ABOUT the PLAY SOCCER PROGRAM

The holistic program framework is designed for year-round weekly sessions. Each session includes some literacy activities plus three basic educational components: (1) soccer skills and technical training with an education and sports science approach, (2) health/physical development and (3) social development life skills. These life skills are taught as non-formal education "learning circle" activities that also take place on the football pitch. They include health/physical development topics such as the prevention of HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, immunizations, clean water and hygiene, how healthy bodies make strong players--- and social development topics such as fair play, respect for others, gender equality and peaceful solutions. The program is fun, participatory and open to all. Through annual events such as the Global Peace Games for Children and Youth, the program encourages a global network of children and youth to foster cultural understanding, peace and friendship and promote human development goals.

The local volunteers that are trained as Instructors to implement the PLAY SOCCER program develop leadership and life skill knowledge as they learn to work with the participating children, which multiplies their individual benefits back into the community. PLAY SOCCER views volunteer training as a critically important part of the program and vital to its success.

Once the core program is established, program enhancements to the three components are encouraged and added. These might include, for example, a mobile library that visits program sites to encourage literacy and reading, soccer leagues for girls, special health services such as an eye testing day, a credit union for PLAY SOCCER volunteers and family participants, a peer group club for girls, food security gardens, or an HIV/AIDS soccer tournament with educational materials.

An effort is made to build strong collaborations with other non-governmental organizations, UN Agencies and Government Ministries that share common and complementary objectives or have particular relevant expertise in order to maximize resources and impact and to efficiently minimize costs without duplicative activities.

At the outset, each PLAY SOCCER program is funded by a small "jump-start" grant. This grant covers the initial training of the volunteer Instructors, simple basic materials (tee shirts with the PLAY SOCCER logo, balls, cones, etc.) and the incorporation of a national office with a small low cost organizational structure and volunteer Board of Directors to administer and manage the program. Sites in the most disadvantaged communities are identified; community interest and support is mobilized; and information about the program is disseminated to insure an open enrollment of children. PLAY SOCCER usually identifies and selects a national candidate as Program Director in each country who is responsible to oversee the program and its volunteers under the supervision of the volunteer local Board of Directors. PLAY SOCCER in the USA provides the program materials and guidance to establish the new country program, and serves as the umbrella organization under which all country organizations affiliate for financial and program quality direction. A Memorandum of Understanding is executed by the USA with the local Board for this purpose. Local fundraising and financial support are encouraged to contribute to and sustain the program once it is established. The USA continues to seek funding from international donors for all country programs, but its ultimate aim is to have national programs develop their own resources to become self sustaining.