Multi Ethnic Football Tournament
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>View discussions about this entry Country: New Zealand
Organization: Upper Hutt Multi Ethnic Council / SoccerTalent NZ Ltd
Sport - Soccer
Year the initative began (yyyy) - 2006
YouTube Upload - Place your video embed code here from YouTube, Google Video and other video sharing websites. How to embed a video from YouTube. SoccerTalent NZ Ltd for Upper Hutt Multi Ethnic Council Inc
Positioning in the Mosaic of solutions
What is your signature innovation, your new idea, in one sentence? - Creating a pathway for minority groups to be seen, heard and empowered through soccer.
Describe your innovation. What makes your idea unique and different than others doing work in the field? - It’s unique because the tournament is about soccer (football) – a universal game that is still developing in New Zealand and popular with migrant and refugee communities with the ability and potentials to generate unlimited socio-economic benefits; celebrate and value New Zealand ethnic diversity; and serve as a tool to integrate the society.
This project can be harness as an effective tool to contribute to local development and also achieve community understanding and networking. What are the existing barriers, the biggest problem, your innovation is hoping to address/change? - Encourage the Refugee and Migrant communities to feel accepted and discourage if not stop the growth of segregation in our community by creating an annual meeting contact opportunity through soccer tournament.Most importantly to create awareness of the significant talent that exists among migrant and refugee soccer communities.
Delivery Model: How do you implement your innovation and apply it to the challenge/problem you are addressing? - we believe the communities or groups meeting and socializing at the same venue for 3 – 5 weeks for this soccer festival, will not only give them the opportunity to enrich their culture and national identity but they will get to forge new and strengthen existing social relationship among other groups thereby integrate into the Kiwi sport culture.
Now that the tournament is well accepted and dounble in participating communities, next year edition will run for 6 weeks there by communities have the opportunity to build relationship for 4 - 6 weeks depending how far their team can go in the tournament. Our vision is to make this a brand community annual soccer festival to celebrate and value New Zealand ethnic diversity and culture. How do you plan to grow your innovation? - I am hoping to give the event a wider coverage to add more colour and attraction. If we can get more funding or sponsorship that will provide a prize incentive either or both cash and sponsor’s branded items like team strip, track suit, training kits, for the final four teams as well as to attract more volunteers in the tournament's daily operations now that it getting bigger.
That the final day will be well promoted and advertised to attract people and dignitaries all over the region, be played in a bigger stadium and get a national TV air time. Provide one sentence describing your impact/intended impact. - Most importantly, to bring pleasure, enjoyment, and benefit to the youths and families in our community and also, as an opportunity to give soccer game time for ethnic soccer players to exhibit their skills, that often have barriers to participate in the main stream soccer event.
What impact has your innovation had to date/or what is your intended impact? Exactly who are the beneficiaries? - The innovation have been able to target and network about 16 communities / groups of about 25 nationalities from the migrant, refugee communities and they still get together after the tournament to play friendly matches and invite themselves to social programmes.
I'm pleased with the tournament impact thus far but there is more to be done for youth of the Refugee and migrant communities to empower them especially those with talented soccer skills. I believe if I can expand this project, I will impact the minority communities further and get to empower the players.
Please list any other measures reflective of the impact of your innovation? - I have been able to forge new and strengthen existing social relationships among Ethnic Communities. It also encourage a healthy active community and assist in countering community crime.
Having the Police Organisation participating in the tournament have increase the Refugee and migrant communities confidence in the Police Force and made them to understand how the organisation operates. What are the main barriers to creating or achieving your impact? - Getting committed volunteer to assist with the day running of the tournament is one of the barriers.
Also, getting media coverage and sponsor to give the leaverage needed is a barrier. How is your initiative financed (or how do you expect your initiative will be financed)? - By applying for funding from Charitable Trust.
If known, provide information on your finances and organization. - Please list: Annual budget, annual revenue generated, size of part-time, full-time and volunteer staff. Purchase of 14 balls & 4 sets of goal nets
$1111-50 Medals (90) Trophies and Prizes for 4 finalists UHCC Grounds hiring & burn lines $ 800-00 St John’s services for First Aid (Safety) $1900-00 Venue for Tournament Opening & Closing Ceremony $ 350-00 Catering for invited Guests $ 600-00 Publicity (Postage/Copying/Printing of Invitations) $ 500-00 TOTAL FUNDING APPLICATION AMOUNT 13451-50 This budget excludes 1 Full Time Volunteer staff salary. What is the potential demand for your innovation? - New Zealand is unique and privileged as one of the nations that have seen an increasing influx of immigration and refugees in recent years resulting in a rapid and steady growth in the size and number of ethnic groups or communities. Soccer is deservedly recognised as the world’s game. Its magic is a worldwide phenomenon that has made the sport more than just a game or entertainment.
Therefore, there is potential to harness the power of soccer as an effective What are the main barriers to financial sustainability? - There is possibility of Grant or Funding application and Donors fatique. Also, there are limitation to what the charity trusts can provide funding for from the items provided in the budget.Example is getting prize incentives as an encouragement for the final teams.
What is the origin of this innovation? Tell us your story. - It started in 2005, just a year relocating to New Zealand and played in the 2004/2005 winter soccer league. I observed three issues with Refugee and Migrant Communities that naturally create barriers and make it difficult for them to integrate into their new life.
1) Soccer being their country of birth national’s sport; majority didn’t not and has not been participating in the league? 2) Those participating are hopping from one club to another. 3) For this reason, they are being isolated from the main stream soccer society. I used to read UEFA grassroots magazine and know that I can use Soccer/Sport to break this emerging trend. As sports programmes especially soccer can serve as an effective tool for social mobilization, avenue to educate people including children, and can also act as an economic force, providing employment and contributing to local development. Even as the migrants and refugees communities are very interested in soccer. So I met with few communities, Upper Hutt Ethnic Council, and Regional Government Agency to facilitate and support the Upper Hutt Multi Ethnic Soccer Tournament project. The first edition was embraced by all stakeholders and was well organized with 8 teams from 15 nationalities. It was acknowledged by the Human Right Commission as a project that promotes understanding and value ethnic diversity in New Zealand as well to integrate into Kiwi culture. It was also adjudged as a successful event an article in the Community Newspaper. The second edition got bigger and doubled in size with16 teams from 25 nationalities. But it was very difficult or I didn’t get any sponsor to come on board, just to get an incentive and prizes for final teams and volunteers that help me with the tournament’s days. My fear is how to sustain and make the tournament more attractive to communities. Like getting more financial support to improve the quality of the tournament, increase the level of promotion, get media coverage, hire volunteers, organize and encourage pre and post tournament social programmes. Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers marketing material. - I am a New Zealand resident, born and grew up in Nigeria and relocated in 2004. I am an Animal science graduate. I believe my calling is to add value and improve the society which make me a Social Entreprenuer by birth. I am an ambitious and persistent hard working young man.
My dream is to be an International Football Administrator and have started by taking my first step to register my company SoccerTalent NZ Ltd and networking. Contact Information:
Tayo Agunlejika
Secertary / Director Upper Hutt Multi Ethnic Council / SoccerTalent NZ Ltd (NGO / Social Entrepreneur) Discussions about this entry
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Hi Tayo,
you are doing great work over there in New Zealand! And I really appreciate your attitude towards what you are doing! I'm not sure, if you noticed that I answered your comment on our page?
I'm one of the players of Al-Dersim and in charge for this project together with Silke and others - just so that you don't wonder why Silke has not replied to you in person. We are all doing our best as players and as volunteers in whatever is there to do...
I wonder what migratory groups you mainly have in NZ? Africans? And is segregation really such a big topic down there? I didn't know that before...except, of course, when it comes to aboriginies.
Looking forward to reading your answer.
Keep up with your way!
Regards
Katharina
Hi Katharina,
Thanks for your reply. It's a bit hard to mix volunteer work with your full time job. But with drive and love for what you believe in, I trust we can achieve our aim.
I think segregation is every where, some are born with it, some are brain wash to believe they are better than another. The question that ponders my thought always is why segregation? what's the gain?. So to your question, segregation is everywhere. But more pronounce in some places than others in this world.
The tournament was initiated to service the refugee and migrant groups especially from Africa (Sudan, Somalia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe) and Middle East (Assyria, Iraq, and Turkey) and help to integrate them with the main stram Football community as well as assist to creat pathway to empower through professionalism.
I hope have answered your question trying to be political correct.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best of Luck.
Tayo
Hi Tayo,
thanks for your answer, which absolutely met my questions.
Of course, I am aware that segregation is everywhere. Still, I imagined NZ to be one of the places of the world facing it less. Maybe like Canada, where all the geographical space seems to result in space in peoples' minds and make them more open towards any kind of differences between people.
I don't think anyone is born with segregation as sort of a natural or God-given attitude. I rather believe it all comes down to brainwashing in various ways.
The gain of segregation must, I think, be located at least on two different levels: One, of course is political. Its the old story of divide and conquer. The other is the individual level, where, I think, quite a variety of motives play a role but not all of them in all cases. I'm talking about motives like projecting your own problems into others, so one can fight them in the other persons; feeling superior to others, while one actually feels so small; the "black-sheep" for all of societie's unwanted issues (unemployment,...); and many more.
So I never really ask myself "why segregation?" but rather "Why still?" and "Is there really no way to finally put a stop to it?".
Take care and best of Luck to you, too!
Katharina