OL Fondation

OL Fondation

MISSION:

Over the last 10 years, Olympique Lyonnais has worked to support the development of regional public interest projects. Through the OL Fondation and the club’s ‘sOLidarity’ fund, multi-year partnerships have been set up in the areas of sport for social inclusion, education, healthcare, employment and support for amateur sports. These two funds contributed more than €1.8 million during the 2017/18 financial year to these projects. In addition to the financial commitment, the club supports non-profit organisations by helping them to build a network and throwing a spotlight on their projects. This long-term commitment depends in particular on the involvement of Olympique Lyonnais male and female players.

The Foundation’s activities are based on three criteria:

• Rely on the skills and legitimacy of local associations or NGOs
• Establish partnerships over time to optimize their social impact
• Mobilise Olympique Lyonnais players (male and female) and staff, as well as the club’s partners, to highlight the projects and help them create new partnerships

For the 2018-2021 cycle, OL FONDATION has chosen to support three major causes:

1. – Insertion through sport: Sport dans la Ville.

One of the major players in the field of social insertion in France, Sport dans la Ville has used sport for 20 years to support more than 6,500 neighbourhood youths in their social and professional development. As a founding partner of Sport dans la Ville, the OL Foundation, during the 2018/19 season, chose to support the “StreetFootballWorld” tournament organised by the association for the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019, with the semi-finals and final taking place at Lyon’s Groupama Stadium. This tournament will allow more than 350 young people from all over the world to promote women’s sport, gender equality and football values. Various events have been organised throughout the year to allow young people from Sport dans la Ville to share unforgettable moments with both the male and female Olympique Lyon players.

• Education: Ma Chance, Moi Aussi

Winner of the call for projects fan initiative organized for the 10th anniversary of the OL Foundation, “Ma Chance, Moi Aussi” is a civic and social organization dedicated to providing educational support to French children from families with difficulties living in priority neighborhoods, from primary school to college level.

To date, Ma Chance, Moi Aussi has opened four centres in the Chambéry region, offering daily help to local children thanks to the association’s hired educators. Nearly 70 children participate in the organisations’ various programs: help with homework; exposure to music, sports, arts; vacations etc.

The OL Foundation supports Ma Chance Moi Aussi for setting roots in Lyon, through the opening of a centre in the city’s 8th district in 2018, as well as a future location at Groupama Stadium beginning in 2019.

Lyon players and the entire Olympique Lyonnais family will assist these children in their educational journeys.

• Assistance to sick or hospitalised people: TheFemme-Mère-Enfant Hospital.

OL Fondation has chosen to commit to a new healthcare partner during the 2018-2021 cycle: the Femme Mère Enfant hospital, renowned for its “Sport and health for sick children” global project and the first hospital in Europe to have a “Transition Space” dedicated to teenagers with chronic diseases. Numerous activities are organised throughout the year, especially with the women’s and men’s professional teams, as well as OL Academy players and educators, to work with young patients.

Opened in 2008, the Femme Mère Enfant hospital in Bron is the third-ranked pediatric hospital in France, and the largest outside the Ile-de-France region. It is the national reference centre for 20 rare diseases, with more than 80,000 consultations per year.

PROJECTS related to the Groupama Stadium:

Along with major partnerships, OL Fondation also initiates its own projects in relation to the new private Stadium of Olympique Lyonnais: the Groupama Stadium.

Corporate social responsibility is fully integrated into the Company’s business model. More than just a sports arena, Groupama Stadium is a catalyst for the eastern Lyon area and is positioned as a community innovation centre, a place for everyday life, enlivened by a social dimension. Innovative projects have already been implemented in the following areas:

• Employment, through a unique programme created by OL Fondation to organise job networking at the Stadium every 2 weeks between recruiters and candidates based on a specific methodology (skills requirements instead of CV)
• Entrepreneurship: VIP skyboxes are offered to local entrepreneurs creating their activity to host important meetings (partnership with Ronalpia and Waoup Shaker)
• Education: numerous events are organised within Groupama Stadium to provide educational activities to schools and children of the community. OL Fondation has implemented 6 beehives, our beekeeper holds workshops to raise awareness on the importance of biodiversity. Other workshops are held by OL employees to explain their jobs to children and cultivate vocations.

OL Fondation ORGANIZATION:

OL Foundation’s Board of Directors, chaired since 2018 by Camille Abily and Thierry Fremaux, define the organisation’s strategy and priorities for action. Composed of representatives from Olympique Lyonnais and qualified personalities such as Raymond DOMENECH and Sidonie MERIEUX, the board of directors meets regularly in committees to decide major partnerships, analyse calls for project submissions and define actions of general interest to set up during the season.

In order to carry out all the projects and organise the partnerships with OL Foundation collaborators, an operational team has been set in place:

Maëlle TRARIEUX: General Delegate

Christophe DURAND: Project Manager