Werder Bremen celebrates two decades social responsibility

Werder Bremen celebrates two decades social responsibility

On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of “100 Schulen – 100 Vereine” (100 Schools – 100 Clubs), the programme with which Werder Bremen launched its social commitment in 2002 is merging into SPIELRAUM.

“SV – that stands not only for Sport-Verein, but also for social responsibility.” It is a phrase coined by Werder’s former managing director and club president Klaus-Dieter Fischer, and it has never lost its validity to this day. On the contrary.

Start of a success story

Honorary President Klaus-Dieter Fischer talking to students of a Werder programme.
20 years ago, in November 2002, SV Werder Bremen started a project that was unique in Germany at that time: 100 schools – 100 clubs. The initiator and now honorary president Klaus-Dieter Fischer said at the time that the programme was intended to promote sport in the region and fulfill the club’s social responsibility for fair play, anti-discrimination, and violence prevention.

It was the start of a success story. The 200 places, which were filled in no time, were increased to 111 for the association’s anniversary a few years later. In addition, 25 kindergartens, primary schools, social institutions and training companies were added to the institutions now operating as “100% partners”. The variety of programmes grew rapidly, also thanks to the support of the AOK Bremen-Bremerhaven and the Ammerland dairy. In 2007 Werder launched the campaign “100% fit school”, followed in 2009 by the Diaper League, the establishment of the Werder Foundation to be able to support partners financially, and the campaign “Werder goes Ehrenamt”. With “Professionals at School”, Bundesliga players regularly came to schools. And: SV Werder quickly made a name for itself in Germany.

Spielraum as a milestone and continuation

SPIELRAUM ambassador Manuel Mbom at a SVW football pitch (Photo: Holzmann).
A lot has changed since then. The promotion of sport as an instrument to inspire people, bring them together and allow them to participate in society has always remained the core of what we do. This is also the case with SPIELRAUM. Developed between 2018 and 2021, the concept was presented just under a year ago. The goal is to get children and young people moving, if possible 365 days a year. To achieve this, the SVW is building networks in city districts, so-called SPIELRÄUME, which always consist of daycare centres, primary and secondary schools, sports clubs and social sponsors, in order to provide children with access to sport during childcare hours, leisure time and holiday periods.

Bringing together many ideas and existing projects in SPIELRAUM was a green-white milestone. SPIELRAUM is a complete approach that takes the basic idea of 100 schools – 100 clubs to a new level. And, as in 2002, Werder’s idea has found supra-regional resonance. In February 2022, the DFL Foundation founded “Bundesliga bewegt”, an initiative for all first and second division clubs that builds on the basic idea of SPIELRAUM and was co-initiated by the Green-Whites and SC Freiburg. Not to be forgotten: Werder’s partnership with basketball record champion ALBA BERLIN within the framework of SPORT VERNETZT, in the course of which SPIELRAUM will also grow.

A logical next step is now the transfer of “100 schools – 100 clubs” to the SPIELRAUM concept. It is the declared aim of SV Werder Bremen to open further SPIELRAUMEs in Bremen and Lower Saxony in the next few years, also with the help of active partners, in order to strengthen sport and thus social cohesion in the region in the long term, as has been the case for the past 20 years.

SV Werder Bremen’s CSR work is implemented with the support of our CSR partners. They have been sponsoring projects and programmes for years and thus make a valuable contribution to the implementation of the social and societal commitment of the Green-Whites. Information on our sponsors can be found here.