This April, we are raising funds for The Arsenal Foundation to support our Coaching for Life programme, run in partnership with Save the Children in the Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan.
Coaching for Life uses the power of football to build a sense of belonging and impact the physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing of children who fled their homes since the outbreak of the Syrian war in 2011.
When Coaching for Life started in 2018, just a handful of girls took part. Today, an equal number of girls and boys graduate from the programme, and we continue to move towards a gender-transformative approach in the camp, where girls and boys work together to address deep-rooted stereotypes.
Those in the camp – from the participants to the coaches who run the sessions – are helping to drive societal change, inspiring their families, their peers, and the next generation.
Our vice-captain, Leah Williamson, visited Za’atari in August last year, and got to meet young girls and boys taking part in the programme, as well as their families and those who are helping to deliver sessions in the camp.
Speaking to Arsenal Vision podcast, Leah shared her experiences of what being part of our Arsenal family means for the young girls and boys in the camp.
“You take a football club halfway across the world, and I have the exact same feeling as I would when I talk about Arsenal here, or when I visit the Community Hub here.
“When you play for Arsenal, or you’re a supporter of Arsenal, or you just live in the community, you understand that it’s just a bit different. It’s always felt different to me. The fact that you can feel it when you get over there just blew my mind.
“The way they talk about Arsenal is with love, it’s not just a partner. They feel a part of it, and that’s really important to me.
“We don’t just go there to drop in and leave. We go there to give them a sense of belonging.”
For Leah, Coaching for Life is more than just a programme of learning. It’s about equipping those in the camp with the tools to grow.
“It’s about giving them responsibility. They’re not only involved in the programme, but they have an input. They can influence how that experience is for them.
“That’s what I’d want to know if I was donating. I’d want to know that something was actually having an impact on people’s lives. That longevity is worth buying into.”
Find out more about Leah’s trip and the Coaching for Life programme.
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