A few months back, we received a note from James Milligan of Social Conscience, who wanted to know how we could work together to support more soccer-based peacebuilding activities in northern Uganda.  Since then, his network has raised almost $2,000 to buy soccer balls, and other soccer equipment, for our project with the Youth Coalition for Peace, in Gulu and Amuru.

James had this to say about working with us:

“Our aim in working with OA Projects is to support their framework whereby youth who have been negatively impacted by conflict are helped to reintegrate into society using soccer as a platform to connect. Social Conscience is excited about this first partnership with OA Projects and working with them more in the future.”

A Fair Trade Soccer Ball from Social Conscience

We are proud to work with James and Social Conscience and would like to give a huge thanks to all of those who donated through their campaign. Stay tuned, here, for updates with the balls in action.

Info on Social Conscience:

Social Conscience is a social entrepreneurial business that is using the Fair Trade concept applied to sports balls to connect with impoverished workers and people, ideally youth, in developing nations and here at home. Through the making of Fair Trade soccer balls, Social Conscience is helping workers earn more money to support their families and thereby send their kids to school instead of the factories, while encouraging awareness locally in Canada.

On January 9th, two soccer players from Richmond put on a Play Soccer So They Can event in their hometown.  The game was a a mix of international level players and first-timers, and everyone had a good time and their share of shinning moments. Team Sari ended up defeating Team Masumi by one goal, but the final score wasn’t what truly matter as people came together for a common cause and new friendships were built — all through a simple game of soccer. In total, the group raised over $800 to support soccer-based peacebuilding in northern Uganda.

Group shot after the game. Masumi Turnbull

By Gavin Hollett

We are very excited to report that Play Soccer So They Can successfully launched this past year with participants from all over North America. From a pick up game by medical students at Queens University in Ontario ($100 raised) to a full scale tournament in Hollywood, California (over $500 raised), many people came together to play soccer so that war affected youth in northern Uganda can too. (The group in LA even produced a video, check it out here)

Although some groups that wanted to participate were unable to for various reasons, the Play Soccer So They Can community raised over $2,600 and continues to do so. Over the holidays, a grade 12 student in Victoria, BC, ran a soccer camp for younger students in her school to build support for soccer-based peacebuilding.  Additionally, a former University of Kentucky men’s player hosted a game this weekend in Richmond for soccer players wanting to support the youth in northern Uganda — they raised over $800 (pushing the total over $3,000)!

(students from Queen’s medical school after their game — credits to C. Newcombe)

Some of the other participating teams/games in 2009 were:

• Gordon Head Blazers (Victoria, BC)
• Bays United U14 Girls Team (Victoria, BC)
• Bays United Over 30 Women’s Team (Victoria, BC)
• University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) Women’s varsity soccer team
• NorthShore U14 Girls Caps (Vancouver)
• Richmond Men’s Premier Teams — Dragons vs. Ante Up (Vancouver, BC)
• Mall of America LUSH (Minnesota)
• University of Alberta Men’s soccer team in a game vs UVic Vikes (Edmonton, Alberta) — 1st recorded event
• Bays United Mens Div 1 (Victoria, BC)
• Boys and Girls Club (Nanaimo, BC)
• Cordova Bay Men’s team (Victoria, BC)

The funds raised by your collective efforts will be put to use during a 4-month project expansion in northern Uganda this year. Between April and July, OA will be working with our partner, the Youth Coalition for Peace, to continue to help establish a locally driven peacebuilding framework that connects war affected youth with local youth leaders to play soccer and to discuss important post-conflict issues related to community reintegration, peacebuilding and gender equity. The full project expansion proposal is available now here.

Click here for a short video that will give you a visual of how your funds will make an impact on the ground, during the upcoming project.

More photos and updates will come in the next few days as will more information about Play Soccer So They Can’s plans for 2010 and our budding partnership with a large youth soccer association in Vancouver, Canada.

A huge thanks to all who participated and helped kick start the community.

Play Soccer So They Can is still in it’s infancy but there has been an amazing amount of energy put in by a few committed individuals and groups. There will be a few more updates happening in the coming weeks but we wanted to let you all know about an upcoming Play Soccer So They Can tournament in Los Angeles. Becca, Jill, Dave, and Luke and a team of volunteers are putting on a 5 v 5 tournament on Saturday, October the 17th. From 2pm to 5pm, there will be a 6-team tournament at 13741 Mulholland Drive, Beverly Hills.

There is still space to get involved and support their efforts by either playing in the tournament, making a matching donation of a player or team, or by just spreading the word to teams/players in the area. Teams or individuals, or both, are invited.

This is the first ever Play Soccer So They Can event in Los Angeles. Would be awesome to have as much support as possible from those in the area.

Thanks so much.

(photo credit to Devin Holterman)

Just a quick note about the upcoming launch of the community Play Soccer So They Can, which aims to bring together people at least once a year to play soccer so that war-affected youth can too. Clubs, teams, and groups are invited to host a soccer game in their own community to build support for soccer-based community building in war-affected northern Uganda.

In our first year, and as it’s short notice for this year’s dates, we are suggesting that people host their game during the 25th-27th of September (the official dates) or on a weekend that is more convenient than for them. In the future, we will give enough notice so that teams participating across North America can host their event during the same weekend.

So far we have groups in Victoria, Nanaimo, Vancouver, Regina, Winnipeg, LA, Minnesota, Kingston (Ont.), and now in Kentucky and Mississippi! Some will be participating this weekend and some a bit later on this fall. Though, the first official game of Play Soccer So They Can happened last Sunday in Edmonton when the U of A men’s team invited their opponents (UVic) to join them to play soccer so that war-affected youth can. They raised about $400 and nobody (not even the organizer) broke a sweat.

This is what Matt Wilson (the organizer) said about his involvement:

Our goal is to eventually have every team across North America playing soccer so they can on the same weekend. This year our goal is $10,000 (4, weeklong, Soccer Camps for Peace for over 300 children) and we are still looking for some energy and love from individuals who want to host a simple game ($100 to $500 or more) in their community. I have attached a How To document that gives a ton more information on everything. If you can’t host a game, please pass on the info.

If you are organizing an event, please take photos so we can share your efforts with the rest of the community.

Email gavin@oaprojects.org if you have questions or to find out what to do after your event!

By Gavin
The Play Soccer So They Can community has gotten off to a decent start with a list of clubs, schools and individuals joining the effort. There is Bays United (Youth and Senior) in Victoria. There is every youth in the Boys and Girls Club, in Nanaimo (thanks to OA’s volunteer,Fernando Polanco) who is going to play soccer on the 25th of Sept. There are a few games planned for LA, thanks to OA Volunteer Becca Clyde. A few activities planned in Manitoba (thanks to OA volunteer Surien Fourie). And, there are a few other games planned (e.g., the U of A men’s soccer team, some more games in Victoria, and a few universities in Eastern Canada). Our eventual goal is to have every soccer game that is being played on a specific weekend (in Canada and the US), each year, to be about supporting war-affected youth. We genuinely believe that this community has the potential to be the easiest and most engaging way to make an actual difference in life of someone whose childhood was robbed due to a violent conflict. What’s easier than to play soccer so they can?

We need YOUR help to make this year’s start as big as possible. We are looking for individuals who want to engage their soccer communities in this year’s event. The dates are the 25th-27th of September, but if those don’t work for you, and other dates do, then pick a date that’s better (ideally, it’s fairly close to our dates!). Email gavin@oaprojects.org with your ideas.

I should also say that although we are going to be having a yearly PSSTC weekend, inspired and passionate individuals should host as many soccer games or events as they want. The more soccer being played in this capacity, the more support there will be for soccer-based community building in Northern Uganda and Rwanda.

The first look into OA’s Project Uganda, created by our friends at the Vancouver Film School:

Day 1 in Uganda

Hi, OA-ites,

You now have the opportunity to apply to join OA in Uganda for our upcoming project.

Check out the message below from OA Projects Liaison, Erin Hunt, for the application details:

OA is looking for volunteers to complete our team for the Pilot project in Uganda currently planned for April 15 to May 26, 2009.

All volunteers will be responsible for all personal costs associated with travel, room and board, vaccinations/medical requirements, visas, and be able to commit to at least three weeks overseas.

Applicants should be prepared to live and work in an area that is currently under travel advisory by the Canadian government with simple living conditions and basic infrastructure (running water or electricity will most likely not be available all the time).

All volunteers will be required to complete a small amount of pre‐project reading.

Applications should be sent to the Project Coordinator, Erin Hunt
hunt.erinlynn@gmail.com attention “Project Uganda Team” by Feb 28th.

Please see the specific position descriptions below:

1. Head Coach

Key responsibilities:
‐ helping design curriculum for training seminar and both weeklong camps
‐ for successful implementation of training seminar and two weeklong camps
‐ integrating the other volunteer coaches
‐ overseeing all activities related to training seminar and camps
‐ other tasks as needed

Experience required:
‐ must have related international development experience
‐ must have at least 2 years of soccer coaching experience
‐ experience working with individuals for whom English is a second language is preferred
‐ experience working in an inter‐cultural context is preferred
‐ must have past leadership experience

1‐2 Coaches for Coach Training Seminar and both weeklong camps

Key responsibilities:
‐ assisting head coach in implementation of training seminar
‐ providing support to head coach during both weeklong camps
‐ mentoring new coaches
‐ logistical support to training seminar and soccer camps
‐ Other tasks as needed

Experience Required:
‐ must have international travel experience
‐ must have coaching and leadership experience
‐ must be able to take direction
‐ experience working with individuals for whom English is a second language is preferred
‐ experience working in an inter‐cultural context is preferred
‐ not responsible for costs associated with daily volunteer tasks (e.g. daily transport to and from soccer field for camp related activities)

1‐2 “Other Volunteers” (engineers, film, international development)

‐ must have skills and experience to contribute to project (e.g. engineering, photography, film,
journalism, soccer coaching, international development, field research, etc.)
‐ minimum 3 week commitment
‐ key responsibilities will depend on experience and skill set
‐ total cost of volunteer would be $2,000 plus flights, visas and vaccinations (based on 3 weeks in country). Cost will cover in country expenses such as accommodation, per diems and project related
transport

Experience Required:
‐ experience working with individuals for whom English is a second language is preferred
‐ experience working in an inter‐cultural context is preferred