Footballl United's Hope Team

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FOOTBALL UNITED DELEGATION

FOOTBALL FOR HOPE FESTIVAL 2010

Delegation Leader: Anne Bunde-Birouste

Head Coaches: Abraham Ajok

Simon Bell

Youth Leader: Mohamed Banga

Members: Anyier (Teresa) Yuol

Areti Theodorou

Hemanta Acharya

Yom Mapiou

Ahmed Thafer

Mekhaled Al-anezi

Melvin Rivera

Mubasher Hassan


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Message from Football Uniteds founderFootball United was founded to promote harmony through the wonderful global game of football. Our

goals are to bring people together to have fun while learning and playing football, and to provide access

to other opportunities through the game which inspires us all. We believe in harmony and social justice

for all.

Many people have worked extraordinarily hard to develop Football United and expand the opportunities

for our members. Many people have also worked hard to find support for our activities.

Football United was one of only thirty-two teams invited to participate in the 2010 Football for Hope

Festival, an official event of the FIFA World Cup 2010. This event was a highlight of the Football for

Hope Movement and a celebration of the power of football and the positive impact it has on community

development. This invitation is recognition of the tireless efforts of eveyone involved in Football United.

This short booklet is made to provide a short memory after extraordinary journey, one of many yet to

come as we grow and develop.

This adventure belongs to all of Football United,

not just the few who made the trip!

Anne Bunde-Birouste

Football United FounderJuly 21st, 2010


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FFH on the road to Alexandria

A participatory process


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Football Uniteds Festival for Hope story Building Capacity as We Go

Born with a mission

Football United was born in 2006 with a mission to support the integration of refugee children, young people and their

families into urban communities throughout Sydney and Australia. Rapidly it became apparent that many socio-

disadvantaged youth were excluded from mainstream football, and thus the participation has expanded to include

indigenous and other youth across the county. In order for Football United to achieve its mission, it is active in the

following three areas: facilitating community partnerships; advocating and promoting refugee support; and research.

Growing up in the global network and becoming Australias representative at the Football for Hope Festival, an

official event of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Football Uniteds connections with FIFA have steadily increased over the

course of 2008and 2009, and include links with FIFAs Football for Hope

and membership in its strategic NGO partner network, Streetfootballworld

in December 2008.In addition to an invitation to attend the 2009 FootballFor Hope Forum, Football United is featured in streetfotballworldsupcoming book on world case studies in football for social justice, and is an

advising member to African and South American development programs.

In the mean time Football United is strengthening its partnership withlocal, national and regional sport organizations. Joint announcement of

National Partnership between Football United and Football Federation

Australia and receiving a grant from Oceania Football Confederation in afew months ago are visible outcomes in that area.

Inclusive efforts and capacity building for all through the Hope Team

Football Uniteds ethos of engagement and empowerment was extended throughout its preparation for the Football for

Hope festival, from the initial selection process through the preparation period.

Since the choosing of only 4 boys and 4 girls for the Hope team would engage only a tiny proportion of Football United

participants, Football United made the process of choosing the team as important as the team itself, and to make thisprocess as inclusive of all participants and their views, as possible.

The first stage was commenced in mid 2009 with surveys and focus groups with program participants about the qualities

they believe the Football United World Cup team should embody. The second stage, involved distributing information

flyers and collecting participant application forms. Football United made sure that no students would be disadvantaged

due to their level of English language skills or access to resources by getting support from schools for translation and

student volunteers to work with students on their applications. The third stage involved football training camps at the

Sydney Academy of Sport during the October holiday camps that acted as try-outs for the hope team applicants.

Another key element of the participatory process was the voting process in

November 2009. Teachers, coaches, students and participants from various

projects and programs of Football United voted for the Hope Team members. In

this process all were asked to keep in mind that the team that goes to South

Africa on behalf of Football United was to be made up of young people who are

mature, open minded, interested and who embody everything that FootballUnited is about: Building social cohesion in refugee communities, promoting

social inclusion, and contributing to the building of racial harmony and social

integration across communities within the program area, through support for

youth soccer development. Following the voting process, Football United

announced 16 preliminary Hope Team members at the day of Football United

Festival, 8th December 2009.

These efforts are part of Football Uniteds capacity building initiatives and the recent event the Hope Teams trip toCanberra, capital of Australia highlights Football Uniteds drives in capacity building works from different angles. This

trip provided mutual benefits between Football United and local football clubs from Goulburn and Canberra by organizing

friendly games. The chance to play with the Parliamentarian team in Canberra was a great opportunity for the Hope Team

to advocate its initiatives to the countrys policy and decision makers.

All these efforts keep Football United with wide range of media coverage, both printed and electronic media from local tonational level and it is one of its best practices in dissemination about football as a very useful tool for social cohesion and

racial harmony.


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Nurturing the Hope Team

Football United organized regular weekly training program and

residential training camps for its team. It was during the first camp

that the team members baptised their team the Hope team. Duringthe trainings the Hope team was offered opportunities to mix with

high level football, such as training and playing with national youthwomens team, the NSW State Premier League players, and was

given mentoring by Australias current and past national football

stars, Socceroos and Matildas. Support was provided even in the

training ground as private corporate, Golden Gold group, providedtheir synthetic field as training venue free of charge. The training

program included not only football skills also personal development,

self-confidence, communications training and self-esteem building.

Leadership Development Parallel to the Process

Football United believes that its leadership programs assist its members in their lives beyond football, while contributing

to the organisations sustainability, which in combination with improving its football content will increase organizations

credibility and relationships within the broader Australian football community. A direct example of this occurred whentwo talented young leaders were mentored and supported technically during the Siyakhona project in the lead up to the

FFH. Football United continuing engagement with different

media makes enables us to work to foster the Hope team

players self-esteem. Noticeable results from the leadershipdevelopment efforts were evident during the final week when

each team member gave formal presentations as their schools

gave them going away assemblies. They are seen as role modelsamong their peers and the preparatory works for their

presentation at the assemblies helped them but also help their

peers to understand more about why they are and how they are

accessing opportunities. All these efforts pointed toward

promotion of Football for Social Development.

Show time

Football United has strong confident to show that its best practises in the field

of Social Development through Football. Its Hope team will represent symbol offootball for positive social change in the areas of Health Promotion, Peace

Building, Children's Rights & Education, Anti-Discrimination & Social

Integration and the Environment. People with high profiles from political,social, business, academic and sport arena met together at the Hope teamssend-off party and delivered addresses related to power of football in social

development and expressed their commitments to make a difference

effectively by the power. Another example of footballs magic power to bring

people all together.

The magic adventure started

with a super send off and

continued throughout the trip


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To the FFH Festival, Representing Australia

Arrival to Johannesburg, South Africa

Opening Ceremony of the FFH Festival 2010

Touring in Johannesburg

With the players of Team Paraguay


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Presidents, FIFA and South Africa, at the

opening ceremony

By end of painting workshop

Football can bring all together

With Australian High Commissioner to South

Africa

Football United @ Opening Ceremony


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Meet the Hope Team

Name: Teresa Yuol

Age: 16

Country of Birth: Kenya

Nationality: Australian

Playing Position: Striker

Favourite Player: Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani

Favourite Team: Manchester United

Who will win the

world cup?

France or Australia

Background: Teresa is a refugee from Sudan who came here from a refugee

camp in Kenya. She is also an orphan having lost both her

parents to the war. She lives with a cousin who doesnt

understand her passion for football; a common predicament for

most Sudanese girls. Teresa and Yom - another Football United

team member - met in the refugee camps and were separateduntil they found each other at Football United. They have now

reconnected to become great friends.

I show everyone respect. I have good communication with

everyone and am always proud to represent Football United.

Name: Hemanta Acharya

Age: 17

Country of Birth: Nepal

Nationality: Bhutanese

Playing Position: Midfielder

Favourite Player: Messi

Favourite Team: Barcelona

Who will win the

world cup?

Football United Australia or Spain

Background: Her parents lived in Bhutan until 1992, when they moved

because of internal conflicts to Nepal, surviving in a refugee

camp for 17 years. It was here she was born. In 2008 her family

moved to Australia.I am a quick learner with a positive attitude, strong work ethic

and motivated.

Name: Areti Theodorou

Age: 18

Country of Birth: Cyprus


Playing Position: Striker

Favourite Player: Fernando Torres

Favourite Team: Manchester United

Who will win the

world cup?

Spain

Background: She was born in Cyprus in 1991. In 2003, aged 12 moved to

Australia for a better life with her parents and her twin sister.Life in Cyprus proved very hard to survive.


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Name: Yom Mapiou

Age: 17

Country of Birth: Kenya


Playing Position: Defence

Favourite Player: Alex Brosque

Favourite Team: Brazil

Who will win the

world cup?

Brazil

Background: Yom is a refugee from Sudan who previously lived in a refugee

camp in Kenya. Yom lives with her family in Lidcombe and

plays for the Lidcombe Waratahs. Yom and Theresa met in the

refugee camps, were separated, and found each other in Sydney

through Football United.

The main thing that represents all of us is that we all come from

different backgrounds and we have respect for each other. Wework together to help people that need our help. Some of the girls

that we train have never played soccer and our job at Football

United is to give the kids the opportunity to do that.

Name: Mekhaled Alanezi

Age: 16

Country of Birth: Iraq

Nationality: Kuwait

Playing Position: Goalkeeper

Favourite Player: Peter Schmeicle

Favourite Team: Chelsea

Who will win the

world cup?

Spain

Background: Born in Iraq in 1993, Mekhaleds family originally came from

Kuwait and moved to Iraq after the Iraq-Kuwait war. Because ofIraqi war and internal conflicts, his family moved again to

neighbouring country Jordan for 7 years and then Syria for 4

years. He did not see his father for 11 years and finally managed

a family reunion in Australia in 2008.I show respectful behaviour and also take pride in my team. Ialways play to the best of my ability.

Name: Melvin Rivera

Age: 17

Country of Birth: Australia

Nationality: Australian (Ethnic background El Salvador)

Playing Position: Defence

Favourite Player: Ronaldo (Brazil) Sergio Ramos


Who will win the

world cup?

Australia

Background: Born in Australia, his father left El Salvador in 1990 during theSalvadoran Civil War and arrived in Australia as a permanent

resident. Melvin is from a school with lots of racial and socio-

economic stress, but Football United is working with the school

to motivate and connect the kids . He is one of our youth

coaches and young leaders.With Football United, I have enjoyed helping people in differentways. Football United has helped me develop these skills. It has

made me a better teacher and more open to younger students.


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Name: Mubasher Hassan

Age: 18

Country of Birth: Sudan


Playing Position: Midfield

Favourite Player: Cristiano Ronaldo

Favourite Team: Chelsea

Who will win the

world cup?

Brazil

Background: He was born in Sudan and during the Sudan civil war, his family

moved to Egypt. After 7 years in Egypt, his family moved to

Australia.Its about respecting all people working together and helpingeach other. I started by playing in the program because I love

football and now I help other young people by playing and

helping with football.

Name: Ahmed ThaferAge: 18

Country of Birth: Iraq


Playing Position: Forward

Favourite Player: Messi


Who will win the

world cup?

Brazil or Spain

Background: Ahmeds family were born Kuwait, whilst he was born in Iraq

on the 1stJan 1992. In 2006, he, his mother, brothers and sisters

moved from Iraq to Syria and lived there for 1 year and 7

months. They finally managed a family reunion in Australia in

2008. His father has been in Australia since 2000.

Football United Fair Play Values

Respect our coaches, referees, team members and opposing team players

Play as a team everyone together

Use positive language and actions

Listen to coaches and referees, respect their decisions

Dont fight or criticize players, coaches and referees

Act within the rules and spirit of the game

www.footballunited.org.au

http://soccer.sphcm.med.unsw.edu.au
http://www.footballunited.org.au/http://www.footballunited.org.au/http://soccer.sphcm.med.unsw.edu.au/http://soccer.sphcm.med.unsw.edu.au/http://www.footballunited.org.au/


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Footballl United's Hope Team