Football Works project meeting in Leverkusen

Football Works project meeting in Leverkusen

On the 28th and 29th of May, Football Works project partners gathered at the stadium of the neo-champions Bayer 04 Leverkusen to be updated on every partner’s work and further steps of the project that use power of football for the successful reintegration of vulnerable target groups towards the labour market.

Day 1

On the 28th, during the whole day were discussed updates from the clubs, as well as open conversation to try to solve possible probelms and difficulties.

In the afternoon the discussion moved on the Work Packages and the next steps for the project, including the upcoming tournament, taking place in Serbia in September.

EFDN and the ‘Dienst Justitiële Inrichtingen’ have joined forces to organise an event that not only includes a tournament but also a conference that brings together practitioners from the various best practice programmes from across Europe. The annual Football Works Festival is a platform for football clubs, social organisations and prisons from across Europe that offer work placement programmes.

After the 7th edition in Veenhuizen and the 8th edition in the PI Krimpen on the Ijssel, both in the Netherlands, the 9th edition will take place in Serbia, in the prison of Sremska Mitrovica.

After the meeting the whole group could enjoy a nice stadium tour of the BayArena, where the meeting took place.

Day 2

On the 29th, all of the present club representative visited the prison of JVA Wuppertal-Ronsdorf, seeing the facilities and organisation of in general prisons in Germany, but also this prison specifically.

Football Works

Football brings people and organisations together and has a social power that can inspire people to take positive steps in their own development. The football clubs can play an important role in this by offering social internships and work guidance programmes. It also offers vulnerable people a social safety net and makes them feel part of the society again. ‘Werk via Sport DJI’ and EFDN acknowledge that football can be very important for detainees to successfully return to society after their detention, thereby reducing nuisance, crime and insecurity.