Contents
Why football?
Football is an integral part of most local cultures across the world. It conveys a positive feeling that can bring smiles to children's faces even in the worst of circumstances. In most places simply arriving at a field with a football will win you instant friendships and immediate access into a local community. Football teams and leagues are ubiquitous structures in even the most impoverished areas.
In addition, by their very nature, sport and physical education are about participation, inclusion and a sense of belonging. The improved psychological benefits derived from sport and physical activity impact on many other areas. Studies show that individuals who are regularly active demonstrate improved academic performance and are more likely to remain in school or in active employment. Anecdotal and qualitative evidence further suggests that sport and recreation can directly or indirectly influence a number of other areas of social concern such as crime, substance abuse, self-harm, violence and social cohesion. And in many ways the benefits of sport are gender neutral.
"There is no other sport in the world that asks players to make more decisions for themselves. These children are in an environment where they have to learn to make decisions. This is a skill that relates directly to life - they've got to figure things out for themselves."
Tony Williams, Founder & President of Starfinder Foundation youth program
As such, it can be seen that if the implemented program consisted only of playing football, the youth would still derive the benefits listed below from the activity.
However, with a view of implementing as holistic a program as possible, football and sport consist of additional characteristics that make it possible to facilitate the delivery of a range of benefits in addition to the above listed outcomes.
