Sport and Development reports on the initiatives carried out by The Scort Foundation. The Scort Foundation, a Swiss non-profit organization, founded the Football Club Social Alliance (FCSA) in 2007. Scort Foundation and Football Club Social Alliance encourages inclusion of children with disabilities in football, as Scort and FCSA believe that opportunities created for children with disabilities lead to a society that is receptive to and ready to see these children without any mistaken beliefs.
The Disability Program was introduced in Central Europe in 2007 to support the inclusion of persons with disabilities. The program consists of two aspects: first, a person with disability and one without engage in a one-week theoretical and practical education and both are declared trainers afterwards. Then, an annual one-week youth camp is organized for young people with disabilities. This serves as an opportunity for young people to experience an entertaining week and for the certified trainers to coach the children and handle organization.
Football, as a common ground, helps young people develop their self-evaluation and pick up additional skills, as they overcome various situations. The skills gained can also be utilized in the youngsters’ everyday life. Up until now, 150 trainers have been qualified for coaching and 900 children with disabilities have visited football practices. These training opportunities aim towards more embracing groups of communities.