21^st SEPTEMBER

Strip away professional football’s: governing bodies, brands, corporations, media and the money, what are you left with?

A game of football!

If we were lucky? We will remember playing a game of football without lines, adults, referees, linesmen / women and the fear of win at all costs.  All we had to fear was being on time for dinner when our parents called us in after playtime.

The essence of football can be found in childhood memories: making friends, scoring your first ever goal, great saves and not forgetting, the feel-good factor.

It can be argued that the essence of football was briefly rediscovered in a space time and place, in the First World War.  The Space, No Man’s Land, the time 24^th December 1914 and the place, Flanders Field, Mesen, Belgium.  In an act of insubordination, Allied and German soldiers fraternized during a truce where they exchanged gifts and played games of football.  A truce in the First World War was an opportunity to collect the dead from no mans’ land.  Amongst the blood, mud and poetry*, this extraordinary act remains timeless when people of all ages, faiths and cultures visit and pay homage, at the site of the 1914 Christmas Truces.

Wyvern School from Kent, England, at the UEFA memorial to the Christmas Truces.

It is the Christmas Truces that connect the United Nation’s International Day of Peace with The National Children’s Football Alliance’s Global Peace Games (GPGs) facilitated at the Peace Village, Messines, Belgium, site of the 1914 Christmas Truces.

Through public funding, young mixed ability and mixed gender people, come together from diverse communities to participate through playing games of football, in a week long peace education programme: refugees, migrants, immigrants, public, private, state, special needs, and referral children, all experience the power of football.

The GPGs creates peace makers for the future.  How?  The Ambassadors for Peace explore the value of playing football in its many different forms in a location where tens of thousands of men and women died in conflict (First World War 16 million war dead – 9 million battle dead*).

Christmas Truces 1914

Young people connect with the environment and contextualise their own life experiences with that of the mothers, fathers, sons and daughters, from over 100 years ago.

Many of the children come from war torn countries, poverty stricken areas, communities of high deprivation, gangland neighbourhoods and many of the children come from: more affluent, inner cities and rural communities.  The key to the GPGs is social inclusion and not social selection.

Participants speak different languages; however, it is the universal language football that breaks down barriers and builds life long friendships.

The game is the teacher and the historical location is the learning environment.  A blend that connects, humanitarianism, creativity, confidence and fun.

Football breaks down barriers.  It is not a cliché. The essence of the game is best observed in primary school children when loosely supervised.  All children have abilities.  There is no child with no ability to participate in a children’s game of football.  Children will work out amongst themselves how to contribute in a game of football.  If it is not a level playing field in terms of equality – children will find a way to work it out.  The GPGs refers to this methodology and trusts the game of football to be the learning tool.

2019 Global Peace Games. 80 participants from 16 countries

Reminiscent of children’s playground football (jumpers for goal posts) loosely supervised games provide an opportunity for young people to reclaim their game.  A metaphoric act of subordination if you like?  No association rules, no brands, no great expectations and most importantly, no win at all costs.  It is important to add, that the games are no-less competitive, however, they are noticeably creative, inventive and explorative, just like the football games were at primary school age.

Many young people have the ability to contextualise their experiences from home with those young men and women of over 100 years ago.  Some young people can connect to conflict at home, in school or in their communities with the humanitarian act witness at the 1914 Christmas Truces.   They empathise with the soldiers’ fraternization, exchanging gifts and playing games of football.  It is the game of football that connects childhood with adulthood.  It is the game that metaphorically levels playing field.

In a state of war soldiers reverted back to childhood to momentarily escape the horror of war by playing a game of football.  This act chimes with many of the GPGs participants.  They recognise / empathize that in extreme times many people will revert back to happier times to help forget fear, which is summed up by a 2019 GPGs participant in the following quote by Pankaj, India:

‘When I feel sad, frightened and emotional, I play football to help me forget’.

Pankaj, India

Let us not forget the essence of football for fun.  The GPGs lends itself to the greatest team game on the planet.  What better way to celebrate International Day of Peace than play a game of football for fun?  The social inclusion factor has been well documented over the years in GPGs case studies

Football connects communities, families, schools, countries and continents; it’s a global game that brings peace in a world that craves it.

International Day of Peace, lends itself to football at the GPGs.  The game illustrates that languages may have changed, politics has changed and indeed to a degree, history has changed – however, what is clear is that the game of football remains as important in communities around the world now as it was over 100 years ago; in particular as a force for good in times of global concern.

Further viewing:

• Silent Night https://youtu.be/WUlPNWDvk-c

Further information about how the National Children’s Football Alliance projects:

http://www.childrensfootballalliance.com/

http://www.childrensfootballalliance.com/football-and-peace/

Index:

Blood, mud and poetry*, page 1:  http://heritageetal.blogspot.com/2017/07/john-lee-on-war-poetry-when-mud-and.html 

First World War 16 million war dead* page 2: https://www.britannica.com/event/World-War-I/Killed-wounded-and-missing

Name; Rob Illingworth

Job title; Service Development Librarian, Local History- KCC Libraries, Registration & Archives.

(from 01/06/15: Community Heritage Services Officer- KCC Libraries, Registration & Archives.)

A brief explanation of your partner role and how Kent Libraries, Registration & Archives will support the Peace Fields Project?

If you explore the extensive local history collections of Kent Libraries, Registration & Archives you will find evidence of how the First World War touched and continues to touch all Kent communities. For the Peacefields project, we would especially like to help the project participants explore selected primary sources to find evidence of the impact of the war on Kent school communities. We will visit 5 project-hub schools to help with this work.

Why do you feel the PFP is important to young people and Kent Libraries, Registration & Archives?

The Peace Fields Project gives an opportunity for our staff, library volunteers & project participants to explore & highlight our First World War history resources & to link them with a dynamic programme of commemoration. In Kent, we have examples of post-war local commemorative schemes encompassing memorial sports fields, school sports pavilions and charity sports competitions etc. So it is imaginative & poignant that the young people involved in the Peacefields Project will renew the links between First World War commemoration & active sport. This will be powerfully symbolised through dedicating their own 21st century Peace Fields & through twinning these with the Flanders Peace Field.

Contact: Robert.Illingworth@kent.gov.uk

Name; Roz Meredith

Job title; Learning Officer, Maidstone Museum and Bentlif Art Gallery

A brief explanation of your partner role and how Maidstone Museum will support the Peace Fields Project?

We have a vast range of artefacts and resources at the Museum and are fortunate enough to have a collection of First World War objects that we are able to use with children and students. We are excited about being involved in the Peacefields project to support students in their understanding and empathy of this major time in recent history. We will host the 5 hub schools at the museum over 5 half days, so they can take part in a workshop run by an educational re-enactment group – “They Shall Grow Not Old …” (www.theyshallgrownotold.org.uk) focusing on the lives of soldiers during the First World War. This will include the use of and handling of real artifacts from the time.

Why do you feel the PFP is important to young people and Maidstone Museum?

The Peacefields Project is an opportunity for the Learning Team to be involved in a worthwhile project linking the resources we have available with a key commemorative event in Kent. The project gives opportunities to young people to explore and experience key moments of the First World War through the use of stories, artefacts and sport. Those involved in the Peacefields project will have the opportunity to connect with the past through the medium of sport linked to historical artefacts. The opportunity given to students is a positive reinforcement of events in our history that should not be forgotten.

Contact: Rosalindmeredith@maidstone.gov.uk

Name; Dr Emma Hanna

Job title; Co-Investigator, Gateways to the First World War

Gateways to the First World War is one of five Centres for Public Engagement with the Centenary of the First World War. Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, and based at the University of Kent, Gateways comprises a team of historians who specialise in the history of 1914-1918. The main objective of Gateways is to engage the public with the history of the First World War through various events such as study days and conferences, public lectures and workshops, and supporting organisations who are running activities or research projects related to the First World War.

Gateways is very happy to be involved with the National Children’s Football Alliance (NCFA) as a project partner in the Peace Fields Project. Our role will be to organise a study session at the University of Kent on both the war more generally and sport 1914-1918, incorporating a lecture by one of our specialist historians and a workshop on historical sources specifically tailored to the project foci of the schools attending the event.

Gateways is delighted to assist the NCFA in its role within the Peace Fields project as we believe that it has the potential to enhance knowledge of the reality of the conflict greatly and encourage young people to consider closely their own role as citizens.

For more information please see our website: www.gatewaysfww.org.uk

Contact: E.L.Hannah@greenwich.ac.uk

Name: Ruth Cavender

Job title: Learning Officer, War Memorials Trust

A brief explanation of your partner role and how the War Memorials Trust will support the Peace Fields Project?

War Memorials Trust (WMT) is the national charity that works for the protection and conservation of war memorials in the UK.  It provides advisory and advocacy services, financial assistance for repair and conservation through grant schemes and is a key referral point for all issues regarding war memorials.

WMT also aims to educate young people, the next generation of war memorial custodians, about the history and significance of war memorials through its Learning Programme which provides teaching materials for schools, project ideas for youth groups and clubs and offers visits to schools and youth groups to allow young people to participate in talks and lessons about key war memorial related issues. WMT supports the Peace Fields Project’s efforts to engage young people with remembrance, commemoration and the values to teamwork and comradeship. WMT will work collaboratively with the project to promote this.

Why you feel the PFP is important to young people and WMT?

As the First World War moves beyond living memory education, commemorative events and projects like the Peace Fields Project are vital in ensuring the events of the war continue to be learned about and remembered and, in turn, that our war heritage is protected.

In particular WMT recognises that it is crucial that young people, tomorrow’s war memorial custodians, understand the importance of our war memorial heritage and develop a wider knowledge of the reasons for remembrance. The Peace Fields Project is a wonderful opportunity to deepen understanding of the events around the 1914 Christmas Truces and in doing contribute to a legacy of remembrance. By using sport as a starting point for learning the Peace Fields Project has potential to engage many young people in particular and create a genuine, lasting interest among the next generation. The encouragement of regular sporting events will provide an enjoyable and accessible way for young children to begin to understand the First World War and particularly the events of the 1914 Christmas Truce. WMT hopes that this will become part of a wider interest and participation in commemoration and war memorial protection and is keen to work with the project to ensure this.

For more information please visit our website: http://www.warmemorials.org/ 

Contact: Ruth@warmemorials.org

DESIGNATED AREAS OF PLAY TWINNED WITH FLANDERS PEACE FIELD

National Children’s Football Alliance and the Peace Village, Mesen, Belgium, are commemorating WW1 and celebrating peace through the 1914 Christmas Truces by offering schools, clubs, groups and public play areas with the opportunity to twin a designated area of play with Flanders Peace Fields, site of the Christmas Truces.  This is open to all schools, clubs, groups and public play areas around the world.

This unique offer will directly link your area of play with one of the most famous fields in world history.  Flanders Peace Field lends itself to education in a way that brings cultures, young and old together.

In the week leading up to Christmas 1914 groups of German, British and allied soldiers stopped fighting to sing festive songs. Some on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day ventured in to “No man’s land” to exchange gifts and to play games of football.

Today the truces are remembered as a symbolic moment of peace and humanity. An action taken by soldiers caught up in the conflict that was The First World War. Arguably, the horrors of war made men turn to a form of childhood to play a game of football to momentarily forget their tragic situation.  It was a humanitarian act through the essence of play that every adult remembers in their childhood.

Declaration of Peace

The NCFA are providing schools, clubs, groups and public areas of play, the opportunity to twin their designated areas of play with the Flanders Peace Field. Working in partnership with the Peace Village, Messines, Belgium (site of the 1914 Christmas Truces) the Peace Field Project (PFP) invites you not only to commemorate wars but also to celebrate peace through reflecting on a moment in history that inspires humanitarianism.

Apply (FREE) on-line by submitting

AN EMAIL STATING PFP IN THE SUBJECT BOX TO THE NCFA: info@thecfa.co.uk

Participants in the PFP receive:

• Two Peace Field Project Plaques.  One displayed at the area of play and one displayed in Flanders
• A joint PFP certificate from NCFA and Peace Village / Flanders Peace Field
• A PFP kite mark
• Online links with Peace Village / Flanders Peace Field and NCFA’s Football & Peace website with access to forum / quarterly newsletters / events.
• Each PFP will have their home page on the Football & Peace website.

AIM

The aim of the PFP is to create AMBASSADORS FOR PEACE – peace makers for the future.  Young people (inspired by the 1914 Christmas Truces) will absorb the essence of why fair play is important and begin to understand that sport can transcend conflict and cement friendships for life.

Lest We Forget

The PFP lends itself to cross curricular activities: sports, history, literacy, arts, humanities, citizenship, community cohesion and intergenerational relationships.

All participants are invited to sign a PFP Declaration, pledging to hold peace games event once a year throughout the centenary years on their peace field to commemorate WW1 and celebrate peace.

The Peace Fields Project is open to all communities promoting sportsmanship and equal opportunities.

Download information here

FOOTBALL AND PEACE 

EVALUATION REPORT

First World War Centenary: one year to go

Communities across the UK begin marking the First World War Centenary thanks to Lottery funding

 99 years since the UK entered the First World War, communities across the country have been given the green light to start a range of projects that will mark the forthcoming Centenary thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

Grants announced  August 2013 include the first to be awarded through First World War: then and now, HLF’s £6million small grants programme announced by the Prime Minister at the Imperial War Museum last October which aims to help communities explore, conserve and share their First World War heritage.

Now, young people in Kent will explore the role of football during the 1914 Christmas Day Truce; blind and partially sighted groups in Wolverhampton will begin researching how the war advanced ophthalmic medicine; people across the UK will investigate the names commemorated on their local war memorials including Abbotskerswell in Devon; the contribution of Scotland’s nurses to the war effort will be shared and marked; whilst the story of soldiers from Bolton who fought and died at Gallipoli will be remembered.

HLF’s First World War: then and now forms part of the UK Government’s Centenary programme.  National Children’s Football Alliance Projects Director Paul Cooper said: ‘This an important time to remember and a period in history that young people should have the opportunity to discover, discuss and contemplate.  HLF’s forward thinking provides organisations like NCFA to engage all young people, which will help continue the remembrance link’.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: “Our duty with these commemorations is clear. To honour those who served. To remember those who died. And to ensure that the lessons learnt live with us for ever.”

Dame Jenny Abramsky, Chair of HLF, said:  “The impact of the First World War was incredibly far reaching. Our new programme only opened in May and already HLF has seen a great deal of interest in people wanting to commemorate this important Centenary, coming forward with a myriad of fascinating ideas for projects. This is just the beginning of some very interesting explorations for communities everywhere who will find their own individual ways of commemorating.”

HLF has already invested more than £15million in projects – large and small – that mark the Centenary of First World War.

Football & Peace Project – National Children’s Football Alliance, Kent (grant £32,500)

This project will use the iconic 1914 Christmas Day truce as a vehicle to explore the relationship between sport and the First World War. Local people across Kent, young and old, will research the impact of the War on local communities and will in particular look at the importance of recreation to soldiers during the conflict.  A documentary film of the project will be produced along with a website including the research and oral histories collected.  The project will culminate in a final exhibition at Maidstone United Football Club, Gallagher Stadium.

– AN EDUCATIONAL PROJECT FUNDED BY THE EU ERASMUS+ PROGRAMME –

Football Makes History brings together history educators and youth workers from all over Europe to develop new educational resources that can help young people explore European history and heritage through the lens of football, as well as use football to tackle social exclusion.

A website to talk about our two favorite subjects combined: football and history. Some of us work in formal (school) education (as teachers or developers of educational resources), others are working outside the school with youngsters. Some of us are football organisations. Most of us are working in, with, around, through football. We initiated a project, and with support of Erasmus+, are working closely together.

Click on the banner to find out more

SATURDAY 28th MARCH 2020

1st HALF KICK OFF 08.00

MARKET ROAD, FOOTBALL PITCHES, LONDON N7

2nd HALF KICK OFF 17.00

THE PEACE PITCH, FLANDERS, BELGIUM

CLICK HERE TO SPONSOR / DONATE

JUSTGIVING THIS COUNTRY v THAT COUNTRY CAMPAIGN PAGE

Download participation details

TC v TC Leaflet

THIS COUNTRY v THAT COUNTRY is a charity football match being played on 28^th March 2020.

NCFA patrons, Charlie and Daisy Cooper, stars of the hit BBC comedy series This Country will be a part of a team playing a very special game of football

The challenge is to play two halves of football in two different countries on the same day: the first half will be played at Market Road Pitches, North London, N7 9PL, with the second half taking place on The Peace Pitch, Peace Village, Flanders, Belgium, site of the First World War’s 1914 Christmase truces.  The objective is to raise money for young people to participate in the 2020 GLOBAL PEACE GAMES. Held annually at the Peace Village, Mesen, Belgium, the Global Peace Games is a week-long peace education programme in which around 60 underprivileged children from different backgrounds across the world get together to take part in an inclusive series of activities and sports. The GPGs celebrates the International Day of Peace through sport and has a lasting impact on each and every young person who attends, helping to develop confidence, break down barriers and creates peace makers for the future.  The event will poignantly see a Peace Poppy Football transported from London to Flanders, before being laid at The Last Post, Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium in a declaration of peace.

TC v TC PARTICIPANTS

SIGN UP FEE £200

Deposit £100 non-refundable

Includes:

Match

Kit (not footwear)

Travel

St Pancras to Lile to Mesen / return

Accommodation at The Peace Village includes: evening meal and Sunday breakfast

Last Post, Menin Gate, Ypres

Trip to the Christmas Truces

How to sign up to

THIS COUNTRY v THAT COUNTRY

£200.00 fee or £100 Deposit. Your reference to NCFA: TCvTC then add your full name

Name of Bank: HSBC
Account Name: National Children’s Football Alliance
Account Number: 52790165
Sorting Code: 40-22-26

EVERDAY SPONSORS / DONORS CLICK ON

JUSTGIVING THIS COUNTRY v THAT COUNTRY CAMPAIGN PAGE

BUSINESS SPONSORS

Alternatively

Cheques / BACS

Name of Bank: HSBC
Account Name: National Children’s Football Alliance
Account Number: 52790165
Sorting Code: 40-22-26

Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing is a war memorial in Ypres, Belgium, dedicated to the British and Commonwealth soldiers who were killed in the Ypres Salient of World War I and whose graves are unknown.  Menin Gate, bears the names of more than 54,000 soldiers who died before 16 August 1917 and have no known grave.

Every evening at 8pm precisely, the “Last Post” has been sounded since 1928 under the imposing arches of the Menin Gate. This is where TC v TC players will lay the peace poppy football to commemorate the soldiers of the then British empire who went missing in action.

 

PEACE TRIANGLE

North Coast Integrated College, Coleraine, twin their designated areas of play with Flanders Peace Field, Belgium, site of the First World War 1914 Christmas Truces. The twinning event will take place at the Christmas Carol Service 19th December, 2019.

UPDATED 16/12/19

North Coast Integrated College Peace Field Project

Remembering the importance of Peace at Christmas

Even in the darkest of life experiences there are opportunities to show humanity and kindness; this was evident when over 100 years ago in World War 1 when there was a truce on Christmas day. On Thursday 19^th December during our Christmas Carol Service we will formally twin our playing pitch at North Coast Integrated College with Flanders Peace Field. This is a symbolic twinning which will encourage pupils to learn about the First World War and the importance of respect for people on different sides- both on and off the pitch.

The strong integrated ethos at North Coast Integrated College provides a learning environment that promotes good relations among everyone in the school community. We believe that the curriculum of our integrated school encourages pupils to learn from History to shape the future. In Northern Ireland we are building peace and it is important that our young people learn and remember the devastation that conflict can bring. In World War 1 soldiers from all sides of Ireland bravely fought and died side by side. The bullets, bombs, gas and barbed wire didn’t care what religion their victims were.

The aim of the Peace Field Project is to create peace makers for the future.  Young people (inspired by the 1914 Christmas Truce) will absorb the essence of why fair play is important and begin to understand that sport can transcend conflict and cement friendships for life.

It is fitting that in the year that Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education and the Integrated Education Fund were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize that North Coast Integrated College highlights the importance or respect and fair play for all our young people.

Poem excerpt from Carol Ann Duffy, Poet Laureate.

The Christmas Truce

All night, along the Western Front, they sang, the enemies- carols, hymns, folk songs. Anthems in German, English, French; each battalion choired in its grim trench.

So Christmas dawned, wrapped in mist, to open itself and offer the day like a gift

For Harry, Hugo, Hermann, Henry, Heinz….

With whistles, waves, cheers, shouts, laughs.

Update 03 / 12 /19

THE FIRST EVER PEACE PITCH IN AUSTRALIA is twinned with Flanders Peace Field, Belgium, site of the First World War 1914 Christmas Truces. Dr. Anne W. Bunde-Birouste, Founder and CEO, Football United, said,

‘This is a great honor to twin our peace pitch with the most historically significant peace field in the world.’

According to the First World War page on the Australian War Memorial website from a population of fewer than five million, 416,809 men enlisted, of which over 60,000 were killed and 156,000 wounded, gassed, or taken prisoner. The latest figure for those killed is given as 62,000.

Proudly displaying the Peace Fields Project plaque

Signing the Declaration for Peace Certificate

ALL GAMES PLAYED ON THE PEACE FIELD WILL BE PLAYED WITHOUT PREJUDICE AND WILL BE ALL INCLUSIVE

UNSW’s FOOTBALL UNITED AND miller TECHNOLOGY high school, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, advocate peace through play for all.  UNSW’S Football united AND MILLER TECHNOLOGY HIGH SCHOOL peace field is officially twinned with Flanders Peace Field, Messines, Belgium.

FOOTBALL UNITED

Article 13 June 2013

F.U was developed from a vision that people’s love for Football (soccer) can be used to build opportunities for belonging, racial harmony and community cohesion. Begun with a goal to support refugee and newly arrived immigrant youth and families in their transition into Australian society, as the program implementation progressed, Football United leadership noted that often community sport, as currently practiced, is exclusive rather than inclusive.

Australian Children’s Football Alliance’s John Neil (JN) chats to Anne and Brad Carroll founders of the very special Football United

(JN) What is the overview of FU and who benefits?

The Football United Vision is based on a Community Development, Determinants-based Health Promotion and Positive Social Change approach that underpins all Football United interventions. Importantly all FUn programs engage with local partner groups, and all intervention sites involve extensive partner consultation and engagement, resulting in site-specific activities that are particularly adapted to the needs and realities of those sites. While intervention components are similar or the same in the different sites, (eg. Coach training, regular playing opportunities, access to leadership opportunities), flexibility and adaptation according to site specifics is vital for an effective program impact and community outcomes.

(JN) Are there a set of Football United principles?

FU use community building, social development principles;

– partnership-based approach which involves working with the community and community leaders to identify and address local needs;
– all programs systematically include local engagement, capacity building and leadership development programs, which developing self-esteem and leadership skills whilst building community morale and participation.

(JN) So where has FU come from and where is it at now?

Founded in 2006, Football United has grown significantly from a 1 program Sydney’s Western suburbs to reach more than 3000 children and youth across Australia. Football United’s achievements include:

– Football United awarded 2012 Australian Parliamentary Community Sports Award
– Football United awarded 2011 New South Wales Building Inclusive Communities Award
– Football United film awarded Australian National Human Rights award, 2010
– One of 32 programs and the only Australian organisation chosen by FIFA to participate in first ever Festival for Hope World Cup tournament in June 2010
– Awarded UNSW University award for Community Engagement, 2009
– Secured Australian Research Council Linkage Grant to deliver a global first evaluation into the effectiveness of using Football to improve social cohesion in urban communities.

(JN) Can you tell us about the National Development?

In 2010 Football United established a non funding partnership with the Football Federation Australia (FFA) and secured a small grant from Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) to expand programs inter-state. In April 2010, with the support of the Queensland Government, Football United commenced the first inter-state project in Brisbane call Shinpads and Hijab’s. In 2011 Football United began its South Australia program in partnership with the University of South Australia-Adelaide. Further projects will commence in ACT, supported by Football ACT and many local partners in 2012, with requests from other states to begin new program or engage with local partner groups.

(JN) What about Football United and the International scene?

Football United is engaged in football for social development regionally and internationally. Football United’s CEO is also Australian representative to the Oceania Football Confederation’s Pacific Youth and Sport Forum, which was founded in 2010 by the OFC. Football United supports programs in Cameroon, South Sudan and a number of other programs through technical consulting. Football United was the first Australian member of the Streetfootball-world (SFW) network. SFW comprises more than 100 organisations worldwide, and works in partnership with FIFA. Football United was the Australian delegation participating in the first Streetfootballworld/FIFA 2010 Football for Hope Festival, an official event of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Football United has an official partnership with the FFA, is one of Sydney FC’s Charity partners, and works in collaboration and with support from a number of government, local and corporate bodies, as well as a significant number of volunteers.

(JN) Why football?

It is important to understand why football is seen as a tool that can be used to better society. Research suggests that participation in sport can be crucial in the development of young people. Health and fitness, through the pursuit of physical activity, is widely regarded as a key factor in personal development and many of the skills that are fundamental in sports participation, particularly in team sports, are transferable in wider aspects of life. Sport encourages strong community bonds, regular physical activity and access to positive mentors for young people. In disadvantaged communities these features are essential to social development of children and youths and building the capacity of the community more broadly. Among the various sports, Football, in particular, is an ideal tool to foster socialisation. It is the one single global sport, hence its appeal across all socio-cultural groups. In addition, it is relatively inexpensive, and is designed as a non-violent sport. It is played by both genders, thus is non-exclusive. It provides transferable skills of fair play, tolerance, inclusion and understanding of oneself, team mates and opponents alike. It teaches of responsibility, winning, losing and participation. It can address diverse and complex issues, such as children’s rights, peace building, education, health promotion and anti-discrimination. Most of all, however, it is fun.

(JN) What are the key issues related to the equity gap in participation?

Gaps in equity of access are apparent across many low SES communities : often community sport, as currently practiced, is excluding rather than inclusive. Participation is largely not possible for many socio-disadvantaged youth. Consequently, Football United, and its innovative approach, has been engaged in effectively addressing areas of social inequity and their ensuing impact on communities since 2006, addressing the following issues:

There are extreme gaps in equity of participation in sport in both the community sport arena as well as within the public education sector;
These gaps in participation translate to gaps in opportunity, which if not addressed, result in issues of disaffection in society (leaving school, aggressive behaviour, unemployment etc);
Misunderstanding of newly arrived immigrants and different cultures often translates further to racism……and the ensuing problems it provokes.
The above-mentioned phenomena highlight issues of inequity of access to sport, education, employment, health and community services in disadvantaged communities. Football United’s proven capacity and innovative approach of using Football as the vehicle to address these issues, through programs, research and advocacy, has resulted in rapid growth in demand across Western Sydney, interstate and now internationally. The issues highlighted below are central to the design and implementation of Football United with evidence taken from our own and others’ research and Government reports, including the 2009 Crawford Report, Children Sport, Youth Leadership Report and research by the Centre for Multicultural Youth Inc. and the Australian Bureau of Statistics all of which highlights:

– Very low participation rates of people from disadvantaged and multicultural backgrounds in sport and physical activity
– “Club sports are made up mostly of children from middleclass backgrounds, because participation requires adequate disposable income to pay for fees, uniforms, equipment and transport.” (Crawford)
– People born in Australia had participation rates (in organised sport) of 27%, compared to around 10% for people born in non-English speaking countries.” (CMYI)
– Long-term funding approaches are needed to address this issue and improve the ineffective distribution of short term, short sighted funding (Crawford, NSWDSR).
– “Government and NGO’s have historically supported one-off, short-term activities that limit the development of genuine community capacity and undermine the potential for sustainable community-run sport programs
– Developing neighbourhood programs, re-building schools’ systems, and training teachers are crucial to addressing the physical activity needs and interests of children, youth and families from diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds, enabling them to overcome their limited resources and better engage with educational and social systems (Crawford, CMYI, ASC).

Football United experiences, researches and addresses – in short knows and engages with these issues both intimately and extensively.

(JN) How does Football United address the needs?

Football United uses the globally attractive passion for the worldwide game to provide a pathway to engagement and development opportunities for disadvantaged youth, children and their families in communities with high proportions of people from, refugee, indigenous, migrant and lower socio-economic backgrounds. Football United runs 15 programs across Western Sydney, Adelaide and soon the ACT that improve their access to education, health services and physical activity. This is achieved through:

Provision of regular, free, accessible and localised football training and playing opportunities for up to 3000 children per year to improve social cohesion while increasing physical activity rates for disadvantaged children and youth.
Provide training and mentoring for 150 youth each year, through tailored programs in leadership, community coordination, football coaching qualifications, personal development and life-skills. A significant proportion of youth continue with the program as coaches and project coordinators.
Build extensive and collaborative relationships with diverse community-based partners as well as local and state government agencies. This includes training and development of staff in these organisations increasing their skills and enhancing the ongoing sustainability of the projects.
Create awareness of these issues through advocacy, high profile partners, ambassadors and ground-breaking research to ultimately influence changes to government policy and public perceptions.
These programs are all developed in collaboration with local stakeholders to meet the cultural needs and socio economic realities of the community targeted. The growth of Football United’ occurs based on demand and requests from communities with implementation achieved through partnerships with schools, Migrant Resource Centres and other local community groups.

Football United’s strengths lie in the diversity and experience of its management team, members and supporters. Football United gathers a diverse, multi-sectoral group, combining the skills of talented corporate leaders, the commitment of a wide range of community groups, NGOs, the engagement of academia, and supported by local and state government representatives. Through this rapidly expanding network Football United fosters the power of football to inspire and promote social justice and community development.

For more information contact footballunited.org.au