Using football against child labour

Football resource kit – Using football in child labour elimination and prevention projects

The Resource Kit was developed in collaboration with FIFA and it seeks to underline how football can be used as a recreational activity in child labour elimination and prevention projects.

Instructional material | 13 June 2014
 
In the context of the 2014 Red Card to Child Labour Campaign and the World Cup in Brazil, IPEC is re-launching the 2013 edition of the “Football Resource Kit”. The first edition of the Football Resource Kit was launched in 2010 around the World Cup in South Africa. The Resource Kit was developed in collaboration with FIFA and it seeks to underline how football can be used as a recreational activity in child labour elimination and prevention projects. Many child labourers have suffered traumatic situations that have had significant physical, psychological and emotional effects on their personal and social development. Sports and physical recreation and especially football – the most popular sport in the world – can support the healing process. This new edition has been updated and features the new global estimates.

This resource kit is made up of a series of modules to assist implementing partners and individuals in using football to support the rehabilitation and education of (former) child labourers, to prevent at-risk children from falling into situations of child labour, and to help other vulnerable children. It also explores constructive and healthy ways of encouraging children to play together, for example by linking football activities with formal education and sports programmes and integrating basic education activities into football coaching.

The programme is intended to be flexible and adaptable to different geographical and/or cultural contexts and to formal and informal settings. It targets girls and boys of all ages based on the premise that children aged 5 to 17 are affected by child labour.

The resource kit contains an user’s guide and five modules.  You can download the full resource kit here or module by module below.


  USER'S GUIDE
The User’s Guide is key to understanding the project’s kit’s focus, objectives and approach. It highlights the important role of education and advocacy in child labour prevention and elimination and IPEC’s intentions to broaden the services it offers children to include sport and recreation. It covers the main elements that implementing agencies should keep in mind when working with children in education and recreational and sports activities, particularly in terms of group management.

CHILD LABOUR AND THE RIGHT OF CHILDREN TO PLAY
This module sets out the overall context of the project within the broader framework of the United Nations initiative “Sport for Development and Peace”. It describes the causes and consequences of child labour and stresses the need for it to be tackled urgently. It introduces IPEC and its work to prevent and eliminate child labour globally. A key element of this work is to ensure that children affected by child labour or who are at risk of becoming so can benefit from the same fundamental rights as all other children, including their right to play and to enjoy recreational and organized sport.

COACHING YOUNG AND INEXPERIENCED PLAYERS
This module complements the main football coaching manual described above by providing additional guidance and advice to the coaches of young and inexperienced players. It highlights the attributes of good football coaches and provides a series of tips and hints on coaching the sport.

MOBILIZING COMMUNITIES AND PARTNERS
A guide for implementing agencies

This module is crucial for organizations implementing a football-related project. It highlights the importance of involving as many community groups and members as possible in the project through volunteerism. Volunteerism is reinforced throughout the modules as it underpins the sustainability of project outcomes in the communities concerned.

FOOTBALL COACHING MANUAL
One of the first acts in launching project activities is to get in touch with the national football federation and its regional and local associations to establish contact and seek support for key activities, particularly the training of coaches, referees and administrators and to ensure the sustainability of football teams, clubs, leagues and competitions after the project is over.

CODE OF CONDUCT AND GOOD PRACTICE
The code of conduct for football-related projects was developed during the pilot project in Sialkot, Pakistan. It is important in all projects that deal with children, particularly very young and vulnerable children, that there is an agreed set of minimum standards of behaviour by those in responsible positions. In addition, because the projects are based on football activities, the beneficiaries themselves need to understand the importance of fair-play and respect for all those involved in the game, including their coaches, the officials and their opponents.