Des Tomlinson: On The Ball As preparations for the Fifa World Cup in South Africa draw to a conclusion, the country has been transformed, with widespread upgrades and brand new stadiums rising from the earth to host world soccer’s flagship tournament.
But beyond the event itself, much work has also been done to ensure the World Cup has a wider social impact by way of the Football For Hope initiative.
Football for Hope is a movement that uses the power of the game for social development. It is being led by Fifa and the streetfootballworld network, which links relevant bodies in the field of development through the sport.
The movement’s campaign for this summer’s World Cup is under the theme ‘20 Centres for 2010’. The aim is to achieve positive social change by building 20 Football for Hope Centres for public health, education and football across Africa.
These centres will address local social challenges in disadvantaged areas and improve education and health services for young people. Each centre will include rooms to provide public services and informal education, office space, a common space for community gatherings, and a small-size artificial turf pitch.
It is hoped that these centres will promote social development through soccer long after the finals end.
This model of sport leaving a community legacy is not exclusive to soccer; indeed, it is an important part of the development of sporting infrastructure for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, with many of the programmes and facilities developed for the games intended to be used by generations to come.
The story of soccer’s – and indeed sport’s – role in supporting community development is often not well publicised. Little is often known about the community and social programmes being delivered in communities across Ireland everyday.
The FAI has many community and social programmes, among them ones that target people with a physical or mental disability run through the Football for All Programme; Soccer Sisters Easter camps for girls aged 7-15 years managed by the FAI’s Women’s Unit; late night soccer leagues in conjunction with gardaí and local councils divert at-risk youths from anti-social behaviour; and the Intercultural Football Programme, which encourages people from diverse backgrounds to participate in soccer in their community.
This year the Intercultural Football Programme is also rolling out after-school soccer programmes for children, and is looking for parents/guardians who are interested in volunteering. There are also club open days for boys and girls aged six to 13 and adult futsal programmes for men and women. Programmes are delivered nationwide though a network of local community soccer development officers
The opening of the new Aviva Stadium on the site of Lansdowne Road this summer signals a new era for the beautiful game in Ireland. The first match to be played there will see Ireland host South American giants Argentina, a testing encounter as Ireland prepare for the 2012 European Champion-ship qualifiers.
Not only will the new stadium provide mouth-watering international encounters, it will also allow the FAI to continue its commitment towards further developing soccer at grassroots and community levels.
Des Tomlinson is the FAI’s intercultural co-ordinator
