A Sport Project in Girona Based on School of Football that Facilitates Local Opportunities for Young People from Diverse Backgrounds

Project location: SPAIN, Girona
Project start date: December 2015 - Project end date: October 2016
Project number: 2015-008
Beneficiary: Club Esportiu Flaçà

The Club Esportiu Flaçà is running a school of football project with the help of The Nando Peretti Foundation, Delegació a Catalunya. The grant the Club reveived was  to cover various expenses planned for 2015-2016 season and improve the service that the club  has as a goal, which is the practice of football among young people of the village and the surrounding area.  
The school of football project aims  to improve the club's sports conditions for the practice of sport, so the purchase of specific equipment to have better environment in the practice  exercices such as coordination, strength, speed of reaction ones . 
On the other hand, the project includes players who do not have enough economic resources to be able to pay the fee to the club and to the Catalan Football Federation. This latest is compulsory for the practice of sport in Catalonia and play in the official competitions of football it also cover the player medical assistance in case of injuries that the practice of sport may carry.
The school of football project is a good opportunity to all families that want their children learn more than football, because the practice of football is only the frame, childs from all ages are part of a team and learn healthy and positive social habits .

The school of football programme is addressed to all children including those who live in economic and social hardship situations. Children and youngsters come basically from Flaçà, La Pera, Sant Joan de Mollet, Sant Martí Vell, Sant Jordi Desvalls, Cervià de Ter, Medinyà, Celrà and Bordils. All villages are less than 15 km far from Flaçà in a rural environment with inmigration from basically East Europe and Africa. Exactly twelve boys cannot pay for the practice of football. Some of them belong to families that have no job, others belong to families that have low incomes, others belong to large families. All of twelve  boys that cannot afford the fees are in bad economic or social environment. A boy that belongs to Aleví team should pay 56€/year as a Competition fee and 200€/ year as a club fee. A boy that belongs to Infantil team should pay 68.84€ year as a Competition fee and 200€/ year as a club fee. A boy that belongs to Cadet team should pay 80.95€ year as a Competition fee and 200€/ year as a club fee. A boy that belongs to 4art Catalana team should pay 127.97€ /year as a Competition fee, 58€/ year as training suit and 200€/ year as a club fee. The twelve boys are, one from Aleví team, four from Infantils team, five from Cadet team and two from 4art Catalana, in total 3052.49€ are only to pay what families cannot afford for their sons practice of sport  . The competition fee is compulsory to practice football and is payed to the Catalan Federation of Football and the Club fee is used to pay referees, administrative costs, competition suits and mobility costs.
 
The project consists in the setting‐up of six teams plus one amateur team which play in different competitions depending on the ages of the players (from 6 to 16 years old). To support diversity in leadership and professional development, each team has an expertise coach and there are support staffs all along the organisation that ensure quality results for the learners. Activities are from September to June. 
 
All these six teams are coordinated by a person called coordinator, who organises the sportive programme, gives assessment to trainers and is the leader of the sportive part of the project. Each team is driven by at least two coaches. The staffs of the club give individual attention to the player who needs it. Almost all teams receive one hour and a half lesson twice a week. Goal Keepers from all teams of the club receive and extra training day. Every training day the changing rooms are used to get dressed before and to have a shower after the activity. The club organises the use of the changing rooms and is responsible to keep them clean and warm. 
All players have access to opportunities that will enable them to learn about sport and contribute to  childhood development and education reducing barriers to resurces. Some of them may find a job oportunity. 
 
 The school of football focuses the project that address these goals and objectives through educational initiatives.  While many families can afford the payment of the costs, sponsors give the access to a broad range of opportunities from infancy to adulthood of those who cannot pay it.