Legia Warsaw joins the European Football for Development Network
EFDN is pleased to announce that Legia Warsaw and the Legia Foundation have joined the European Football for Development Network.
Fundacja Legii (The Legia Foundation- “Foundation”) is an independent, non-profit organisation founded in 2015 by Legia Warsaw, the biggest sports club in Poland established in 1916. Legia Foundation was the first foundation operating within a football club in Poland. Nowadays, the Foundation is becoming more recognisable, respected and innovative organisation with considerable impact not only on the local communities, but also throughout the country.
Legia is fully aware of the significant role it plays in the society and the impact it can create through community and social responsibility programmes. The image of the club is influenced not only by on-pitch performance, but also by community work outside the stadium. The Foundation aims to bring help to the people in need and disadvantageous conditions in Poland. Therefore, it offers various types of single actions, long-term community programmes, as well as direct financial and in-kind support. The Foundation and the club itself, see themselves as a role model, trying to encourage, and motivate everyone to join the great Legia Warsaw family and be #ReadyToHelp.
Because “every day is good to start helping others”!
The Foundation is aware that sport possess tremendous power and is capable to motivate, educate and inspire people all over the world. Thus, Legia Foundation wants to fully exploit the potential of sport, in particular football, while implementing their initiatives. Currently, the CSR activities cover the entire Poland. The Foundation has also supported beneficiaries from Kazakhstan, Croatia, Uganda, Republic of South Africa and Zambia.
Mission:
The mission is to implement and support initiatives, which aim to improve the living conditions of families in need from Poland. Furthermore, the Foundation is committed to work toward reducing the barriers of inequality and contribute to the quality of people’s lives. We are aware of the tremendous power of football and its capabilities to unite people, and encourage them to bring help.
Programmes:
The activities include projects in the field of sport, education, social integration and health. Since 2015, the community programmes have reached over 2244 beneficiaries. The Foundation has organised and/or participated in 97 projects and other actions, including 7 long-term programmes, which will be continued and 90 single actions addressed to the specific target groups.
The projects are mostly focused on children and youth. Legia Foundation is aware that children are one of the most vulnerable groups of local communities, therefore the objective is to deliver programmes, which create life-changing opportunities.
Additionally, programmes are delivered to parents, elderly people, as well as people with physical disabilities to encourage them to actively participate in everyday life.
The community activities are focused on the following strategic themes:
- Social and physical activation through sport.
- Integration of different communities, youth and elderly people.
- Children and youth education. Developing pathways to succeed through the power of sport and learning.
- Care for the future and good start in the lives of youth from the underprivileged communities.
- Supporting disabled people and their social activation in day-to-day lives.
- Creation of equal opportunities (for children and families from different environments)
Curently, Legia Foundation delivers 6 long-term CSR Programmes:
“Korki z Legią” (Tutoring Sessions with Legia) was developed to provide appropriate educational support for young people (17-19 in the form of free, 6-month tutoring sessions under the care of specialised teachers.
“Szkoła Językowa” (Language School) is a community programme targeted at children and youth, members of local community centres for underprivileged children. This programme aims at equalisation of educational opportunities by increasing their language skills.
“Zróbmy Razem Lepsze Miasto” (Let’s Make a Better City Together) is an umbrella project for a number of activities.
It includes, among others:
- Systematic support for local daily support centres
- Providing financial support to organise winter and summer holidays for underprivileged children.
- Free sports activities during winter and summer holidays
- Family picnics
- Christmas dinner for elderly living alone
“Kibicuj z Klasą” (Support with Class) the objective of this initiative is to encourage young people to bring help to the local communities in which they live. Throughout this programme, children and youth can attend one Legia Warsaw home game for free. In addition, groups which will demonstrate their work for their local communities, have a chance to win free tickets for chosen Legia Warsaw match.
“Akademia Samodzielności” (Academy of Self-reliance) is a series of workshops for children in the age of 6-15. Activities are realised in a series of five, 2 hours long modules, during which participants are instructed, among others, how to behave in the event of threats to their health, how to prepare for a field trip, or how to provide first aid.
“Zima i Lato w Mieście” (Winter and Summer in the City) free of charge sports activities over winter and summer holidays periods, designed to ensure that children have possibilities to be physically active and do sport in a safe environment.
We are looking forward to a successful cooperation with Legia Foundation.
Legia Warsaw – Winter and Summer in the City
