VSS (Virtual Soccer Schools)’s Post

Back to school and autumn sports season: Tips to help keep kids safe in new environments! As kids head back to school and autumn fall sports, it's important to create safe and positive environments. Parents and guardians should check in regularly, get to know coaches, and educate themselves about abuse prevention. Coaches and sport administrators should recognize inappropriate behavior, habits and risk factors early and help prevent issues like bullying or hazing. Some key steps can be: >> For Parents and Guardians: Check in regularly: Talk to your child about their experiences and feelings. Get to know the coach: Ask questions and build a relationship. Educate yourself: Learn about abuse prevention and support your child. >> For Coaches and Sport Administrators: Recognize inappropriate behavior: Address it promptly to prevent escalation. Conduct necessary background checks: Make informed decisions while making new recruitment of team volunteers, assistant coaches, and other staff based on your organizations’ or government’s protocol Take appropriate training courses: Learn how to create a positive and inclusive environment, not only for yourself but all your staff. #Halt4Kids project and the consortium partners support and promote all safe practices which can help protect children and vulnerable youth from all kinds of abuse and risk. We thank the U.S. Center for SafeSport for creating an excellent guide book for parents, guardians and coaches for helping create a safe environment in sports. More details about the above resources can be found at: https://lnkd.in/dar8RGVP #safeguarding #childprotection #childsafety #safeguardingtoolkit #USCenterforSafeSport Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) European University Cyprus Unió de Federacions Esportives de Catalunya Aps Asd Margherita Sport e Vita ASVÖ Salzburg European Gymnastics

Celebrating England’s Football Success: Inspiring the Next Generation ⚽🌟 England's recent progression in Euro 2024 has brought joy and pride to our nation. But beyond the celebrations (and hopefully trophy🤞) , there's a real opportunity to inspire and engage with our children, to promote a positive long-standing relationship with sport! Witnessing footballing heroes light up the European stage like West Midlands finest Jude Bellingham, provides inspiration and desire to the younger generation, but helps to promote health, happiness, and holistic development among our youth. Here’s how: 1. Promoting Physical Fitness 🏃♀️ Sports like football play a key role in keeping children physically active and fit. Regular participation helps improve cardiovascular health, muscle development and instills a habit of regular exercise from an early age. 2. Teaching Life Skills & Teamwork 🤝 Football isn't just about scoring goals; it's about learning teamwork, leadership, discipline, and perseverance. These essential life skills can help children in all aspects of their lives, both on and off the field. 3. Enhancing Mental Wellbeing 🌈 Physical activity is a proven stress-buster. Engaging in sports helps children manage their emotions, reduces anxiety, and improves overall mental health. Clubs and teams also provide a support network and a sense of belonging. 4. Boosting Social Connections & Confidence 🌍 Team sports foster friendships and improve social skills. They also build self-esteem and confidence, as children learn to trust their abilities and work together towards common goals. 5. Creating Role Models & Aspirations 🌟 Watching their favorite football players succeed gives children role models to look up to. It shows them that through dedication and hard work, they too can achieve greatness – on the pitch and in life. As we revel in England's football success, let’s use this momentum to build healthier and more active communities for our youth. Whether it’s through school programs, local clubs, or community events, we have the power to cultivate a love for sports that will benefit our children for a lifetime. Let’s not just relish the victories of today, but also invest in the champions of tomorrow. 🎉⚽ #EnglandFootball #YouthInspiration #ActiveLifestyle #SportForAll #HealthyChildren #CommunityEngagement #FutureChampions

🌟 VSS (Virtual Soccer Schools) Empowers Grade 4 Boys from ACS International Schools with #PremierLeague Superstar Alex Iwobi from Fulham Football Club! On February 29th, 2024, VSS (Virtual Soccer Schools) hosted an impactful session with Grade 4 Boys from ACS International Schools, ushering them into a world of #inspiration, #resilience, and #teamwork. With a total of 40 enthusiastic students, aged between 9 to 10 years old, the session delved into crucial topics ranging from tackling bullying to fostering a winning football mentality, all while addressing the challenges of #OnlineAbuse. Key Discussion Points: #Bullying and #Resilience: Alex Iwobi, Nigerian international and Fulham Football Club player, shared candidly about his personal journey, including facing online bullying from fans following a challenging performance in the final of this year’s AFCON. Despite the adversity, Iwobi drew strength from his support system, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and self-belief in overcoming setbacks. #Teamwork and #Respect: Reflecting on his upbringing in the Arsenal academy, Iwobi emphasized the value of teamwork and respect. He underscored the significance of treating everyone with respect, highlighting that team success is built upon a foundation of mutual respect and camaraderie. Navigating #Challenges: Transitioning from Arsenal to Everton presented Iwobi with a significant hurdle. However, he expressed gratitude towards Everton for their support in integrating him into the team and overcoming initial struggles. His experience exemplifies the resilience required to adapt to new environments and thrive amidst challenges. Football #Mentality and #Fear: Iwobi imparted invaluable wisdom on cultivating a winning football mentality, emphasizing the importance of giving one's all on the pitch regardless of the outcome. Addressing his biggest footballing fear, Iwobi shared his introspective journey of self-assessment and readiness to represent his team at the highest level. Tackling #SocialMedia: In navigating the complexities of social media, Iwobi stressed the importance of connecting with his immediate family for motivation and inspiration, highlighting the power of positive relationships amidst the noise of online platforms. The VSS session with ACS International Schools and Alex Iwobi exemplifies the power of sports in shaping character, fostering resilience, and inspiring the next generation of young athletes. Through meaningful discussions and personal anecdotes, students were empowered to embrace challenges, cultivate teamwork, and navigate the digital landscape with confidence and integrity. Huge shoutout to Edem Spio, MSc (VSS African Correspondent) for his incredible work in creating this piece! #VirtualSoccerSchools #ACSInternationalSchools #AlexIwobi #SportsEmpowerment #FootballMentality #SocialMediaEtiquette Jen Baguley Robyne Simpson Graeme Lawrie MBE Barnaby Sandow Lauren Kelley Matt Constable Jakob van de Flierdt

The rising global interest in safeguarding children in sports is a positive development. Many international sporting organisations are actively engaged in prevention efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of young athletes. During the 12th Members’ Forum held in Chengdu, China, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) unveiled its 2024-2028 Strategic Plan, which renewed its focus on safeguarding as a crucial aspect of the organisation’s goals. This initiative demonstrates BWF’s commitment to prioritising safety and creating a safer environment for all stakeholders involved. On April 26th, I had the pleasure of contributing to the Members’ Forum plenary session as one of three presenters on Safe Sport. In my presentation, I shed light on how certain behaviours can lead to a culture of abuse within a sports team or organisation, its impact, and the implications for safeguarding. It is an unfortunate reality that young athletes are frequently subjected to different types of abuse and violence, including sexual assault, as well as psychological harm, such as being humiliated or degraded based on their gender, sexual orientation, body shape, or performance. They may also be coerced into following strict nutrition and weight loss regimes that can lead to eating disorders. Abusive behaviours deemed unacceptable in academic or professional settings are prevalent in youth sports. However, there are currently no laws that explicitly address sports-related abuse. I hope my message encourages individuals and institutions to address the duty we owe to each other to create and advocate for a Safe Sport environment where athletes can train and compete at their best. It is through their success that we thrive as a community. Thomas Delaye-Fortin Kelly Aston MBE #SafeSport #SafeSportAct #AthletesAgainstAbuse

Did You Know? Sports Can Change Lives! 🏀 ⚽ 🏃♀️ Research shows how sports can transform lives and communities: 🏋♀️ Regular physical activity improves youth outcomes—boosting physical health, mental well-being, and social skills. (Source: World Health Organization, 2020) 📊 Studies reveal that participating in sports positively impacts children's mental health and social development. (Source: Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 2019) 🏃♂️ Children who engage in sports are more likely to maintain an active lifestyle as adults. (Source: The Lancet Public Health, 2022) At Kaizen Foundation, we're bringing this research to life: 🏝 Our Chalki Island sports field with Symplefsi gives the kids and their families a place to play and build teamwork. 🏀 The Antetokounmpo Academy with Charles Antetokounmpo Family Foundation empowers low-income youth through sports and education. ⚽ Our UEFA Foundation for Children partnership brings the joy of football to 10,000 children at UEFA EURO 2024. We've seen how sports foster community spirit and personal growth. By investing in sports, we're building stronger, healthier communities! How has sports impacted your life? Share your story below! 👇 #CommunitySports #YouthEmpowerment #KaizenFoundation #GlobalImpact

Peace 🤝 Sports Expected to reach 3,900+ kids, Generations For Peace USA's Peacebuilding Academy builds resilience among youth through sport in Chicago & D.C. 🕊️⚽️ The Peacebuilding Academy is a new initiative that provides #peacebuilding training, mentoring, and technical assistance to organizations in select U.S. cities to help them better address issues of conflict and violence in their communities and strengthen youth resilience to violence. Both #Chicago and #DC are experiencing crises of youth violence despite significant investments in youth development. The Peacebuilding Academy offers a new and innovative solution to this challenge by strengthening the capacity of reputable youth organizations to use sport to achieve peacebuilding outcomes, such as a decrease in violence and increase in feelings of trust and understanding of others. Laureus Sport for Good Foundation USA (Laureus USA) Fight For Children #SportForGood https://lnkd.in/d_dcTg-g

Webinar: Addressing Bias and Discrimination in Youth Sport Thursday, May 30, 2024 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. EST Join us for an insightful webinar led by James Buhlman, a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in the sporting industry. In this session, James will discuss bias and discrimination in youth sport and offer actionable strategies for fostering inclusive environments. Through interactive discussions and real-world examples, participants will gain a deeper understanding of the impact of bias and discrimination on young participants and learn practical approaches for addressing these issues within their own sporting communities. Whether you're a coach, parent, administrator, or participant, this webinar offers valuable insights and strategies for creating inclusive and equitable experiences for all youth involved in sports. You can register here: https://lnkd.in/gQTZPs9S #sasksoccer #soccer #futsal #soccerassociation #sasksoccerassociation #saskatchewan #soccerdevelopment #soccerlife #skrising #skproud

I could be accused of being biased but I genuinely believe this is a great piece of research, on so many levels. Here are just a few thoughts from me as to why: 1. As you would expect from Access Sport, the presentation and format is clear and easy understand. 2. The final product also contains a playbook, which goes beyond the research and is an attempt to bridge that gap and help support organisations and clubs to actually embed the findings. 3. Research is not my specialist area but this is one of my (if not the) first experiences of reading research that talks to the things that we 'sports for change' professionals have known and understood for a very long time. The fact is though that sport still has a huge way to go to fully achieve it's potential around social impact, and for that to happen, perceptions around what sport is and what sport can do, is pivotal. This research, which is evidenced based, supports that by highlighting the things that are often overlooked. Well worth a look.

Important reading today ⬇️ This research shows that improved health from participation in sport and physical activity relieves pressure on the NHS through £10.5 billion a year in health and social care savings. #SocialValueReport24 #ActivePartnerships #UnitingTheMovement

Bollyfit Active CIC offers significant social value by promoting physical and mental well-being within South Asian and broader communities through culturally tailored fitness programs. By engaging individuals in regular physical activity, particularly those who may feel excluded from traditional fitness spaces, Bollyfit helps to reduce the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart conditions, and obesity, which are prevalent in these communities. This proactive approach to health fosters long-term behavioral changes, leading to reduced demand for NHS services such as GP visits, medication, and hospitalizations, ultimately creating substantial healthcare cost savings for the system. Additionally, the mental health benefits associated with group exercise and social inclusion further alleviate the strain on NHS mental health services. Take a look at our Social Value Impact Report 2023 https://lnkd.in/eyWA_Q6c #CommunityWellbeing #BollyfitActive #NHSavings #CulturalFitness #HealthierTogether #ActiveLifestyle #MentalHealthMatters #PreventativeHealth #InclusiveFitness #EmpoweringCommunities