Experience of UEFA Grow implementation in Ukraine: UAF and regional associations shared the results of a year and a half of project implementation

27.01.2021 13:00

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

UEFA, UAF and three pilot regional football associations, which undertook to adapt and implement European approaches to the strategic development of football, presented their work to colleagues from all regional associations of Ukraine during a webinar on "Experience of the UEFA Grow project in Ukraine". took place on Tuesday, January 26, with the participation of representatives of national associations of Estonia, Romania, Poland, Georgia, Moldova and Belarus, the Committee of Physical Culture and Sports of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and regional units, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, local governments UN in Ukraine, UAF research partner - National University "Kyiv-Mohyla Academy" and other partners and stakeholders.

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

The UAF Grow project is implemented in cooperation with UEFA in the direction of strategic development of national associations and development of grassroots football at the regional level in order to increase the number of active players of all ages and genders in the region, register footballers, build partnerships with local stakeholders, study the current situation and potential opportunities for the development of the club system of amateur and mass segments, the study of the impact of the development of mass football on society and its values ​​as a social and economic phenomenon. Dnipropetrovsk, Ivano-Frankivsk and Kyiv oblasts are currently involved in the Grow pilot project.

"Given the progress of UEFA Grow in Ukraine, we can safely say that it is productive, successful and has already given us a lot of important data that will help develop and promote football at the regional level. Despite the many obstacles caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, our team has done a lot of work, significantly increasing the number of active players of all ages and genders in the pilot areas, and working out solutions that will form the basis for further development of grassroots football in Ukraine. One of the main tasks of the Ukrainian Football Association and the UEFA Grow project is to spread the belief that everyone can play football. And our task is to create opportunities for the game and convince local elites, as well as new potential partners, that investing in the development of grassroots football is prestigious and an important contribution to the healthy future of Ukraine. After all, the more players, the more chances to find the most talented of them, who in the future will strengthen the UPL and PFL clubs, as well as join the ranks of national teams of Ukraine. ", - said UAF President Andriy Pavelko.

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

According to Noel Mooney, Head of the Business Development Department of UEFA National Associations, and Liam McGroerty, Manager of the UEFA National Association Business Development Department and Grow Project Coordinator, the key challenge facing the Ukrainian football authorities in the strategic and systematic development of sport is to form a wide audience. strive for 3,4% of registered players in the total population, which is the average among traditionally successful in involving football in Western Europe: "UEFA sees great potential in Ukraine, because it is a country with a population of millions, and it is important to have a developed network regional associations, football clubs and provide more opportunities for girls and boys to be involved in the sport. "

Representatives of the UAF Grow headquarters spoke about the implementation of the project from 2019 to 2021, namely - presented the main initiatives aimed at sustainable development and strategic planning of regional associations for the stable growth of new male and female football players. regularly and, accordingly, can be fully registered. As a result of the implementation of the UAF GRow project in Ukraine in July 2019 by working with "gray zones" and development projects, three pilot regions registered 15 players in the UAF Unified Database and stated an increase in registrations by 332% compared to the number of active players in the region. start of the project.

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

Regional managers of the Grow project from Dnipropetrovsk, Ivano-Frankivsk and Kyiv regions, in turn, spoke about the peculiarities of its implementation on the ground and shared successful cases of involving children in various micro-projects.

Thus, in the Dnipropetrovsk region the number of registered football players has increased by 25% in a year and a half, and in Ivano-Frankivsk - 1,5 times.

The biggest breakthrough in the three regions, where the UAF implemented the UEFA GROW project, was women's and girls' football. During the implementation of the project, the promotion of grassroots football in Dnipropetrovsk and Ivano-Frankivsk regions doubled the number of registered football players, and in Kyiv region sections were created for girls from seven years old with their involvement in regular competitions.

As a result, the active involvement of boys and girls in football under the UAF Grow project has led to the fact that all three of the above areas are currently in the lead in terms of the number of registered players in grassroots football.

Particular emphasis was placed on the use of the SROI (social return on investment) model, according to which increasing the degree of children's involvement in football and their registration will have a positive economic and social effect and improve the health situation. UEFA partners in the project conducted a study on the Ukrainian perspective, the results of which will be presented soon, this topic will be covered in one of the next webinars.

The online meeting was only the first of five episodes of a discussion on the development of grassroots football in Ukraine under the UEFA Grow program, which included a discussion by the parties involved of the program's experience in the year and a half since its launch.

The next webinar on the development of the UEFA Grow pilot project in Ukraine will take place on February 23 and will focus on the development of local football clubs, taking into account the UAF proposals and UEFA's European experience in Estonia, Serbia, Poland, Moldova, Georgia, Norway and Ireland.