Young Chagemakers to use Football as a catalyst for Elder Friendly World: WEAAD 2011

During this World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 15th June 2011 programme, we at Silver Inning Foundation (SIF) are promoting the cause of Elderly through unique and well tried ‘Sport for Development’ (S4D) concept. This year we are launching our Pilot project “Foot D Ball to Stop Elder Abuse”in association with ALFRESCO FC, Mumbai MDFA 3rd Division Team (2010).

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 S4D concept through Football is tried for first ever time in this part of the world ( might be first time in world)for promoting Elder Cause and to create awareness about Elder Abuse in civil society.

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 tobacco, 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 promote friendship and fair play. 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).

The success story remarkably have been made in the Development through Football sector since the beginning of the 21st century, while more limited activity on the field can be tracked down already back in the late 1980’s. It is only during the last 5-6 years, however, that more and more social development and donor organisations recognise the positive impact of sports and especially football as a way to foster social and human development. The universal fascination of football thanks to its simple but exciting playing rules, along with its low equipment costs and team-building characteristics, makes this sport a favourite in the Development through Sport field.

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.

"Linking football with development programmes, can help make a difference to the lives of millions of children," said Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Louis Michel.

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 SIF pilot project “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 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.

Vinay Sangwan , the Alfresco FC manager say’s ‘ I have been playing football for last four years just for my passion for the sport and to carry on the work of my father. It’s exciting that we are associated with SIF for this unique programme to support the cause of our Elders. Yes I agree there lack of awareness about Elder Abuse in Indian society and we are happy that through game of football we would bring the issue in mainstream and seek justice for our Elders’.

Sailesh Mishra, Founder President Silver Inning Foundation believes that while sport would not be a cure for all social ills, sport and specially game of football can perfectly be a catalyst for development and the promotion of peace.

Sailesh further say’s added to this is the broad consensus that regular physical activity is essential for the physical, mental, psychological and social development of children and people of all ages. The tool of sport through football will help our youngsters and elders to Age Gracefully and lead to Healthy Ageing.

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 “Foot D Ball to Stop Elder Abuse” by Participating , Organizing matches , Capacity building training , Train the Trainer , Media promotion and most important by Funding and Sponsoring.
Together, we have the power to prevent elder abuse; let’s make My World, Your World, Our World, Free of Elder Abuse .

This World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) 2011 program is organized by Silver Inning Foundation and supported by INPEA (International Network for Prevention of Elder Abuse) Indian Chapter through Development, Welfare and Research Founhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifdation (DWARF) and 'Little Things http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifMatter Initiatives' (LTMI), SSS Globalhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif; FESCOM (Mumbai), 1298 Senior Citizens Helpline, Mumbai; AISCCON ,iCONGO , Harmony for Silvers Foundation & Alfresco FC –Mumbai.


Contact: silverinnings@gmail.com ; info@silverinnings.com
Website: www.silverinningfoundation.org