Vision
Using football as a tool Youth
Development through Football (YDF) strives to overcome discrimination,
improve health and combat disease, promote gender equality, fight
violence and secure environmental sustainability. Thus, the project
contributes actively and sustainably to achieving the Millennium
Development Goals.
Mission
YDF fosters youth development and peace with the emphasis on mutual
understanding, fairness and tolerance, using football as a catalyst. To
reach this target, YDF supports existing youth development initiatives
and assists in establishing new ones in up to 10 African countries. It
combines football education and training with development measures for
thousands of young people.
The Project
Just like in any other region of the world, girls and
boys from disadvantaged communities face complex problems in South Africa. They often come from difficult social backgrounds with many
families living below the poverty threshold. Due to poor education, many
youths lack skills making it difficult for them to find employment.
They are exposed to health risks, alcoholism and drugs. Girls and young
women especially face violence and crime, more than a few are
discriminated and excluded from social life. This is where Youth
Development through Football (YDF) comes into play.
Sport for social change
The project recognizes the potential that football and other sports can
unleash when systematically included in processes of social change.
Football especially has the power to unite people and cultures all over
the world. As a team sport it promotes fairness and tolerance, leapfrogs
gender boundaries and fosters mutual understanding, thereby
contributing to the positive development of personality and character.
YDF started in 2007 and runs until 2012. It is implemented in ten
African countries by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale
Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Government in
partnership with the South African Department of Sport and Recreation.
The project is part of the South African - German Development
Cooperation and is co-funded by the European Union.
Sport for a strong civil society
YDF focuses on the social dimension of the game. Using football as a
tool for education, participation and inclusion, the project strives to
overcome discrimination, improve health and combat disease, to promote
gender equality, fight violence and secure environmental sustainability.
It engages disadvantaged and disabled youth, empowering them with
skills to positively develop their personality and character, thus
increasing opportunities to tackle their life and enhancing a strong
civil society. Primarily intended for girls and boys aged 12 to 20
years, YDF uses a holistic approach and includes coaches, peer groups,
families and other important members of the community.
