A Ganar/Vencer, using sport for Latin American youth employment
This entry has been selected as a finalist in the
Sport for a Better World competition.
Project Street Address
Project City
Project Province/State
Project Postal/Zip Code
Project Country
Sport
Soccer
Year the initative began (yyyy)
2005
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Project URL (include HTTP://)
Which of these barriers is the primary focus of your work?
Few effective tools for personal improvement
Which of the principles is the primary focus of your work?
Use sport to build character
If you believe some other barrier or principle should be included in the mosaic, please describe it and how it would affect the positioning of your initiative in the mosaic:
This field has not been completed
Name Your Project
A Ganar/Vencer, using sport for Latin American youth employment
Describe Your Idea
What is your signature innovation, your new idea, in one sentence?
Soccer is an effective tool for teaching employment skills to at-risk boys and girls in Latin America.
Describe your innovation. What makes your idea unique and different than others doing work in the field?
If you know how to show up for a game or practice on time, play by the rules, communicate well, respect the game, your coach, the referee and your opponent, play hard the entire game, help your team anyway that is needed, and do what it takes to win, you already have the basic skills needed to succeed in any job. Employers seek applicants with these skills and youth who have them can find jobs and advance. A Ganar combines soccer field activities, classroom activities, vocational/technical skills development, practical experiences and a "passion for success" into a comprehensive job skill program. Specialized soccer-based games help youth transform their sports skills into marketable job skills. Soccer-based lessons help youth improve their math, reading and computer skills. We are more than a sports program. We use the best of soccer and sport to help youth obtain the skills they need to enter the competitive job market and to succeed in life.
What are the existing barriers, the biggest problem, your innovation is hoping to address/change?
According to the UN, youth unemployment in Latin America is twice the overall rate of unemployment and three times the rate of adults. Youth in marginalized communities also lack basic math and language skills, technical skills and practical experience. Nor do they have the resources for training. Unemployment also negatively impacts family welfare and puts youth at greater risk for unhealthy behaviors. A Ganar/Vencer helps youth break this cycle with training and support, all built on sports.
Delivery Model: How do you implement your innovation and apply it to the challenge/problem you are addressing?
We developed a three phase program that motivates and prepares youth to successfully enter the job market. In Phase 1, we combine soccer field activities with classroom activities to help youth transform sports skills into marketable employability skills: teamwork; communication; discipline; respect; a focus on results and self-improvement. In Phase 2, youth learn market-driven vocational/technical skills while sharpening employability skills. In Phase 3, youth put their knowledge into practice through internships or other practical experiences. Throughout training youth conduct community service and are mentored by local professionals. Our training targets economically disadvantaged youth, boys and girls, ages 16-24. Training is free but it requires a strong commitment and active participation by each individual. At the end of training, youth have transformed themselves into young professionals, ready for employment. We also bring together local non-profits, universities, sports groups, soccer clubs, local governments and the private sector to collaborate in training youth.
How do you plan to grow your innovation?
Currently we work in the "favelas" of Rio de Janeiro, in the "barrios" of Quito, Ecuador and in various locations in Uruguay. We start from a basic curriculum that is then adapted to meet the needs of each country. Based on our initial success, a combination of private companies, government agencies and local non-profits are interested in expanding A Ganar within their countries and to other parts of Latin America and the Caribbean. We are seeking funding from multiple sources to enable us to expand to meet those demands.
Provide one sentence describing your impact/intended impact.
Latin American youth from marginalized communities will have the skills, experience and confidence necessary to earn competative jobs in their communities.
What impact has your innovation had to date/or what is your intended impact? Exactly who are the beneficiaries?
We measure our current impact in various ways:
1) Over 1600 at-risk youth have participated in the program. Approximately 40% of first-year graduates obtained employment within six months. The numbers for year two are expected to greatly exceed that number.
2) We have demonstrated to youth, universities, non-profits, government agencies and the private sector that a soccer-based curriculum is both an effective and efficient way to teach job skills to youth. Youth are motivated to learn and learn quickly. Businesses rate our youth as some of their best employees because of their attitudes and abilities to work well in team settings.
3) Because our program engages at-risk youth, people in their communities are beginning to see them as assets and not as problems.
Our target youth are:
boys and girls;
16-24 years old;
economically disadvantaged;
highly motivated and willing to participate in a sports-based program;
with at least an 8th grade education.
How many people have you served directly?
To date we have served over 1600 youth in Brazil, Ecuador and Uruguay. Over 50% of our participants are females.
How many people have you served indirectly?
We estimate 4800 additional immediate family members served to date. Approximately 20% are also parents of children. Other beneficariares include: 13 training institutions who have learned to implement the A Ganar/Vencer methodology; over 75 businesses that have hired or provide internships to A Ganar/Vencer youth; and 150 mentors who have learned more about working with youth through the experience. Additionally, participants tell us that they have improved their family relationships and many have returned to school further increasing the number and value of the program's indirect benefits.
Please list any other measures reflective of the impact of your innovation?
A Ganar is changing how large institutions view development. Sport for development was originally a "stretch" for an institution as the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Now FIFA and the IDB have agreed to promote development through sport. The Minas Gerais, Brazil government signed an agreement to expand there starting in 2008. Uruguay's government and the Uruguayan soccer club "Nacional" will support us in 2008. The Ecuadorian oil pipeline company, OCP, will also sponsor training in 2008.
What are the main barriers to creating or achieving your impact?
Workforce development requires intense training and individualized instruction. Both require an investment of time and money by multiple stakeholders: governments, the private sector and community groups. Our model has proven successful but a chief obstacle to achieving impact is finding the levels of funding required to meet the needs of youth living in the hemisphere's most at-risk communities.
This Entry is about (Issues)
How is your initiative financed (or how do you expect your initiative will be financed)?
The Multilateral Investment Fund of the Inter-American Development Bank took the initial risk of funding a sport for youth employment program and provided an investment of $3.6 million to fund A Ganar/Vencer in Brazil, Ecuador and Uruguay. Partners of the Americas agreed to raise an additional $1.2 million in cash and $1.2 million of in-kind support. Microsoft, OCP and many other private organizations have contributed to the program. Governmental support will be provided in each country in 2008. Training partners also contribute 25% of the cost of direct training. Numerous individuals and volunteers have also contributed.
If known, provide information on your finances and organization.
Partners Annual budget: $10,142,000
Partners Annual revenue generated: $10,142,000
The A Ganar/Vencer budget is approximately $1,250,000 per year
Full-time staff: 15 Washington, DC based
26 staff based in Bolovia, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, Guayana, Haiti, Jamaica and Uruguay
Part-time staff: 1 Washington, DC based
10 part-time staff in field offices
Volunteers: 3000, includes members of Partners of the Americas volunteer chapters in US, Latin America and the Caribbean plus volunteers mobilized by programs
Specific A Ganar/Vencer Staff (included in numbers provided above)
Full-time staff: 1 in Washington, DC, 9 in Brazil, Ecuador and Uruguay
Part-time staff: 8 in Brazil, Ecuador and Uruguay
Volunteers: 150 volunteer mentors
What is the potential demand for your innovation?
Due to the strong need of youth to find employment or to start their own business, the high number of at-risk and unemployment youth in Latin America, the proven effectiveness of the sport-for-development model and the overwhelming popularity of soccer in the region, A Ganar/Vencer is in high demand. We have already received requests for expansion to Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Peru and Paraguay. The model can also be adapted for use in other regions and in other programs.
What are the main barriers to financial sustainability?
Poor and unemployed youth are unable to pay for their own training leaving the burden to the government, communities and the private sector. Finding sufficient support from each is difficult. Corporate social responsibility is a new concept in Latin America. More time and success is need to achieve greater investment. Governments and communities are limited in their abilities. Each sector needs to share the investment as all are stakeholders and all are beneficiaries.
What is the origin of this innovation? Tell us your story.
In 2000, soccer legend Pelé urged senior officials of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to use the power of soccer to affect youth development in Latin America. Pelé reasoned that if soccer can motivate millions of fans, it can be used to develop the lives of youth. In looking at the situation of youth unemployment and the great potential that can be unleashed by increasing employment, the IDB turned to the Partners of the Americas to create and implement an innovative program that brings youth into the formal job market. A Ganar/Vencer was born.
In 2005, Partners brought together business, youth, sports, and community leaders in Rio de Janeiro to identify its six core sports/employment skills: teamwork, communication, discipline, respect; a focus on results and constant self-improvement. Partners then hired a team of education and sports consultants to develop and test its initial program curriculum. The curriculum was then translated from Portuguese to Spanish and adpated for use by groups in Ecuador and Uruguay.
In Uruguay, we train lower-division soccer players. Few will ever earn decent wages in soccer so A Ganar provides them with an alternative. In Ecuador we adapted the curriculum to work with developmentally disabled children. Business leaders are now seeking A Ganar as a way to train their current employees. We want to continue to adapt and find new ways to use our program.
Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers marketing material.
Paul uses A Ganar as a way to combine his love of sports with his lifelong commitment to Latin American development and promoting volunteerism.
How did you hear about this contest and what is your main incentive to participate? (this is confidential)
We learned from two sources:
our contacts with Nike's CSR unit, Ziba Cranmer and Cindy Cooper; and
our contacts with Ashoka.
Our main incentives to participate are to gain greater exposure and to get feedback from industry experts. We hope that we can then turn those into an expanded and more sustaianble program.
Affiliation (please list all that apply)
Partners' office in Brazil is a member of the Rede Nike.
Our director in Ecuador, Santiago Andrade, was an Ashoka Fellow.
Partners is a member of the International Platform on Sport for Development.
A Ganar is endorsed by the Organizacion Iberoamericana de Juventud.
 | mst fms said: Thank you very much for this information. Good post thanks for sharing. I like this site ;) ----------- ps3 oyun satış ps3 oyun ... about this idea. - 19 days ago read more > |
| Black Well said: The many challenges confronting the sector are examined as well, such as womens empowerment in sport, the social insertion of athletes ... about this idea. - 263 days ago read more > |
| Víctor Daniel García said: hello Paul! i'm really happy with your idea and the way you want to help the latin workers in US but, i want to know if you are ... about this idea. - 277 days ago read more > |
| Hank Freid said: Nice to hear the Senai, an Institution of Professional Education recognized for excellence of its methodology for job training for ... about this idea. - 338 days ago read more > |
| manha alabane said: Got the point ,comrade, _______________________________ Password Manager? about this idea. - 356 days ago read more > |
| Samit Shah said: Dear Mr. Teeple: Thank you for participating in this collaborative competition. We value the time and effort you’ve put forth and we ... about this idea. - 650 days ago read more > |
 | A Ganar/Vencer, using sport for Latin American youth employment has been chosen as a finalist in Sport for a Better World. - 722 days ago |
| Paul Teeple said: Dear Tyler, Thanks for your comments and questions. Because vocational training differs based on market needs, how sport is ... about this idea. - 767 days ago read more > |
| Tyler Ahn said: Dear Paul, I am wondering if you can provide an example of how soccer characteristics are implemented into a vocational training ... about this idea. - 767 days ago read more > |
| Paul Teeple said: Rafael, Thank you for your kind words and most importantly for your work as a mentor. Your comments echo those of other mentors. It ... about this idea. - 772 days ago read more > |
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