July 22 – Concacaf and the Generation Amazing Foundation, the flagship Qatari human and social legacy programme for the 2022 World Cup, have announced the first 10 nations who will participate in the joint football-for-development initiative for coaches, children, and youth.
The 10 Concacaf nations will form the first year of the programme which Concacaf’s Director of Development, Jason Roberts (pictured far right), said will be implemented across the whole region. The plan is to have reached every member association by 2025.
Launched last July in Houston, during the Concacaf Gold Cup, the jointly developed project is designed to help FAs optimise their own grassroots coach education curriculums with the aim of providing more local coaches with the skills they need to deliver fun, safe, and engaging football sessions for young people in their communities.
Courses include the importance of the coach’s role, safeguarding, sport for development and how to use football as a tool to support social change.
Generation Amazing Foundation’s Executive Director Nasser Al Khori said: “The joint program with Concacaf will allow us to positively impact youth across the Caribbean, Central and North America. We’re pleased to have co-developed this with Concacaf and are hopeful that we will see positive results from our football for development methodology. It’s an exciting opportunity for Generation Amazing as we ready ourselves for our transition to a foundation. As the leading Legacy initiative of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022T, our vision is to continue beyond the World Cup.”
Concacaf and GA staff have spent the last few months delivering training workshops for the coaches and volunteers in the first year of the programme.
Once the coaches have been educated with this curriculum, Concacaf will implement a six-week football for social change programme across local schools, academies, and clubs for girls and boys aged 8-12.
“This programme is going to have lasting benefits in our region for years to come. It will support local coaches to ensure they deliver for young people in their communities. It will use the power of football to inspire social change across the region,” said Roberts.
The co-operation between the hosts of the 2022 World Cup and the region whose three North American nations will host the 2026 World Cup, ensures a continuity across different regions with the added profile of two editions of the world’s biggest sports event.
Supreme Committee, Secretary General, Hassan Al Thawadi said: “The partnership with Concacaf truly reflects the ethos and ambitions of Generation Amazing. It’s faithful to our pledge of ensuring that the 2022 World Cup has a genuine global impact, and that this impact reaches individuals and communities most in need.”
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