HOW THE PLAY SOCCER NETWORK WORKS...
ORGANIZATION
Our umbrella organization, PLAY SOCCER Nonprofit International (PSNI) oversees a constellation of legally-independent, national non-profit entities. Together, these country organizations form the PLAY SOCCER Network
FUNDING
PLAY SOCCER country organizations receive an initial "jump start" from the PSNI umbrella that empowers them to create low cost, volunteer-driven programs for their most vulnerable children and youth. The PSNI Umbrella provides supportive organization, quality-training and basic resources, while each country mobilizes local partnerships to become self-sustaining.
QUALITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
To ensure quality and consistency, each country organization replicates our core year-round educational program.
Network country organizations are all required to demonstrate standards of financial accountability and program quality. By meeting our standards for Network affiliation, country programs use our sport-based program, our name and logo, and participate in our training workshops.
THE PLAY SOCCER PROGRAM
WHAT is the PLAY SOCCER Program?
Our year-round, integrated educational curriculum focuses on health, social, and soccer/football skills. While children learn to play the game, they also learn social skills like teamwork, fair play, and peaceful solutions, and health topics like HIV/AIDS and malaria prevention, good nutrition, hygiene and clean water. Each weekly session is a building block in an activity-based 48-week program that encourages children to put these new skills into practice on the playing field and in their daily lives at home and in the community.
WHO teaches?
Volunteers recruited from the grassroots communities where we work - primarily youth and young adults - are trained as instructors to teach the program.
HOW do the volunteers teach?
Our volunteer instructors teach through activity-based games that empower children by helping them experience, practice and acquire new healthy habits, attitudes and social skills, while they play the game.
WHERE and WHEN do the sessions take place?
Sessions take place right on the playing field in a fun, safe environment after school and on weekends, at times that parents support and when children can most fully participate.
WHAT happens at a session?
- Each child is actively involved in these free sessions, regardless of his or her initial skills.
- Girls are encouraged to play and learn together with boys.
- Each and every session is holistic;Â every time children play the game, they also learn health and social skills.
- Children enjoy a free, healthy snack and clean drinking water, which teaches good nutrition and supplements their diets.
How does the PLAY SOCCER program lead to change for the community?
- Children and youth enrolled in PLAY SOCCER’s program transfer what they learn from the weekly sessions into their daily lives, homes and communities by practicing and sharing new skills with friends and family.
- As our volunteer youth instructors train and teach the PLAY SOCCER program, they develop the leadership skills and credentials that equip them for employment and encourage them to lead productive lives in their communities.
- Social enterprise and local development activities initiated with PLAY SOCCER’s support and collaboration advance the long-term, socio-economic objectives that help achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
- PLAY SOCCER collaborates with local, national, and international organizations who share our commitment to maximize scarce resources and develop grassroots initiatives that can positively impact communities.
News October 2014
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details
- Global Peace Games are still open for registration.
- FODEDE Liberia dedicates Peace Games celebration to preventiion of Ebola
- PLAY for FUN, LEARN for LIFE South Africa participates in Beyond Sport Summit
- PS Malawi featured in Photography Exhibit at Scottish Football Museum
- Play Soccer Cameroon opens two new sites
- New USA program in Trenton, New Jersey
- Princeton University/Rabin Martin partnership supports research on impact assessment
- Lattitude International Volunteers work with PLAY SOCCER staff in Ghana
