I am working with the Jacobs Foundation at the moment on a life skills project and I have just come across these Soccer for Peace ideas from Futbol Con Corazon.
Soccer for Peace Methodology
The Soccer for Peace methodology uses soccer as a vehicle to attract children and teenagers to the organization, and provides them with the necessary mentoring and care to have a positive and lasting impact on their lives. With a different set of rules than conventional soccer, the methodology promotes gender equality and teaches conflict resolution.
Rules of the game
- A minimum of two girls and two boys per team.
- Each boy and girl participating in the program must play the same amount of time during the game.
- There are no referees. In their place are advisors (tutors), who act as facilitators. Conflicts that arise during the game must be solved by the players themselves.
- The first goal of each team must be scored by a girl.
- Children are encouraged to follow values, such as honesty, solidarity, respect and tolerance, and receive “Heart” stickers for doing so. They can also collect a “Heart” by scoring a goal during a game.
- The game consists of three periods. During the first period, all players agree to follow the rules of coexistence. During the second period, the game is played. During the third period, players evaluate themselves, as well as their opponents, and the final score is established.
- The advisor facilitates the agreements of coexistence during the first period and the self-evaluation in the third period. The advisor also mediates potential conflicts, and takes notes on the game.
- The winning team accumulates the most number of “Hearts”, which are then converted into points for the tournament’s scoreboard.
- If at the end of the tournaments, there is a draw, the team with the most “Hearts”, as a result of values applied during the game, will be declared the winner.
