Multi Ethnic Football Tournament

Location

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New Zealand

Creating a pathway for minority groups to be seen, heard and empowered through soccer.

About You

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Location

Project Street Address

Project City

Project Province/State

Project Postal/Zip Code

Project Country

n/a

Your idea

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Sport

Soccer

Year the initative began (yyyy)

2006

YouTube Upload

SoccerTalent NZ Ltd for Upper Hutt Multi Ethnic Council Inc

Project URL (include HTTP://)

Positioning of your initiative on the mosaic diagram:

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?

Social cohesion

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:

there are social barriers naturally created for being a new settler either as a migrant or refugee in a new country order than your home land especially if you are of different race, colour, religion, customs, language, and traditions.
Also lack of exposure and game time have created a barrier for some talented and skilfull refugees or migrants to be noticed and get invited to play the game level greater than grassroots.
My initiative is to encourage network, social integration and acceptance among refugees and migrant as well as the mainstream of the society. And also, to be seen plying for their country of birth and hopefully breakthrough the elite level of the game and be empowered!

Name Your Project

Multi Ethnic Football Tournament

Describe Your Idea

Creating a pathway for minority groups to be seen, heard and empowered through soccer.

Innovation

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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.

Impact

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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.

How many people have you served directly?

I have served the City Council, the soccer administration boby, referees, coaches, government agencies, friends and families of individual players, and communities’ heads and members. Also, I have creat an opprotunity for different Ethnic groups and organisation to meet and mingle.

How many people have you served indirectly?

Data wise, average of 2000 people per day for 5 Saturdays of the tournament.

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.

This Entry is about (Issues)

Sustainability

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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.

Purchase of 14 balls & 4 sets of goal nets
$1111-50
Medals (90)

Trophies and Prizes for 4 finalists
$1800-00
Administration & Advertisement $ 1000-00
Referee & Asst. Referees Appearance for 30 Games $ 2700-00
Honorarium for Match Day Managers x 4 @ $20 per hour for 5 Saturdays $2240-00
Liability Insurance for 5 weekends/Saturdays $ 450-00

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.

The Story

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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.

How did you hear about this contest and what is your main incentive to participate? (this is confidential)

Through search engine. My main incentive to participate is show the power of sport in a Multi Ethnic Society, to network, and most importantly hoping I will win and use finacial benefit to sustain the project, expand the project and use the project to empower the communities.

Affiliation (please list all that apply)

New Zealand Federation of Ethnic Council.
Upper Hutt Multi Ethnic Council.
Upper Hutt Soccer Club.
Wellington Culture Kicks
Hutt Valley Toastmasters
TakingITGlobal

AttachmentSize
media Report 6.pdf495.87 KB
media Report 3.pdf584.64 KB
HRC.pdf1.04 MB
Upper Multi Ethnic Soccer Tournament Sept.2006 Final Game 009.jpg578.11 KB
Upper Multi Ethnic Soccer Tournament Sept.2006 Final Game 021.jpg464.38 KB