Silver Innings FC

r development concept

Objective:
To Promote Football

To Promote Sports for Development and provide Life Skills among children’s and youths

To create awareness about elder issues among children’s and youths in community, schools and colleges and thereby create a generation friendly society

To create Inter generational bonding



Background:

The process of urbanisation and globalization have led to demographic , socio-cultural and economical changes in India , disintegration of joint family system and increase in cost of living which is thereby resulting in decrease in opportunities for grandparents and grandchildren to interact and socialize , resulting in increase in intergenerational gap and disharmony. To bridge this gap, Fusion and Synergy between Youth & Elders will help us to achieve our vision of creating elder friendly world where ageing becomes a positive and rewarding experience. This intergeneration activity with Sport For Development (S4D) concept through Football is tried for first ever time for promoting Elder Cause and to create awareness about Elder Abuse in civil society. Need :
Sports programme promotes social inclusive and serve as effective tool for social mobilization. Access to and participation in sport is a human right and essential for individuals of all ages to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. Sport and physical activity are essential for improving health and well being. Appropriate forms of sport and physical activity can play a significant role to prevent as well as help cure many of the world's leading noncommunicable diseases. Evidence shows that regular participation in physical activity programmes provides all people with a wide range of physical, social and mental health benefits. Such active participation also interacts positively with strategies to improve diet, discourage the use of to***co, alcohol and drugs and enhance functional capacity. Consequently, physical activity is an effective method of disease prevention for the individual and, for nations, a cost-effective way to improve public health. Sport, recreation and play are a fun way to learn values and lessons that will last a life time. They teach team work, discipline, respect, and the coping skills necessary to ensure that children develop into caring individuals. They help prepare young people to meet the challenges they will face and to take leadership roles within their communities. Sport and recreation programs are creating environments that are safe and promote stable relationships between children and adults, and among children themselves. Sport as a development instrument becomes even more interesting if it is durably embedded in the local society. Sport and play are important to UNICEF because they are vital elements in the health, happiness and well-being of children and young people. Research shows that participation by young people in structured recreation contributes to their physical and psychosocial development and can teach basic values and life skills - hard work, discipline, teamwork, fairness and respect for others - that shape individuals' behaviour and help them to pursue their goals and respond appropriately to events in their own lives and in those of others. UNICEF's Sport for Development (S4D) work is grounded in its mission to ensure that every child has the right to recreation and play in a safe and healthy environment - a right founded in Article 31 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child - as well as the right to sport, which is specifically contained in other international treaties. It also recognizes sport-based initiatives as a programme strategy to achieve specific development objectives, including, most notably, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Football is one of the most patronized sports around the world. All around the globe, organisations driven by local social entrepreneurs, use the power of the beautiful game to positively transform their communities. Development through Football is becoming an important issue within the development cooperation and social work sectors. Fuelling positive social change through Football has become a fundamental pillar in and carries a significant responsibility for the society as a whole. Due to its values, popularity, universal nature and appeal, football -in all its forms- can be seen as the ideal instrument for achieving social and human development targets and tackling many of the major challenges faced by society today. Football has a positive effect on those who play it, both in terms of health (physical activity) and life skills (the values of team sport). A perfect analogy to life ,The principles and values of street- or simply informal football played within Development through Football programmes include fair play, team spirit, tolerance, inclusion, and understanding, both of oneself but also of the others, regardless of their status as opponents or team mates. The 2010 FIFA World Cup which was staged in Africa for the first time ever has strengthen the connection between football and social development even more and thus offer a great chance to showcase the full potential of football. In India organsiation like Dream A Dream has training module “The Dream Way of Working with Children” highlights values like respect for children, progressive ways of getting children to follow instructions, and making learning for children fun, interesting and participatory. Also Magic Bus India works for change through football ,finds the potential and abilities within each child, empowering them to build strong and aware communities free of religious and caste prejudice and gender divides. It believes in the child’s right to a positive future in which they make their own choices and take responsibility for change. The Silver Innings pilot project with Alfresco FC in 2011 and 2012 “Foot D Ball to Stop Elder Abuse” recognizes the potential that football and other sports can unleash when systematically included in processes of social change. Football especially has the power to unite people and cultures all over the world. As a team sport it promotes fairness and tolerance, leapfrogs gender boundaries and fosters mutual understanding, thereby contributing to the positive development of personality and character. With this successful Pilot project SIF wishes to engage youths, empowering them with skills to positively develop their personality and character, thus increasing opportunities to tackle their life and enhancing a strong civil society. SIF will utilize skill and wisdom of our Elder and use a holistic approach to promote ‘Sports for Development’ through Football. We call upon members of Civil Society , Youth Clubs , Sports Club , UN Agencies, Educational Institutions , Corporate , Media ,Senior Citizens Organization’s and Senior Citizens to come ahead and support our unique pilot project “Silver Innings FC ” by Participating , Organizing matches , Capacity building training , Train the Trainer , Media promotion and most important by Funding and Sponsoring. Contact: [email protected]