Welcome Through Football 2021

Background The Welcome through Football project was designed to support refugees and asylum seekers arriving in Europe. Forcibly displaced people face many challenges and with this project, the aim was to offer support through the 3 step methodology, focusing on social inclusion but also on employability opportunities at the end of the process. This programme was the continuation of a pilot project, which helped gathering enough information to draft the current project’s goals, activities and methodology. Objectives The main goals of the project were to assist in the integration and inclusion of recently arrived young refugees, asylum seekers and people with a migrant background; to test the 3-step methodology across project partners; to train staff members; and to build opportunities to achieve inclusive and peaceful societies. Lastly, the project aimed at integrating participants into the labour market by providing with them with personal and professional skills through the different project activities. Implementation The project has been implemented in the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Portugal, Germany, and the UK through different football club foundations members of EFDN. The implementation consisted on a 3-step methodology in which participants moved from the first step, mainly attending football training with a focus on language learning, and moved into steps 2 and 3, where additional tasks and responsibilities were shared with the participants. Achievements The project has shown a great positive impact in the participants, with some successful stories in which participants were able to learn the local language, get ready for the labour market, and work for different organisations, including the foundation where they participated in the programme. In most cases, the impact of the project helped the participants overcome barriers, connect with the community and get education to work once their paperwork allows them to do so.