Next Step 2014 Julie George Skillshare International

Presentation by Julie George from Skillshare International made at the Next Step 2014 Conference

1. Coaching for Hope –
Sport for Development

2. Skillshare International’s Coaching for Hope
(CfH) programme uses football as a tool to
empower youth, women and disabled
people, supporting them to reach their full
potential.
Inspire, uplift, educate and empower
Popularity and universal appeal of football
Programmes developed by experts from the fields of education, health, international
development and football
Informal but essential life-education that cannot otherwise be accessed and
understood
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3. •coaches, equipped with the right knowledge,
would have an amazing power to educate –
particularly in areas the formal education system
did not touch, such as HIV/AIDS prevention.
•Since its early roots in HIV/AIDS prevention, CfH
now also has programmes that focus on
substance abuse, gender and disability inequality
and confidence and leadership building.
•Since 2005, CfH has directly impacted more than
30,000 young people in 7 countries and there are
currently 980 coaches rolling out CfH programmes.

History of CfH

4. •trains volunteer coaches, from local communities, to
guide students through educational programmes.
•first level, coaches trained in “limited resource football
coaching” and equipped to deliver an eight-week key
life and health skills curriculum.
•progress to be a Level 2 or 3 coach by completing further
modules – including how to work with those with
disabilities and to use football to prevent young people
from substance abuse.
•By training coaches, CfH creates agents of change. The
coaches become community leaders that empower
youth, women and disabled people.
How does CfH use football to create better
futures?
“It’s amazing to visit a project like this and see the effect football has on young people.
Football has the power to change lives and the youngsters are able to learn valuable lessons
through their love of the game.”
David Beckham on visiting a CfH project in South Africa

5. CfH trains local coaches to:
•Give vulnerable young people a chance to take part in regular football activity.
•Teach sexual education courses grounded in facts vs myth or fiction to reduce the spread of
HIV/AIDS and keep youth HIV free.
•Act as positive role models, especially for children with no parents or regular carers.
•Tackle discrimination against women and disabled people by teaching equality and actively
promoting inclusion on and off the pitch.
•Teach literacy and numeracy models to equip for the future and raise aspirations and
confidence.
CfH trains coaches because:
•Investing in coaches is sustainable; every coach trained can work with hundreds of people over
the course of their career.
•Vulnerable young people need regular, structured activity which the coaches are taught to
facilitate.
•Teams, leagues and tournaments, that are essential to keep people engaged, require
organisational skills that CfH training provides.
•CfH courses enable coaches to gain skills which enhance their employability. It’s not only the
students that are developed to reach their full potential.
Why coaching?

6. How is CfH different?
Strong
presence and
relationships in
development
sector
Strong
presence and
relationships in
the football
industry
Programmes
constantly
reviewed,
revised and
developed
Active, on-
field
education,
not “play then
learn”

7. •CfH has become the football industry’s most respected “sport for development”
charity – with official backing from the FA, FIFPro, the Professional Footballers
Association, the League Manager’s Association, the Professional Football Coaches
Association.
•CfH has excellent working relationships with several UK clubs including Tottenham,
Everton, QPR, Hull City, Bristol City and Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club.
•Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim) is CfH’s Patron and Tottenham defender Michael
Dawson also strongly supports the organisation.
•CfH is regularly commissioned by a range of development agencies to deliver the
CfH programme as part of their own work. Past partners have included:
•CfH has also been recognised as exhibiting sport for development best practise by
influential bodies in the sector including the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation,
Streetfootballworld, FIFA Football for Hope and Comic Relief.
•Adidas has been a valuable corporate partner since 2006.
Who currently supports CfH?

8. How does CfH measure and evaluate impact?
•bespoke M&E Toolkit – designed in partnership with three universities
(University of Cape Town, University of York St. John and University of
Central Lancashire).
•staff and coaches to monitor their work and impact and details the
variables, measures and milestones that enable coaches to know
whether they are contributing to not only organisational, but personal
objectives. A full copy of the Toolkit can be made available on
request.
•All coaches have a detailed Coaching for Hope Log Book that they
have to fill out after every session and submit to us for evaluation.
•In addition, CfH’s university partners are regularly commissioned to
conduct objective evaluations of the on-the-ground activites.
“life skills training has empowered not only boys in football teams, but girls as well, especially with regard
to transmission of HIV/AIDS and how to avoid it ...... young girls are benefitting from learning more about
HIV/AIDS whilst also playing a male dominated sport in their communities”.
“courses are a powerful tool of social inclusion, a strong way to increase self esteem and ..... a powerful
tool to increase social links”.

9. How is CfH changing lives?
Coaches
•Since 2005, 875 African coaches have been
trained.
•The unique curriculum builds the skills of the coach
as a communicator and educator – increasing
their personal confidence and standing in their
communities.
•CfH increases coach employability. Eg. In Burkina
Faso, 20 CfH coaches now hold paid posts in
football training centres or with local teams.
•20% of coaches trained have been female –
powerfully challenging gender stereotypes. Now
more young girls, particularly those from
conservative backgrounds participate.
•5% of the coaches trained have disability. aises individual aspirations and helps to
break down established social stigma towards disability. encourages all coaches to
include more disabled people.
•Senior coaches receive regular mentoring and “masterclasses” from professional UK
clubs to motivate, inspire and develop them.

10. Children & Young People
•More than 30,000 children and young people
have been trained
•Access to education and life-saving knowledge.
•a module “Adapt it” –to ensure all children,
including those with disability, can be in football
activities.
•5% of the youth that participate are disabled.
•Better confidence and scope to continue
school and learn employable skills.
How is CfH changing lives?
•gender equity - encouraging girls to play, to
assert themselves and to speak their minds (in
Burkina Faso, 30% girls.
•increase youth confidence by teaching
them key skills, such as reading and
numeracy encourage schooling
•A new method of approaching the problem
of drug and alcohol abuse has been taken
into schools in the Western Cape of South
Africa.

11. How is CfH changing lives?
Community
•raises the profile of the key issues in the
communities. Education sessions are visible,
sociable and inspiring – extending reach beyond
those directly impacted.
•uses skills learnt in other community activities, over
and above those delivered under the CfH.
•Regular events eg. Tournaments improving
community cohesion by providing a neutral
environment for discussion and communication.
•In BF, weekly radio programme where coaches
provide health advice and education. Two-thirds
of the population tune into the radio giving CfH
opportunity for wide dissemination of messages.
•Increased social capital through training of
community members, who can then play a
community leadership role.
•Engaging communities mean encouragement to
youth and children to pursue sports & education.

12. Appendix 2 – The CfH Theory of Change
Activity
Football based youth programme incorporating life skills, numeracy and educational support.
Positive Youth Development
Positive, sustained adult-youth relationships. Skill-building activities for youth.
Youth participation and leadership. Safe settings. Long-term duration.
Outcomes
Develop psycho-social domain.
Confidence, character, competence, caring connection.
Provides the underpinning knowledge required to make good decisions.
Develops literacy and numeracy.
Positive Behaviour
Delay sexual debut. Limited the number of partners. Know each other’s status.
Use condoms. Respect your partner. Avoid risky behaviour. Be aware of the impact of alcohol and
drug use. Stay in education. Seek employment.
Social Challenges
Early sexual activity. Childhood pregnancy. Multiple and concurrent partners. Lack of condom use.
Intergenerational and transactional sex. Alcohol and drug misuse. Gender violence. Lack of
education. Unemployment.
Millennium Development Goals
Goal 2: Achieve Universal Education
Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases