Empowerment Project launched in Cape Town

Six of the pitches built as part of the World Cup legacy vision last year have been chosen as sites for a new Coaching for Hope project, launched at Athlone Stadium on 24th June 2011.

Women and girls from disadvantaged communities in Cape Town helped to shape the project from the very beginning. In May 2011, they identified the major issues that affecting their communities, including a lack of access to playing fields and support from male-dominated structures; alcohol and substance misuse; teenage pregnancies; gender-based violence, rape and fear for their personal safety.

Coaching for Hope development worker Lucy Mills reflected: “One of the most profound pieces of information to come out of this workshop was the notion that if you know who you are and what you want, you can navigate yourself through vulnerable situations and be in the right frame of mind to reach out for positive opportunities.”

The Empowerment of Women and Girls Through Football project will recruit, train and deploy 30 female coaches. These trainers will then support girls in their communities to develop life skills through women-led football.

Each of the six community-based partner organisations involved in the project has recruited female coaches to engage girls in a different area of Cape Town: Soccer 4 Hope (Gugulethu), Bread of Life (Langa), Making an Impact Through Sport (Mitchell's Plain), Northern Suburbs Ladies Football Club (Bishop Lavis), Isiqalo Foundation (Ocean View/Masiphumelele) and Lwandle Sports Development.

The coaches who took part in the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation clinic at the end of June are now putting their learning in to practice by running two or three football sessions for 60 girls aged 12-18 in their communities each week.

The project, which is funded by the City of Cape Town and The FA, will initially run for 20 weeks. It is hoped that this will lead to SAFA Cape Town affiliated women's clubs being set up at each of the six sites.

Supporting women's football in Mali

In November 2009, two female coaches from The FA joined us in Mali to deliver an advanced coaching course to 20 women.

Laura Harvey and Tracy Kevins led the training, which was held over three days at Djoliba FC, one of the biggest football clubs in Mali. Participants came from eight local disability organisations, women's and girls' leagues, local football teams and inclusion based projects.

The aim of the course was to support women's football in Bamako by building skills and learning new coaching techniques to deliver quality education on sexual health through sport. The course began with an opening ceremony, which was attended by some of the most influential individuals and organisations in Malian sport - including the Malian Football Federation, the National Olympic Committee of Mali, the President of football coaching in Mali, the President of the football league of Bamako, the General Secretary of disability sport in Mali, and the President of Djoliba FC.

The course participants had already completed varying levels of Coaching for Hope training from level one to level three since 2006, and building on their existing knowledge this course focused on developing advanced coaching skills to deliver crossover and communicate social messages to young people in their communities.

Bana Sidibe, who co-ordinates the Coaching for Hope programme in Mali, said "The course was delivered and attended by some of the most inspiring and dedicated people we work with and it was a complete success. The energy and enthusiasm of the local coaches is exemplary, and the pride in their work is obvious for all to see. Our relationship with The FA grows ever stronger when we get the opportunity to work together like this. Laura and Tracey delivered the course to a superb standard at all time and represented their organisation with professionalism and enthusiasm."

At the launch event: Karen Hills and Olivia Worsfold from the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation with the City of Cape Town's Director of Sport, Recreation and Amenities, Mr. Gert Bam and Thandeka Gqada, a Mayoral Committee member of the City of Cape Town.

Wembley Stadium to host launch of new module

Our new Coaching Women and Girls training module will enable volunteer coaches to lead sessions that teach life skills and empower girls to deal with challenges positively.

Guests including England Women’s Coach Hope Powell, BBC Commentator Jackie Oatley and coaches from Tottenham Ladies are joining us to launch this new programme at Wembley Stadium on 12th October 2011.

Find out more about the launch event (opens as a PDF) or contact Jane Carter for further details.

Laura and Tracy with one of the course participants in Mali.

A training session in Mali, November 2009.