KICKFAIR’s Fresh Approach to Football Builds Young People’s Confidence and Leadership for democratic values in a diverse society
KICKFAIR’s Fresh Approach to Football Builds Young People’s Confidence and Leadership for democratic values in a diverse society
KICKFAIR
Partner
Germany
Location
4 years
Duration
Introduction
KICKFAIR’s innovative method creates spaces where young people co-organize and officiate football games.
Photo by: KICKFAIR e.V. / Jörg Jäger Fotografie.
Community details
Southern Germany might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of unequal opportunities. The Franconian region is generally known for being prosperous and wealthy. But when you dig beneath the surface, things are more complex. Nearly 25% of young Germans grow up with a social disadvantage according to the European Commission - mainly poverty, unemployment, or low levels of education.
About the project
KICKFAIR combines street football with a holistic educational approach and makes youth the protagonists of their learning environments. Young people take over different roles and tasks and acting as experts in their fields, they build confidence and – based on democratic values – they take over leadership in creating equal participation opportunities for everyone. To do so, things are done a bit differently. Street football matches are played with three halves: in the first half players from both teams meet in the dialogue zone having have a pre-match discussion to agree on rules, in the second half the match is played with no referee, and the final half brings everyone together again in the dialogue zone for a post-match discussion where fair play points are awarded equal of goals.
Photo by: KICKFAIR e.V. / Jörg Jäger Fotografie.
As for officiating, that is all done by the participants themselves too. The innovative approach enables young people to co-create inclusive spaces where everyone can equally join. Participants see their voices as valuable and taken seriously as experts. They build trust into their skills and confidence in their capacities to contribute to social changes- on the pitch and far beyond. Instead of being victimized, of the circumstances they were born into, participants actively shape their community and life. Part of KICKFAIR’s impact is to work with local schools to implement its holistic street football approach deep into their “DNA” fostering schools to become places of equal learning opportunities – and to involve adidas employees from the region are to volunteer in co-creating activities with the youth.
People from immigrant and refugee backgrounds, disabled people, and members of the LGBTQ+ community are particularly susceptible to this and experiencing social and economic exclusion. On top of that, the German school system divides children into different school types from an early age onwards, which creates stigma around the pupils of certain schools. KICKFAIR works with young people and schools in Franconia who are facing such challenges. Participants often think they are not good enough and are discriminated against because their lives do not look like the “typical” well-off person in their region.
Photo by: KICKFAIR e.V. / Jörg Jäger Fotografie.
Raising the Bar
KICKFAIR ensures that everyone, regardless of their social or economic status, has an opportunity to participate, learn, and grow through sport. Its project not only strengthens a sense of community but also encourages the values of fairness, respect, and teamwork. Through KICKFAIR’s work, young people in Germany are building confidence and seeing their voices as valuable on and off the pitch.
Requested grant amount
€280,000
Funding provided by the adidas Stiftung
Partner
