Community Champions League for a Better School Environment

Community Champions League for a Better School Environment

The 2024/2025 season of the Community Champions League is well underway! The somewhat different football league for secondary schools in Oslo has proven to have a good effect on the school environment in several schools. The league differs from other school leagues by a strong social focus – teams not only collect points by winning football matches, but also for good attitudes and social contributions in the local community.

Since 2018

Since 2018, Vålerenga Society has carried out the project for 9th grade at various secondary schools in Oslo. The project was originally a concept that was developed in collaboration with the European network of which the foundation is a part, called the “European Football for Development Network” (EFDN). Now the project is run by Vålerenga Samfund with support from OBOS.

League with a social focus

In the Community Champion League, participants not only receive points for the league for results on the football field, but also for acting in a good Fair Play spirit, showing good attitudes and contributing to the local community around their school. Doing something positive for the local community can be anything from picking up rubbish, contributing extra to a good environment at school or visiting old people’s homes. Here, only creativity can set the limits!

In addition to the league play that takes place outside the schools, gatherings are offered at Intility Arena for the students who participate in the project. These gatherings consist of kick-offs, themed gatherings and closing events. The schools that participate also offer “Vålerengatimen”, which is a teaching lesson at their school with topics such as Vålerenga against Racism, inclusion and good attitudes. Here it is also with players from the women’s and/or men’s team.

– Makes a big difference for several of the students both academically and socially

The project has received good feedback from both the management and environmental therapists from the various schools that have participated. The management at Haugerud School says that the project makes a big difference for several of the students both academically and socially, that it strengthens the psychosocial environment and prevents exclusion. The reason for this is, among other things, that facilitating cooperation across classes and genders makes school life safer for students.

Furthermore, it is pointed out that winning matches is not necessarily the most important thing with this tournament variant, but to show good team spirit, Fair Play and humanity. The school experiences that it gives the pupils the opportunity to cooperate and to practice making an effort for others, to contribute to the community.

New this year – also offers for 10th grade

CCL has originally been a project that has been carried out in the 9th grade. Several of the schools that have participated in the project have expressed a desire to continue the project to the 10th grade, as they believe that the project helps the students to find motivation to do better both academically and socially.

Environmental worker at Lambertseter school, Rune Kjernsmo, says the following:

“We have experienced that CCL has had a very positive effect on our students over the past two years. Where motivation is often low for school, the project has led to increased attendance, participation and a better school environment. The students want to participate, they are proud to be able to represent the school, and attitudes have generally improved,” he says.

At Linderud School, they can point to similar experiences after participating in the project for the past three years.

“By participating in CCL, with a strong focus on the social aspect, we have seen an increased well-being in the classroom, increased motivation in the classroom and role models for the younger students. We find that such a project in the 10th grade can help build character, as well as continue to keep motivation up among the students, explains environmental team leader at Linderud school, Ser Laurentz Malto.

At the request of several schools, the foundation has, in addition to the ordinary CCL project aimed at 9th grade, in the 2024/2025 season, initiated a separate project aimed at 10th grade where those who participate in the project meet students from local schools and train together.