The organization I will be discussing in this blog post, aims to make use of the magnitude soccer projects throughout the world, in order to make the world a better place.
Soccer Without Borders is a 501c3 founded in the year of 2006. Their main goal is to “use soccer as a vehicle for positive change, providing under-served youth with a toolkit to overcome obstacles to growth, inclusion, and personal success. They are based in five different cities in the United States and also provide programming in five countries abroad, including Uganda and Nicaragua.
As I have mentioned before, I have a strong personal connection to the game. I grew up playing from early in the morning until late at night, never worrying about anything else but the beauty of the game. What I really liked about the game was the idea that it can be played anywhere, so long as there is a ball and something remotely close to a goal.
This mentality is also applied by Soccer Without Borders. The organization understands that the game of soccer is understood universally. This is exactly why they are so successful at what they do. Through their programming, they are able to provide immigrants, refugees, and underprivileged children with a platform, where they can pursue their love for the game, while at the same time being in an inclusive environment, where they are set up for personal growth and success. Youths are subjected to team building, civic engagement, academic development, and cultural exchange. Furthermore, youths are able to learn the language faster, by being ‘forced’ to communicate with each other by playing the sport and taking part in a large variety of activities.
The story of a boy named Abednego shows us how helpful this organization has been in the past. When he arrived in the United States in 2011 from rural Guatemala at the age of 16, Abednego did not speak the language, or know anybody but his family. After discovering Soccer Without Borders, Abednego instantly found himself in an environment, where he was able to connect with people of his age and a common passion. He was not only able to develop his talent as a soccer player, but he was given access to language classes and SAT preparation. In his 2,5 years in the program, Abednego rose from a player, to a leader, and then to a coach within the program. Now, a sophomore at San Francisco State University, he is not only on the right academic path, but he coaches a prestigious travel team in his local area.
Abednego’s story does not just visualize how success stories can be made, but shows the impact on the community this organization has. The fact that a non-english speaker was able to attend a university shortly after coming to the United States is quite remarkable. Soccer Without Borders is also the winner of the prestigious “FIFA Diversity Award” in 2017, highlighting the success of their programming around the world
For further information on how the organization impacts thousands of youths around the world, please click the link below
https://www.soccerwithoutborders.org/
Hi Michael,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your post! Thank you for presenting this organization. After reading, I went ahead and peeked around their website to find out more about SWB. What I really like about the program is that they offer language learning activities for the kids involved in SWB. One of their main guiding values for impact is inclusion. Since knowing English is one of the doorways to success in the U.S., it is very useful for international kids to learn to speak English.
Although SWB's main website does not provide info as to HOW they provide language learning support, I was able to find on their Baltimore program's page that the soccer coaches also are responsible for helping kids with homework, providing opportunities to practice English, etc. Thus the coach acts as a mentor and teacher for the kids both on and off the field!
Lastly, I like their detailed explanation of their organizational logic model and rubric for measuring impact. Going back to one of the first topics we discussed in class, Theory of Change and Intended Impact are very useful organizational guides. SWB's logic model includes their theory of change and intended impact, and their rubric provides feedback on the level of impact created.
Interesting organization--thanks for the post!
Coaches also teach: http://www.swbbaltimore.org/courselist
SWB Logic Model: https://www.soccerwithoutborders.org/program-model
Hi Michael,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your post, it was interesting to hear about an organization I have never heard of before. I may be slightly bias, but I love this organization because I believe soccer is the greatest sport in the world. When played well, soccer is the most graceful and beautiful sport to watch. It takes intelligence, skill, cooperation, and athleticism to play, which is why this organization makes so much sense. Soccer builds and fosters amazing skills in a person that can be used both on and off the field. I have played soccer since I was four years old and I am so grateful for everything soccer has taught me and how it has sculpted me into the person I am today. As a team sport, soccer has built my social skills and has allowed me to gain a better understanding of people. Many of the girls I have played soccer with throughout the years have become and remained my best friends to this day. Soccer allows you to build unbreakable bonds with people because you spend so much time with your teammates. In high school, my soccer team became my family.
On the SWB’s website I watched the video regarding their program in Nicaragua. It was inspiring to see the beneficial impact this program had on the girls in the area. They spoke about how young girls are normally prevented from playing soccer because they have to fulfill their duties as a “young women” by watching over their younger siblings or helping their mothers in the house. Then, even if they are not hindered by this, many of the boys will not allow the girls to play with them. This is sad to see because the beauty of soccer should not be withheld from anyone. Studies have shown that soccer can be extremely beneficial, especially in regards to women and young girls. A study by the University of Copenhagen compared girls involvement in running and soccer. After the program ended, most of the women who played soccer joined their own organized team while few of the runners continued on with their training. Research says this is because soccer allows people to create “we”-stories. Unlike runners, as a soccer player, these girls were focusing less on themselves and more on the sport of soccer. Therefore, they viewed themselves as part of a team and that they had a job to not let their teammates down. This gives people a stronger purpose to persevere because their actions are affecting more than just themselves. I can attest to this because whenever I am on the field and feel like giving up, it is thought of my teammates that allow me to push through the pain.
Although I focused on the social aspects of soccer, there are multiple other benefits like improvements in health and intelligence. Soccer is all about endurance and increases players’ aerobic capacities and cardiovascular health. Furthermore, a recent study on the Swedish soccer team has shown that high division soccer players received much higher scores on creativity, response inhibition, and cognitive flexibility tests than those who do not play. Therefore, this program is much more than just teaching kids how to play soccer, it is improving their social skills, intelligence, and health. Overall, Soccer Without Borders would be an awesome organization to donate to and I can’t wait to hear more about it from you.
http://news.ku.dk/all_news/2010/2010.4/soccer_supplementum/
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0034731