Kicking balls for a better life
Sports for Development is a successful tool to create employment and prevent irregular migration
Globally, more than 59 million young people are unemployed and nearly 136 million of those who are working live in poverty. Young people are often denied decent employment opportunities or the possibility of setting up their own businesses due, for example, to skills mismatches or a lack of access to finance.
Such barriers to employment and entrepreneurship stand in the way of young people applying their skills, making their voices heard, actively shaping society, and creating an environment of decent work and successful trade that works for them.
This is where Sports for Development kicks in. Since 2018, the UEFA Foundation for Children, streetfootballworld, Kick4Life and FedEx Express have worked together with the International Trade Centre on the Kick for Trade programme.
The project ensures that youth are part of the game and receive the training they need to support them in their professional development and entrepreneurial aspirations.
We were particularly attracted by the quality of the programme, which uses football to convey important messages and values to teenage girls and boys in the Gambia and Guinea.
The various programmes we support around the world show us that significant improvements can be made in physical achievement and educational potential.
The knowledge on conflict management, entrepreneurship and employability will widen the life skills of the participants, which will support the meaningful development of the society.
The knowledge on conflict management, entrepreneurship and employability will widen the life skills of the participants, which will support the meaningful development of the society.
Sports and physical activity in general are fundamental to children’s development. The knowledge and skills acquired through play contribute greatly to developing not only bodies but also minds. Sport teaches children important values, such as honesty, teamwork, fair play, self-respect, respect for others and respect for rules.
The programmes we support have unfortunately been set back by the pandemic, but we have local teams in the Gambia and Guinea ready to develop syllabuses, train the coaches and set up the necessary infrastructure. We will soon achieve our objectives for these programmes to promote the employability and entrepreneurship of the teenagers we support.
As a coach, I have picked up valuable knowledge on critical thinking, resilience and self-motivation that will improve my approach towards the people I work with.
As a coach, I have picked up valuable knowledge on critical thinking, resilience and self-motivation that will improve my approach towards the people I work with.
The curriculum taught us critical thinking, communication and interpersonal skills, which my community is struggling with right now.
The training will help me make better decisions in life and yield greater impact in my community.
The curriculum taught us critical thinking, communication and interpersonal skills, which my community is struggling with right now.
The training will help me make better decisions in life and yield greater impact in my community.
