Refugee Soccer Development Program (Football United) University of New South Wales, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sydney, NSW This project also relates to: culture and values. Football United uses a multi-program long-term Families approach that facilitates working with individuals Youth and communities with varying needs. The program Community Harmony does not take a one-size-fits-all approach. The Education refugees not only participate, but also create The Refugee Youth Soccer Development Program, opportunities for themselves and their or Football United provides advice and assistance communities. This fosters in them a sense of to existing soccer programs to facilitate the contributing and belonging. recruitment and participation of refugees. New Football United aims to: coaching and referee clinics are established under the program to provide special opportunities for build social cohesion within refugee refugee youth to build their skills and social communities networks. promote social inclusion and address issues of disaffection among refugees Vacation camps and community events are held to build harmony and social integration build social cohesion by enabling participants to across communities within New South attend regular gatherings and develop friendships. Wales through support for soccer The program particularly targets refugee youth development who have recently arrived in Australia. The 200 or provide empowerment, develop so program participants to date have been from a leadership, and build resilience in young wide range of countries including Sudan, Iraq, refugees Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Bosnia, Sierra Leone, Liberia contribute to promoting health in refugee and Burma. youth Football United aims to empower and develop the contribute to the body of research on refugee community. One-off sporting events have youth resilience and social cohesion in their place but can create additional problems refugee communities because individuals can participate in them on the contribute to the growth and day, but may feel even more isolated than before development of soccer in Australia. when the event is over. By building a strong Key partners in the program are the Auburn support base within the community and the soccer Migrant Resource Centre, Blacktown City Council, fraternity so that a long-term sustainable program Blacktown Migrant Resource Centre, Fairfield can be run, refugees can create new social and Migrant Resource Centre, Liverpool Migrant support networks for themselves. Resource Centre, the Ser vice for the Treatment This community building is particularly important and Rehabilitation of Tor ture and Trauma for newly arrived refugees who face a range of Survivors (STARTTS), Police and Community Youth challenges such as isolation, language barriers, Clubs, football coaches and clubs throughout trauma, and the need to learn about Australian Sydney. Godfrey Mfashingabo from Auburn
Refugee Soccer Development Program (Football United) University of New South Wales, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sydney, NSW This project also relates to: Families Youth Community Harmony Education The Refugee Youth Soccer Development Program, or Football United provides advice and assistance to existing soccer programs to facilitate the recruitment and participation of refugees. New coaching and referee clinics are established under the program to provide special opportunities for refugee youth to build their skills and social networks. Vacation camps and community events are held to build social cohesion by enabling participants to attend regular gatherings and develop friendships. The program particularly targets refugee youth who have recently arrived in Australia. The 200 or so program participants to date have been from a wide range of countries including Sudan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Bosnia, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Burma. Football United aims to empower and develop the refugee community. One-off sporting events have their place but can create additional problems because individuals can participate in them on the day, but may feel even more isolated than before when the event is over. By building a strong support base within the community and the soccer fraternity so that a long-term sustainable program can be run, refugees can create new social and support networks for themselves. This community building is particularly important for newly arrived refugees who face a range of challenges such as isolation, language barriers, trauma, and the need to learn about Australian culture and values. Football United uses a multi-program long-term approach that facilitates working with individuals and communities with varying needs. The program does not take a one-size-fits-all approach. The refugees not only participate, but also create opportunities for themselves and their communities. This fosters in them a sense of contributing and belonging. Football United aims to: build social cohesion within refugee communities promote social inclusion and address issues of disaffection among refugees build harmony and social integration across communities within New South Wales through support for soccer development provide empowerment, develop leadership, and build resilience in young refugees contribute to promoting health in refugee youth contribute to the body of research on youth resilience and social cohesion in refugee communities contribute to the growth and development of soccer in Australia. Key partners in the program are the Auburn Migrant Resource Centre, Blacktown City Council, Blacktown Migrant Resource Centre, Fairfield Migrant Resource Centre, Liverpool Migrant Resource Centre, the Ser vice for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Tor ture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS), Police and Community Youth Clubs, football coaches and clubs throughout Sydney. Godfrey Mfashingabo from Auburn