Football “ball of friendship”: grant experience of the Pskov Children’s Fund

Football is gaining more and more popularity every year. Especially them “get sick» pupils of Pskov orphanages, for whom the next match is a way to break out of the boundaries of the familiar world, as well as the same “golden ticket»thanks to which many manage not only to make themselves known, but along with the cups and medals received, get support from famous coaches, and some lucky ones receive an offer to develop in this direction at a more professional level.

The project has another important component: the practical benefits that the participants receive. For example, a year ago, in the Center for Assistance to Children Without Parental Care, Pechorsky District (CRC Pechorsky District), a grand opening of a multifunctional sports ground took place. It was equipped with a specialized coating for the safe activities of children. It was possible to equip the site thanks to the funds of the grant project of the Pskov regional branch of the Russian Children’s Fund “Friendship Ball”, supported by the government of the Pskov region.

Since September last year, pupils of the CRC of the Pechora region will be able to train on a new safe surface. Previously, the sports ground was paved, which was inconvenient for active sports. Now, with the laying of a new coating, the guys will be able to spend time on the sports ground even more productively, and most importantly, safely, striving for new sports success!

Before that, within the framework of the project, football tournaments had already become traditional, in which pupils of educational institutions of this type could show their best players and compete for the cup of the best sports club.

Initially, the project was implemented using a grant from the President of the Russian Federation for the development of civil society provided by the Presidential Grants Fund.

We add that the football projects of the Children’s Fund were also supported last year by several organizations: the Government of the Pskov Region in the amount of 1,720,000 rubles, the SIESES Charitable Foundation in the amount of 2,900,000 rubles and the FIFA Foundation Community Program for two years in the amount of 5,114,818 rubles .

In total, pupils of ten boarding schools and students of seven rural schools of the region were involved in the project.

And the result?

Teachers note that children who regularly go in for football3 improve academic performance, develop personal qualities (sociability, the ability to establish contacts, leadership), which will be useful to them in independent life. This is confirmed by the results of the final psychological testing, which was conducted among all project participants.

Football pioneers

Football3 is a social version of football that helps solve pressing social problems. The game process consists of three parts: a pre-match discussion, where the children themselves determine the rules of the game, a football match and a post-match discussion with a reflection of the game.

The Children’s Fund is the only organization in Russia that actively implements this technology of working with children.

How can you support the project?

Pskov residents can send a donation for the development of this project, as well as learn more about the implementation of this project at website regional branch of the Children’s Fund.