Futbol Matters

Hello supporters of the #FutbolMatters project! 

Time has passed since the last report, and love.fútbol is happy to report that the multi-sport court in the community of El Coyolito, Mexico City is close to being inaugurated! 

Here are a couple of highlights from the past couple of months:

• Three young leaders from #FutbolMatters (Esteban, Brenda and Carlos) recently traveled to Manchester, England for a Youth Leaders Summit hosted by Manchester City. The event was a huge success --- a lot of fútbol was played -- and, more importantly, the kids from El Coyolito were able to connect and engage with their counterparts from around the globe who also strive to create sustainable change in their communities through sport. Esteban, Brenda and Carlos returned to the community energized and ready to make #FutbalMatters a success. Make sure to watch the highlights from the Summit below. 

• Local partner Jóvenes Constructores de La Comunidad (JCC) has been conducting a broad range of training sessions ("Learning by Doing") with the youth of El Coyolito touching on important issues like conflict resolution, gender equity,  nutrition, and self-esteem. JCC has also been assessing the employment capabilities of the youth and holding workshops on how to build a Curriculum Vitae, conduct a job search, and improve decision-making skills. After the field inauguration, JCC will run *football3 clinics for the community, conduct additional sessions on nutrition and self-esteem, and hold an End of the Year Fútbol tournament. In total, over 50 community members, men and women, have attended the JCC-led sessions. 

*football3 is a sports education methodology developed by streetfootballworld. Based on the values of fair play, gender equality, teamwork and respect, football3 is a unique and innovative way to play the beautiful game and engage the youth.

• The community of El Coyolito has been fully engaged in the #FutbolMatters project process. To date, three volunteer build days have taken place over the summer. From prepping and painting the playing surface to installing the protective fence around the court, young and old have played a role in making the #FutbolMatters a beautiful place to play and an empowering symbol of community unity. In total, over 100 community members took part in the various build days throughout the summer. The most recent build day saw the community joined by project partners and local Manchester City fans from Mexico City to put the finishing touches on the field. See below for updated photos from the community multi-sport court. Next up: field inauguration! 

On behalf of the love.fútbol team, thanks so much for your continued support of the #FutbolMatters project. We look forward to sharing another update once the field is inaugurated! 

Best,

Andrew Carten

Communications Officers love.fútbol 

The community of El Coyolito is fully engaged and putting the finishing touches on their multi-sport court. Since the 

Links:

• Highlights from the Young Leaders Summit in Manchester, ENG