Playing for Success has already helped three thousand children

Playing for Success has already helped three thousand children

“We have already helped three thousand children,” says Berbe Jonkheer about Playing for Success Eindhoven. The project has been in existence for ten years this year and PSV Eindhoven‘s Philips Stadium was one of the first locations in the Netherlands where a learning centre was established. To celebrate, Playing for Success Eindhoven is organising a special festival.

Berbe Jonkheer is centre manager and teacher at Playing for Success Eindhoven and guides children who participate in the program. She explains where the project originally came from. “In England, with various parties, including SKPO, SALTO, Lumens and PSV, which now form the foundation’s board, we went to a football club where the project was already running. There we saw that the project was a combination of well-being, education and top sport. We brought that idea to the Netherlands and then started in Eindhoven and Zwolle. That is why the project name is in English, “she says laughing.

Jonkheer explains what the Playing for Success project is. “We have children who can use support in the social-emotional area, for example for increasing self-confidence. School teachers give up the children and they start working with us twelve weeks after school. This happens at WOW locations, such as the Philips Stadium and the Park Theater. These are stimulating learning environments for children. For example, they do activities in our learning center in the stadium, but also in the PSV Museum and the dressing room. ”

Child’s individual attention
When the children are at the Philips Stadium, they receive individual attention. “That is also where the essence lies for us, that every child feels heard and seen. That is why we work with a smaller group of about 15 children. Under the supervision of a regular teacher and trainees as a coach. That vision was already there ten years ago and one-on-one attention is still central, ”says Jonkheer, who has been working at Playing for Success Eindhoven for a few years. “Nevertheless, things have changed in the ten years that we have existed. This is especially the case in the IT field. For example, children now work in a digital learning environment. In the past, we still worked with workbooks. But you have to keep up with the times, “Jonkheer continues.

In addition to having children work individually, it is also possible to participate as a class. Jonkheer tells how that works. “Sometimes it is not easy to get along with each other in a class. The class comes to the learning centre during school time and we try to create a more positive climate. ”

Festival
Over the years about three thousand children have already taken part in Playing for Success and Eindhoven location to organize a festival to celebrate the anniversary. “We have helped many children in the meantime. We thought it would be a good idea to hold a festival for all former students. We have already received a registration from a student who participated in 2009, “says Jonkheer enthusiastically.

Various activities will take place at the festival. This way you can measure how hard you are shooting, there is a Panna field and various creative workshops are offered. The day will end with drinks for the former employees and cooperation partners.