buntkicktgut gGmbH - cross cultural street football leagues

buntkicktgut was founded almost 20 years ago in Munich, Germany, in the context of social work with children and young people in community houses for refugees. Since then buntkicktgut has been ghting two main problems: social marginalization and limited access to education. The program fosters social integration by giving young people with diverse cultural backgrounds and origins a wide range of opportunities to participate in the project. The participants create their own league system and buntkicktgut allow the children to find their own solutions to problems that arise. In the competitive context of a street football league, buntkicktgut promotes basic social values such as fairness, to... read more buntkicktgut was founded almost 20 years ago in Munich, Germany, in the context of social work with children and young people in community houses for refugees. Since then buntkicktgut has been ghting two main problems: social marginalization and limited access to education. The program fosters social integration by giving young people with diverse cultural backgrounds and origins a wide range of opportunities to participate in the project. The participants create their own league system and buntkicktgut allow the children to find their own solutions to problems that arise. In the competitive context of a street football league, buntkicktgut promotes basic social values such as fairness, tolerance, participation and ahimsa. In return the young people receive respect and appreciation, regardless of their individual circumstances and cultural background. buntkicktgut offers regular neighborhood based street football activity via their Street Football Work approach and also organizes a year-round league system in six different categories. With many activities beyond the matchdays - such as refereeing courses, a league council, a magazine from kids for kids, summer camps and journeys to other cities - buntkicktgut guarantees the important continuity and long term involvement of the target group as well as their participation in the organization, development and decision making processes of the leagues. The organization has developed into one of the most impressive street football programs in Europe. Every week more than 4500 children take part in the different buntkicktgut activities all over Germany. Since its founding buntkicktgut has been the pioneer for orga- nized street football. During the last 20 years more than 45,000 kids have been participated in buntkicktgut's tournaments. The buntkicktgut family is growing and is forming a widespread network all over the world since its establishment. The street football network of buntkicktgut is growing by hosting teams and visiting partners all over the world. In about 20 years we create new partnerships in Switzerland, UK, Austria, Hungary, Poland, France, Togo, Cameroon, China, Israel, Lebanon and Iraq. buntkicktgut wants to enable more young people in other cities in Germany and Europe to participate in continuous street football leagues like in Munich. In addition to the leagues in Munich and Dortmund, buntkicktgut is operating league-systems in Berlin, Wurzburg, Lower Bavaria and Dusseldorf in cooperation with local partners. Besides working in several German cities, buntkicktgut is establishing itself as an international player for sport and development through its engaging cross cultural football leagues. In 2015 three new Leagues in Sokode (Togo) and Lome (Togo) and Basel (CH) were established. Subotica (SRB) and Zurich (CH) will follow soon. In Munich alone every year more than 200 teams with more than 2,500 participants from over 100 different cultures and nations take part throughout the year in winter and summer leagues. Today buntkicktgut is going back to the roots and offers at the moment more than 55 Refugee and neighbourhood based trainings every week and the enquiry is growing. buntkicktgut was awarded for exceptional social work by the German Football Association (DFB) and Mercedes-Benz in 2007 and 2013; by the Lord Mayor of Munich in December 2000; by the Lord Mayor of Dortmund in November 2013; by the President of the Federal Republic of Germany for its efforts in the integration of immigrants in August 2002; and in October 2014 by the Federal Agency for Civic Education in Berlin in the competi- tion "Active for Democracy and Tolerance"; in September 2015 buntkicktgut has been certcated with the PHINEO impact-label. Last year buntkicktgut received the prize of the competition Excellent Places in the Land of Ideas" (Ausgezeichnete Orte im Land der Ideen") under the patronage of the the President of the Federal Republic of Germany.