Project details
Barça Foundation – Against Violence
‘FutbolNet’ is a methodology of the Barça Foundation that uses football as a tool to promote values among young people and to create favorable conditions in order to prevent violence.
The objective of the FutbolNet project is to provide support to children and young people by fostering integration and social cohesion and by creating favourable conditions for violence prevention by using sport as an educational tool. FutbolNet is a tool designed to make a big difference in the communities where it is implemented. The dimensions of its social impact vary in each context, depending on each specific disposition and the cultural context of the community, where it is being implemented. In previous projects, the programme positively contributed to the local community in many different ways, such as:
- Improving the skills of participants with conflict-resolution techniques.
- Improving the respectful behaviour of participants towards others and their environment.
- Improving the participants’ school performance.
- Knowledge transfer of educational methodologies and curriculum to local schools.
The key of the FutbolNet methodology is dialogue. With it, players do not only enter a relationship of respect and mutual understanding with each other, but they also acquire self-confidence and a sense of responsibility. The project’s beneficiaries are groups of children and youngsters between the ages of 8 and 16, always in mixed-gender groups.
FutbolNet has been present in:
- Catalonia, in 48 different towns and cities, in collaboration with their provincial and local councils.
- Iraq, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, in collaboration with SHELL.
- Lebanon, in collaboration with the UEFA Foundation.
- Brazil, in collaboration with the MAPFRE Foundation.
- Argentina, in collaboration with the Leo Messi Foundation.
- 36 African countries, in collaboration with the International Olympic Committee.
- Nepal, Bangladesh and Indonesia, in collaboration with UNICEF and within the 1in11-project framework.
- Colombia, in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank and the City Council of Cartagena.
- Mexico, in collaboration with the Rafa Márquez Foundation.
- Costa Rica, in collaboration with the Scotiabank. There will be 18 Scotiabank ‘FutbolNet Festivals’ until 2021 in such countries as Costa Rica, Peru, Chile, Colombia, and El Salvador.
