“On The Ball” Football Programme
Our Euro 2020 (Refugees & Asylum Seekers) Sports Legacy Project aims to celebrate the contribution of players with a refugee background and the positive role football can play in bringing people together and creating welcoming communities.
For people fleeing conflict and persecution, football can play a hugely important role in helping them settle into a new country and culture, make friends, learn the language and get to know the local area.
Our project, funded by Sport England, is about helping processed refugees and asylum seekers (who thereby have access to public funds) to become fit and active through football and then maintain their progressive via long term participation and volunteer opportunities at local sports clubs.
There are three elements to the project:
Weekly coaching and football skills development sessions with an FA-qualified coach at Selhurst Sports Arena.
Our project will also identify refugees or asylum seekers who would like to volunteer for a club to find a football club that is seeking volunteers. Additionally, via our agreement with the Palace for Life Foundation, we would offer four opportunities per year to obtain an FA level 1 Coaching qualification.
At our sessions, participants can “drop-in” to information sessions to access pathways and additional support information from social workers and health workers or simply look at leaflets/posters about additional info and opportunities.