hungary for 40 children, five staff members and between five and eight volunteers.

OSA will participate in four international events across Europe: the Wroclaw Trophy, the EU Fair Play Street Soccer Championship, the European Street Football Festival and the Homeless World Cup in Cardiff, Wales (although the latter was not mentioned in the proposal).

Through its activities, OSA tries to improve participants’ life skills and problem-solving abilities in order to increase their chances of a successful future.

Partner

Football Without Borders

Location and general information

Ongoing

Location Austria

Start date 01/01/2018

End date 12/31/2019

Cost of the project €87,275

Foundation funding €18,000

Project identifier EUR_2018334

Partners Kicken ohne Grenzen

Context

In 2016 and 2017, around 60,000 refugees requested asylum in Austria. Around 40% of them were female. As they try to enter the Austrian education system, many refugees lack self-confidence, motivation and even family support. Kicken ohne Grenzen is a football project that enables young people from vulnerable communities to take part in regular football training sessions for free without having to fulfil any admission criteria. It also helps them overcome barriers caused by language, religion or background. Since 2018, Kicken ohne Grenzen has been cooperating closely with Amandla EduFottball to implement the Kick it – but fair! project.

Project content

Kicken ohne Grenzen runs weekly training sessions for 120 young people (one men’s, one mixed, one women’s and one mixed children’s team) from 12 different nations. It currently works with 25 volunteers on a regular basis, while four team members are employed for around 15 hours per week on a freelance basis.

Objectives

The training sessions are aimed at young people who are hard to reach through conventional training programmes.

By developing their social and professional skills, the young participants improve their chances of obtaining a training position or finding a job. The project therefore promotes equality and sustainable social integration.

Project activities

Workshop modules on topics such as gender equality, team-building, conflict resolution, communication and practical football skills
Weekly football training sessions for four different teams, using specific exercises to teach skills relevant for youth employment
Football training sessions that include CV training, a ‘learning buddy’ scheme and participation in vocational training days
Football tournament with 24 mixed teams and a football3 workshop for children

Expected results

25 certified skill coaches trained within the Beaskillcoach academy by December 2019
200 beneficiaries attending football training sessions by December 2019
80 beneficiaries participating in the job goals programme offering vocational orientation, vocational training days and CV coaching by December 2019
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

Children on the Move Uganda

Location and general information

Ongoing

Location Moyo, Uganda

Start date 01/01/2019

End date -

Cost of the project €296,592

Foundation funding €140,000

Project identifier AFR2018161

Partners Swiss Academy for Development (SAD), Community Psychosocial Support Organisation (CPSO, local partner)

Context

The current conflict in South Sudan has led to the arrival of nearly 800,000 refugees in Uganda, the largest group of refugees in the country.[1] Uprooted from their homes as a result of the war, many refugees suffer from severe mental illness. Unfortunately, trauma victims are rarely treated on account of the focus on meeting immediate basic needs. In addition to mental illnesses, UNICEF recently reported that over 4,400 children and 2,706 pregnant women in Ugandan refugee camps were living with HIV.[2] These figures do not include undeclared cases, which could be much more numerous. It is therefore vital that refugees are given accurate information.

In addition to health issues, tensions and conflicts between the refugees and their host communities serve to amplify the difficulties faced by the refugees.

[1] UNHCR, https://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/southsudan

[2] UNICEF Uganda CO Humanitarian Annual Situation Report 2018 https://www.unicef.org/appeals/files/UNICEF_UGANDA_CO_Humanitarian_Annual_Situation_Report___January_to_December_2018.pdf

Project content

According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 65% of South Sudanese refugees are under the age of 18.[1] In this context, the Swiss Academy for Development (SAD), in collaboration with the Community Psychosocial Support Organisation (CPSO), wants to enable young refugees in the Moyo district to better cope with trauma and stress by increasing their resilience and self-belief and by encouraging peer support through sport and play-based psychosocial activities. A 24-month programme of supervised group sport and play activities, including non-competitive team sport, will be implemented to help them overcome feelings of stress and anxiety and develop social cohesion, trust and critical life skills. Life skills training will be expanded to include HIV/AIDS awareness, while a new environmental focus will highlight the need to maintain a clean space within the camps.

[1] UNHCR, https://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/southsudan

Objectives

To support the most vulnerable young South Sudanese refugees living in camps in the Moyo district.
To offer regular sport and play-based programmes designed to help children and young people to build essential life skills, strengthen resilience and foster social cohesion between refugees and local populations.
To improve young refugees’ resilience and offer them sustainable livelihoods.
To reduce the negative psychosocial effects of war-related trauma on displaced children and young people from South Sudan.

Project activities

The sport and play sessions will be based on the ’Life Skills for Overcoming Trauma and Coping with Stress Curriculum’, which the SAD and the CPSO developed together and is being continuously adapted. In an easy-to-read format with clear objectives for each session, the curriculum document contains precise instructions for every activity, while teaching aids are adapted to refugee camp settings. Each session will be followed by an educational activity on topics relevant to the participants’ age group, such as alcohol and drug abuse, child marriage and early pregnancy, HIV/AIDS prevention, psychosocial awareness, hygiene and healthy relationships.

Similarly, the ‘Children on the Move Uganda’ project will provide a theoretical basis for the organisation of sports programmes specifically designed for victims of trauma.

Supervised team sports (particularly football) and life skills games will continue to be used as a powerful vehicle for bringing children and young people from different social backgrounds together in a relaxed and enjoyable setting, where they can share their emotions – both verbally and non-verbally – and be distracted from their immediate sorrows and suffering. At the same time, sport and play activities will strengthen social bonds among refugees and members of the host community, and provide a positive, safe space to deal with difficult emotions such as fear and frustration.

The project will include group discussions and workshops designed to raise refugees’ awareness and understanding of the mental health problems that could result from their exposure to traumatic events before, during and after their displacement. Participants will be taught a variety of response and coping strategies.

Discussion sessions will also help CPSO psychosocial counsellors to identify more serious psychological problems, as well as problems with family dynamics that require individual, family or group counselling or referral to more specialised mental health care services.

Expected results

During phase I, the CPSO has been working in eight of the 15 camps established for refugees from South Sudan in the Moyo district. In phase II, it plans to extend its activities to two more camps and open two new safe spaces as well as five satellite playgrounds. In total, ten safe spaces and ten satellite playgrounds will be established within the ten camps. Weekly sport and play sessions for children and young people will be planned and run by a total of 20 coaches. Five additional coaches will be recruited. Sessions will be held at a convenient time for all (late afternoon) and last two hours.
The provision of sport and play activities in a psychosocial context requires an effective team of facilitators. To this end, the SAD and the CPSO will train existing and newly recruited coaches to run trauma-informed sport and play activities and use sport, games, drama, singing and storytelling to lead discussions on coping with trauma and daily stress.
Weekly sport and play sessions will be followed by educational activities aimed at children, young people and women, covering topics associated with trauma, PTSD and coping strategies. Participants will learn how to recognise the signs of trauma and PTSD, and will develop their personal understanding of coping strategies.
Thematic sessions will be run for children, young people, women and men on health (HIV/AIDS), peace-building and conflict resolution. This will support their general well-being, and their resilience and ability to cope in particular.
Individual, family and group counselling sessions will be held to provide children, young people, men and women with support and a safe place to talk about psychosocial issues and concerns. Through these sessions, participants will strengthen their support networks, improve their communication skills and find a safe place to discuss challenging issues.
Ten mobile clinics (one for each camp) will be equipped and ready to provide medical support for camp residents with severe mental health disorders. Patients who exhibit signs of need during sport and play or counselling sessions will be referred to these clinics.
Ten additional saving and loan groups will be established to give young people and men an opportunity to develop an income-generating activity.
Technical training (i.e. entrepreneurship and agriculture) will be provided to at least ten groups of young people, women and men in each camp to help them establish their income-generating activities.
Seed capital will be provided to help young people, women and men start their income-generating activities based on the training they receive.

Partner

Open Fun Football Schools – Playing for Water

Location and general information

Ongoing

Location South Sudan

Start date 12/01/2018

End date 12/31/2019

Cost of the project €229,583

Foundation funding €162,000

Project identifier AFR-2018487

Partners Cross Culture Project Association, South Sudan Football Association, NIRAS, NIRAS in South Sudan

Context

South Sudan is witnessing the fifth sad anniversary of a vicious civil war. The conflict raging in the country has resulted in the deaths of nearly 400,000 people and the flight of millions of others. Since 2014, South Sudan has experienced one of the largest refugee crises in the world. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 1.9 million people have been forced from their homes due to the country’s fragile security situation. The country is also facing considerable humanitarian challenges. As a result, many adults and children are forced to survive on their own, without any protection of their human rights.

Project content

The Cross Cultures Project Association is collaborating with the South Sudan Football Association to provide access to fun football activities for children affected by decades of war and conflict, and to contribute to peace and reconciliation across ethnic divides. The project will focus in particular on the integration of school dropouts and the large number of internally displaced children returning to their home areas after many years. The activities will be run by a cohort of youth leaders, youth volunteer coaches and coach assistants who will have the opportunity to engage in meaningful activities that foster the social improvement of their communities.

The project also plans to improve youth employment opportunities by partnering with NIRAS, a private company which holds a contract for a large water programme in South Sudan. The idea is to give youth volunteers the chance to develop income-generating activities or small businesses, and to take on a responsible role in vital water management committees established by NIRAS for the benefit of their communities.

Objectives

The project aims to use football, business management skills, leadership and communication/mobilisation skills to actively engage people in activities that contribute to peaceful inter-ethnic relations, improve livelihoods, health and the protection of the environment and natural resources of the local communities in Juba and Torit in South Sudan.

Project activities

A train-the-trainers seminar will be held for people wanting to become instructors in the Open Fun Football Schools approach (how to use grassroots football as a vehicle for integration, peaceful inter-ethnic relations and social change).
A three-day capacity-building seminar for voluntary coaches will be conducted by the youth football ambassadors and relevant international CCPA staff.
A one-day seminar for assistant coaches will be organised, consisting of a mix of practical physical exercises and interactive workshops.
A five-day Open Fun Football Schools course will be offered to vulnerable, socially challenged and isolated children.
Training and coaching will be provided to the football ambassadors, coaches, assistant coaches, parents and older children from the Open Fun Football Schools on how to plan and implement environmental awareness campaigns focusing on the protection of water resources and the safe disposal of liquid and solid waste.
The youth football ambassadors will hold health and hygiene training on water-borne diseases and other related illnesses, which, after poor nutrition, are the leading causes of human suffering and death in South Sudan.
Traditional classroom training and coaching sessions on business management will be held in order to ensure people have the necessary skill set to plan and run a sustainable business in a conflict environment.

Expected results

16 young people trained to become instructors and football ambassadors.
Recruitment of 96 voluntary coaches and 96 voluntary assistant coaches through the work of the 16 football ambassadors.
1,600 children aged between 6 and 12, with a minimum of 50% girls participating, will be recruited to participate in the five-day Open Fun Football Schools courses (eight festivals, each comprising 200 children).
The Open Fun Football Schools process is formalised and operational providing a sustainable support structure for the volunteer-led sports activities.
16 young football ambassadors will be trained in water point management.
The young football ambassadors will be trained in health and hygiene in a train-the-trainers event.
194 voluntary coaches and assistant coaches will be trained by the instructors in health and hygiene.
16 young instructors and football ambassadors will be given the opportunity to be trained and coached in business management, vocational and livelihood skills, including the facilitation of potential funding opportunities.

Partners

Refugee Life Skills and Employment Training Soccer Programme Atlanta

Location and general information

Context

Commonly known as ‘Ellis Island of the South’ or ‘the most diverse square mile in America’, the small southern US town of Clarkston has welcomed 40,000 refugees over a period of more than 25 years. Whereas in the past they tended to come from Bhutan, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, Liberia and Vietnam, most current refugees are Syrian or Congolese. Whatever the country of origin, migrating to another country is often a difficult process, notably on account of cultural and linguistic differences. Sport, however, is a universal language that can act as a bridge between different communities: in our case, football provides the scenario for youth to both adapt and become part of the local community fiber. It also gives people an opportunity to integrate: having fun and making new friends at the same time. Nevertheless, the high prices charged by sports clubs, the high level of poverty and the lack of sports facilities in Clarkston are hindering the personal development and social integration of child refugees. The anti-immigration policies directed at Syrian refugees in recent years in the state of Georgia are exacerbating the problem, resulting in a lack of investment in sport and health in refugee communities.

Project content

Soccer in the Streets is a sport for development organisation that supports inner city children and young people living in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Our programs combine football sessions and youth development activities to create positive social change for underserved children. It gives them the chance to play football regardless of their ethnic origin, socio-economic status or religion. By adopting a holistic approach, the project is not limited to football on the pitch. It goes further than that, in particular by enabling personal development and education, with participants taking part in small-group sessions, hands-on activities or youth leadership councils. The project provides out-of-school activities that combine football with basic life skills. Older children are also invited to take part in workshops as part of the ‘Life Works’ programme. These sessions prepare teenage refugees for the world of work by helping them acquire employability skills. The project also plans to broaden its activities to include and have a positive impact on girls by helping them to boost their self-confidence and ensure their rights are respected.

Objectives

To facilitate the integration of young refugees and their families living in Clarkston
To promote a healthy lifestyle among children in precarious situations
To have a positive impact on the town of Clarkston by overcoming prejudice towards refugees
To increase the employability of young refugees living in Clarkston
To increase the participation of girls in the project’s activities
To provide opportunities so program participants can broaden their horizon by seeking to enter higher education institutions (Universities, Technical Colleges)
To develop community leaders
To connect youth with appropriate partners providing key services

Expected results

To work with a total of 200 youth, including 80 girls
To graduate 20 participants from our employability program
To train/certify 10 coaches or 20 referees from refugee communities and provide them with an income

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

Empowering refugee and marginalised children in Lebanon and Jordan

Location and general information

Context

The number of Syrian refugees in Jordan is estimated to be about 1.4 million: 20% live in five camps, 80% in urban areas in northern provinces and around Amman. Two-thirds of all registered refugees in Jordan are children or teenagers.

Lebanon has the highest refugee-to-host population ratio in the world: over 1.1 million registered refugees for 6.2 million inhabitants. One-third of the total refugee population is 5–18 years old, making this largely a regional crisis affecting underage youngsters.

Challenges are numerous and complex both for refugees and for host communities.

Young refugees live in situations of high uncertainty and often suffer from past trauma.
Many refugee and displaced children have no access to school or even non-formal education programmes, due to their critical living situation, and they often lack the necessary skills to enter or remain in educational programmes. Those who do attend school often suffer from low motivation due to a lack of future prospects and psycho-social support from role models.
Despite the effort of governments to provide formal and non-formal learning opportunities, access to both remains scarce for young refugees, and especially for girls and young women.

streetfootballworld addresses these challenges using the innovative non-formal education methodology football3. Named after its ‘three halves’ – a pre-match discussion, football game, and post-match discussion – football3 incorporates key life lessons, such as dialogue, fair play and gender equality, into every match. As football3 is played without referees, players must learn how to resolve conflicts by means of dialogue and compromise.

The streetfootballworld methodology harnesses the universal potential of sport by ensuring dialogue, fair play and gender equality both on and off the pitch. football3 brings together young refugees with youngsters from Lebanese and Jordanian host communities and allows barriers such as language, religion and culture to be surmounted. Young refugees outside and on the margins of formal education structures acquire the skills (e.g. strengthened resilience, conflict-management skills) and life skills (leadership and communication skills, self-confidence, increased willingness to include others and respect for women and girls, a sense of responsibility and accountability) to cope with critical challenges, lead self-determined lives, integrate more easily into the host society, be physically and emotionally healthy, and create positive change in their communities. As a result, these youngsters are more likely to stay and enrol in school, or pursue formal and higher education.

Project content

In Jordan and Lebanon streetfootballworld and its project partners have successfully implemented a variety of targeted football programmes for refugees at local level with support from the German government and the UEFA Foundation for Children. Having created synergies with local grassroot structures, the next step is to extend good practice from the pilot projects to regional level to support and empower vulnerable children and teenagers whose lives are affected by war and the refugee crisis.

Now we intend to increase reach and impact by taking the proven approach to new underserved areas affected by the refugee crisis and in dire need of innovative programmes for children. Local grassroots sports organisations will be equipped with the necessary skills, social networks and safe spaces to work at regional level with improved organisational capacity to foster social cohesion in a fragmented society. The capacity-building elements sustainably increase access to sport, promoting dialogue, peaceful coexistence, and friendship between young refugees and host communities.

To ensure a sustainable impact, the project comprises the following five activities:

Capacity development: train volunteer youth leaders and coaches 18–22 years old to become role models in their community.
Trauma-relief training for multipliers: to improve the lives of youngsters in Jordan and Lebanon, local experts will be trained specifically in trauma relief.
Inclusive football3 sessions and festivals: with regular training sessions using football3 methodology tailored to each target group, boys and girls will develop life skills that include health, hygiene, personal development and awareness of their rights. During festivals, children, teenagers and their families are brought together, to involve the entire community and increase the reach of the project’s messages and engage more participants, in particular girls.
Regional dissemination of lessons learnt and best practices: bring together NGOs in other countries that are also using football to help children and teenagers with the intention of creating a community of practice to improve support and knowledge transfer.

Objectives

Improving the lives of Syrian, Jordanian and Lebanese children living in the project communities and taking part in the inclusive football3 and life-skill training programme
Amplified personal development and self-realisation for programme participants
Increased dialogue, social cohesion and peaceful coexistence between refugees and host communities
Civil society structures (institutionalised inclusive sports activities) have been set up so that multipliers can offer weekly football and life-skill training for marginalised children. Multipliers are able to identify trauma, know how to cope with traumatised children and are able to instruct others. They act as role models and are able to inspire others.
All local partner organisations are empowered to consolidate and increase their capacities in the respective regions by increased sharing of knowledge of peace building and international understanding among local players and strengthened networks involving local project partners, governments, football associations and civil society.

Expected results

39 local multiplier courses held – multi-day workshops in Lebanon and Jordan
790 local multipliers trained – volunteer youth leaders and coaches aged between 18 and 22
9,300 regular inclusive football3 and life-skill sessions and 20 football3 festivals held
21,000 children took part in the weekly football3 training ( 60% refugees and 40% host community; 60% boys and 40% girls; ages 6–17) as well as another 6,400 children in festivals
Three regional seminars, 30 regional football3 experts trained.

Affiliated partners

Partner

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

Sport for protection and social inclusion in Egypt

Location and general information

Context

By January 2017, Egypt had taken in over 191,000 UNHCR-registered refugees and asylum-seekers, 40% of whom are children. Of these children, 60% are Syrians, 17% Sudanese and 6% Ethiopians. The remainder are from Iraq, Eritrea, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen. In 2016 the total population of concern was 50% higher than in 2015. Together with workers from other regions such as Asia and clandestine immigrants, the International Organisation for Migration estimates that the overall number of refugees and migrants in the country is probably as high as one million.

A difficult socio-economic environment, increasing living costs, discrimination and language barriers all make it difficult for refugees to integrate. Their physical safety is also cause for concern.

Limited livelihoods and a loss of hope of returning home have contributed to an increase in the number of refugees attempting to reach Europe. At the same time, the child-protection situation is alarming. In addition to the physical and psychological suffering experienced by refugee and migrant children, they are subject to gender-based violence, violence in schools and child labour, and many drop out of school. The lack of educational opportunities contributes to a sense of hopelessness and isolation.

Project Content

Target population

1,500 young people (between the ages of 15 and 22) regardless of nationality, gender and refugee status, migrants and host communities. This makes an average of 150 youngsters per location, with special attention to girls (50%) and children with disabilities (when appropriate support is available).
70 coaches (men and women) – 20 professionals and 50 young leaders / parents – 7 per location
750 carers
2,000 local community members – 200 per site

Project location

Terre des Hommes will run this project at ten sites within the governorates of Greater Cairo and Damietta:

in the seven existing family centres
in mobile units – youth centres, public spaces, community schools

In its sport for protection and social inclusion programme, Terre des Hommes focuses on community support for refugees and migrants, children and young people, as well as vulnerable Egyptian communities. Sport, and football in particular, plays an important role in healing and helps people cope with physical health issues as well as social, psychological and developmental needs, especially young people who suffer stress and anxiety as a result of their displacement.

The programmes provide a safe, structured and friendly environment for children to share their emotions, strengthen social cohesion, and reinforce educational messages. Girls and young women have the opportunity to take part in sports activities from which they were previously excluded. Recently, activities have been extended to parents, to free them from their daily routine and strengthen family relationships.

Objectives

Design a training programme for coaches, including not only technical football skills but also soft skills such as intercultural competence, leadership, conflict resolution, team-building and communication.
Organise weekly sports sessions for boys and girls in a safe and child-friendly environment. Once or twice a week per location.
Continue to provide weekly psychological activities. The combination of artistic and sports activities has proved to be worthwhile in terms of the impact on the psychosocial wellbeing of children and teenagers. Six days a week.
Provide teenagers with life skills and the knowledge they need to adapt to Egyptian society. Three days a week.
Provide intergenerational sports activities.
Organise cultural and sport events. Once a month.
Organise football tournaments. Every six months.
Create awareness of child protection, social inclusion and social cohesion during the weekly sessions and campaign during sporting events.
Use social media for local communication, featuring short videos and success stories.

Expected results

Refugees and migrant children and teenagers become active community agents to improve their wellbeing and their social inclusion
Sustainable sport together with psychosocial and life-skill activities increase social inclusion and community-based protection for vulnerable children and teenagers
By the end of the project, 70 local coaches, professionals and youth leaders will have enhanced their technical and leadership skills so that they can help youngsters to act as agents of change in their refugee, migrant and host communities
Through social sport activities, 1,500 young people have improved their psychosocial wellbeing (self-esteem, self-confidence) and peer support, allowing them to be more confident when interacting with peers
1,500 youngsters and 2,750 parents and locals are mobilised to take part in activities that promote community and social cohesion, including gender and disability

Partners

Football With No Limits

Location and general information

Context

Cañada Real – a 16km long, 75m wide shanty town on the outskirts of Madrid – is one of the poorest areas in Spain. It is also the largest shanty town in Europe and is commonly referred to as the ‘slum of shame’. It is home to 30,000 people living in insanitary conditions, including large numbers of Moroccan and Roma families. This illegal settlement is also home to numerous drug dealers, who supply the local population. The general insecurity of life in Cañada Real is compounded by the negative impact on children’s education, with academic failure and drop-out rates 40% higher than the national average.

Project content

Against the background of the sometimes strained relations between the various communities that live together in Cañada Real, this programme organised by Red Deporte y Cooperación uses the power of football and the football3 methodology to foster dialogue with a view to resolving conflict. The programme also involves a concerted effort to get more girls playing football. By establishing mixed teams comprising players from various different communities, the organisers seek to remove the barriers and prejudices that divide the people living in Cañada Real. Moreover, in order to maximise the impact on the lives of the programme’s beneficiaries, Red Deporte y Cooperación also supplements its recreational sporting activities with educational workshops aimed at helping children to return to school or find work.

Objectives

Foster harmonious relations between the various communities living together in Cañada Real
Get more girls playing football
Boost beneficiaries’ self-confidence
Encourage children to obtain an education and/or provide them with the tools they need in order to find work.

Expected results

Organisation of 150 training sessions
Hosting of three football festivals for 1,500 children from Cañada Real
Organisation of 30 educational workshops on the subject of education, health and employability
Fostering of communication and cultural exchange through the organisation of tournaments in Cañada Real and elsewhere in Spain
Training of ten coaches, ten referees and three coordinators so they can run the Cañada CF football club

Partners

A new start for refugee kids in Lebanon

Location and general information

Context

Since the start of the conflict in Syria in 2011, Lebanon has taken in an increasing number of refugees, with the UNHCR reporting almost 1.1 million Syrian refugees having arrived in the country.

Considering the excessive damage inflicted to housing and other infrastructure inside Syria, many refugees can be expected to remain in Lebanon until reconstruction and political stabilisation in Syria makes their return feasible.

One out of every two of the registered refugee population is under the age of 17 – a risk group acutely exposed to the effects of trauma. Guaranteeing access to education for this target group is a key priority for the Lebanese government, UN agencies and non-governmental aid agencies.

The overall objective of this project is to support the capacity of the Lebanese state to provide assistance to Lebanese host communities and Syrian refugees who suffer from the effects of displacement in the fields of education, trauma mitigation and social cohesion.

Project content

The increasing number of refugee families residing in Lebanon presents significant challenges. Among the needs, a particular concern is to ensure that Syrian refugee children are able to access education while in displacement. This not only serves the purpose of safeguarding a need for continuity in formal education but also for providing a platform that mitigates traumatising stress elements. The volume of the influx of refugees is increasing the pressure on Lebanon’s education system as well as, in general, its society, economy, politics and security.

‘FutbolNet’ is a programme of the FC Barcelona Foundation that uses football as a tool to promote values among young people through an innovative teaching methodology, serving as a catalyst for capacity development, community resilience and social cohesion. It is a very attractive socialisation initiative that offers locally adapted training and content aiming to strengthen local level capacities.

This project proposes to work with child refugees and non-refugees as a way of improving the coexistence between schoolchildren and reducing existing aggressive behaviours. Given the huge increase of refugees who enter the Lebanese public-education system, tensions inevitably affected cohesion in schools. Our proposal aims to train Physical Education teachers to enable spaces to build relationship between refugees and non-refugees as an investment for an improved future coexistence between the population living in Lebanon.

Objective

The overall objective of the project is to support the capacity of the Lebanese public school system to provide assistance to Lebanese host communities and to help refugees cope with the effects of displacement in the fields of education, trauma mitigation and social cohesion.

Project activities

1. Diagnosis and preparation: The FC Barcelona Foundation needed to gain an understanding of the context, target and the venues in which the activities would take place.

2. Content adaptation: An adaptation process between the FC Barcelona Foundation FutbolNet experts and the local partner took place to adapt the FutbolNet methodology to the local reality, culture and society without compromising the basics of the FutbolNet programme.

3. Seminar

a. Coaches seminar: three-day seminar delivered locally by FC Barcelona Foundation official instructors. Included both theoretical and practical sessions.

b. Continuous learning: Periodic visits by FCBF coaches to support the local coaches and prepare special training sessions for the participants.

4. Implementation: The project was implemented in coordination with a number of Lebanese educational and social stakeholders.

5. Monitoring and evaluation.

Expected results

The project benefited 7,907 children, 55% boys and 45% girls, 79% of whom were Lebanese nationals and 21% refugees, mostly from Syria. The project also benefited 85 physical education teachers from 79 Lebanese state from the six regions of the country.

Other results were:
– The Lebanese state school system benefited from the increased competencies of physical education teachers and from the provision of sports equipment to the schools.
– Sports activities mitigated the trauma of refugee children and reduce aggressive behaviour.
– Sports activities benefited Lebanese and refugee children as a mechanism to promote social cohesion, both among refugees and between refugee and host communities in mixed environments.
– The project discouraged school drop-out rates among registered refugee children and encouraged unregistered refugees to attend school.

Partners

Social Cohesion through Football in Lebanon

Location and general information

CONTEXT

Lebanon’s refugee crisis, which is now into its sixth year, has surpassed all of the very worst predictions made. Lebanon now has the highest refugee-to-population ratio in the world, hosting nearly 1.2 million registered refugees. With about 28% of those refugees between the ages of 10 and 24, this crisis is having a disproportionate impact on children and young people.

The crisis has also had a significant impact on Lebanon itself – be it politically, economically or socially – and the country’s fragile security has been placed under considerable strain.

In such circumstances, adolescents and young people are extremely vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. In addition to being susceptible to risky behaviour, they are also at risk of being recruited by criminal gangs and militia groups fighting in local and regional conflicts. And yet, largely as a result of the sheer scale of the Syrian crisis, humanitarian aid and relief efforts have focused primarily on younger children and prioritised their needs instead. Programmes aimed at older children and young adults have been both fewer in number and smaller in scope and scale.

PROJECT CONTENT

Using sport to foster development and social cohesion has proved to be a particularly effective means of engaging with vulnerable young people. As several assessments have confirmed, inter- and intra-community sports activities/events are a powerful tool in this regard, bringing together vulnerable children and young people from different backgrounds and allowing them to interact and play together in a safe neutral environment. Sport has also been shown to foster self-confidence, personal development and teamwork, benefiting all areas of an adolescent’s life.

This programme does more than just help individual young people and organisations; it encourages those beneficiaries to become agents of change within their own families and communities. Thus, the project is constructed in such a way that its impact will extend far beyond the number of direct beneficiaries, continuing to have a positive effect long after the programme has officially come to an end. Those beneficiaries are given all the skills and grassroots support that they need in order to impart their knowledge to other marginalised young people and implement programmes of their own, with the ultimate aim of spreading the football3 message across the country and encouraging the fostering of personal development through sport.

Sport has a particularly important role to play when it comes to children with special needs and girls in general. Stereotypes, social norms and traditions have traditionally resulted in football – and sport in general – being off limits to them. Opening up sports programmes to those children, giving them the opportunity not only to learn key life skills, but also to explore avenues that are typically closed to them, will help them to integrate into wider society and encourage them to actively question social norms. The football3 methodology encourages all participants to address issues such as inclusion, tolerance, fair play and equal rights – and for girls in particular, it gives them a tangible opportunity to exercise their rights, both on and off the field.

OBJECTIVES

1) Identify and train 185 sports providers (volunteer youth leaders and coaches), teaching them the football3 methodology and complementary skills (including life skills, communication skills and conflict management techniques)

2) Have 4,500 boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 14 (50% refugees and 50% from the host community; 60% male and 40% female) participating in regular sports activities fostering social integration, with an additional focus on life skills and health messages

3) Have at least 2,400 boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 14 participating in thematic tournaments and community sports events that foster social cohesion and integration into host communities

4) Develop a nationwide strategy encouraging the fostering of social cohesion through sport, in cooperation with existing partners and NGOs

PROJECT ACTIVITIES

- Train coaches and youth leaders in conflict management, complementary skills and the football3 methodology

ANERA is training 90 coaches and 95 youth leaders to work on sports-for-education in 100 popular football clubs across Lebanon. The coaches are already active in the sports clubs, teaching new techniques and methodologies. The youth leaders will be youth identified in ANERA’s current program as active youth who demonstrate leadership capacity in the community. This training programme aims to improve outreach, increase capacity, provide ideas for better, more professional sports activities and improve coaching. This is achieved through 60 training/coaching sessions addressing both technical sports skills and life skills.

- Organise 150 sports courses, reaching 4,500 adolescent and youth girls and boys

Trained coaches and youth leaders run sports courses for children with a view to promoting and establishing sports activities in areas where access to sport is limited or non-existent. Those sessions are tailored to the needs of each target group, with eight to twelve 90-minute sessions being run each month (i.e. with a minimum of 12 hours of instruction a month), and they can be repeated if there is sufficient demand. The sessions also cover life skills and issues of hygiene, fostering personal development, with coaches and youth leaders passing on everything they have learnt in their own training.

- Organise eight thematic inter- and intra-community tournaments and sporting events, with a minimum of 300 boys and girls participating in each event for a total of 2,400 adolescents and youth (with themes including nutrition, hygiene and life skills)

ANERA is also supporting eight sports tournaments (three in Beirut, four in the Bekaa region and three in the south of the country), with a total of at least 2,400 boys and girls taking part in inter- and intra-community activities aimed at fostering social cohesion and integration. This initiative empowers young people and youth-led groups to organise sports events and tournaments, helping to nurture relations between sports clubs and youth-led groups from different areas. These events, which represent an opportunity to bring together representatives of refugee populations and host communities, feature specific elements aimed at fostering peace, communication and social cohesion (rather than rivalry) between participants from different backgrounds.