KFC Street Soccer sessions targeted at kids/youths who may already have had brushes with the law, or who are at risk of getting into trouble, with the aim of diverting their energies into more positive activity.
KFC Street Soccer sessions are currently running in KFC regime but our aim to do co-work in partnership with local youth initiatives in Kampala, Uganda. A taster session is also about to start and international support/ interests dealing with kids/youth outside mainstream society during 2016, KFC Street Soccer also hopes to add another core part of the service through a “KFC Street Soccer Academy”. This is essentially an employability project which aims to provide a more formal support program over 2 or 3 days per week. Participants will be recruited via the football sessions, and develop basic employability skills as well as gaining an KFC coaching qualification; the hope is that some will move into voluntary positions within KFC Street Soccer or into further training and employment.
Motivation
KFC CEO have worked with a range of socially disadvantaged kids and youth worldwide and this experience qualified for KFC Street Soccer as a community development project on a world scale, youth can use football to move on: to stop crime, prevent crime and drugs, improve their health and give them the opportunity to meet new friends and start joining in society. While thinking about this, KFC Street Soccer hope for unexpected offer and support so KFC can Manage the street soccer team in Kampala, which crystallized what KFC really want to do: “everything is set up, and KFC want a bigger challenge that has to do with something in our own neighborhood”. There is no funding taken place right now, so it’s a huge step with lot of love, care and passion for KFC Street Soccer.
KFC/Karambi Football Club structure
KFC was formed in 2006 and is registered in FUFA, KFC are limited by guarantee, KFC have organization structure like other several football Clubs, KFC is growing as the soccer develops and bring hope for new generations KFC players.
Operation
The KFC operation is quite small, based at its Fort Portal and Kampala HQ to manage what is a complex and far flung operation. KFC Managing Director, is based in Kampala, but he co-manages is living in Fort Portal. The Kampala based KFC staff are responsible for marketing, fundraising, recruiting, coordinating KFC research, health and safety and developing new partnerships.
Business Strategy
For KFC, the key to developing is networking and partnership. “KFC can’t do everything through KFC project but can tie in with other organizations to help youth”.
For example:
• KFC is already working through organizations with similar objectives to recruit participants.
• KFC also plans to support partners to deliver their own sessions, with staff trained and supported by KFC Street Soccer.
Marketing
KFC manager and CEO is doing a lot of the initial work through face to face meetings, including online lobbying to organizations supporting the soccer, kids and youth, to generate interest. KFC use of media is a key player in helping the new KFC Street Soccer gain a profile. This goes further than simply providing advertising space, and includes supporting vendors to participate in KFC Street Soccer either as players or volunteers. KFC new website is in preparation and should be live by the end of 2016.
International Links
KFC need links to worldwide “Street Soccer” and official development agency, which can give KFC Street Soccer access to other countries doing the same thing. KFC Street Soccer need fundraisers for upcoming tournaments that will take place in Kampala, Fort Portal and east Africa. KFC Street Soccer have access to five-a-side pitches free during off-peak hours throughout Kampala. KFC Street Soccer also have access to DVD’s and other material from street soccer teams throughout the world, for staff training purposes and to inspire our kids/youth.
Vision for the Future
KFC Street Soccer is very much in a start-up phase, building partnerships and seeing what works. The longer-term goal is to deliver KFC Street Soccer on small scale services throughout Kampala, and to have a separate program for girls. In the next year though, the focus will be on getting established in Fort Portal and Kampala. Once it has been going on for some months during 2016, an evaluation will be carried out by KFC to identify what works and to supply evidence that can then be taken to funders. “KFC mission is to use football as a trigger to energize kids and youth who are socially excluded, combined with sport related personal development and training, to empower them to change their own lives for the better”
Challenges and Lessons
• The main thing KFC have learned is the importance of networking. KFC need to have two or three face to face, or online, meetings a day with other agencies to see how KFC can fit in with one another. The way forward for any business is partnership and networking.
• Being able to access help and support from local partners and global foundation is very important; not just the space and their contacts, but also advice on where to apply for funding etc.
• KFC webpage also need support, incl. signposting to funding e.g.
• The main challenge is just trying to get the time and the funding, particularly when public sector funding is tightening.
• KFC manager and CEO has an enormous amount of personally invest in the success of KFC. They have seen how positive role models can make a real impact on the lives of kids and youth in particular. But they also have a fear of failure. KFC are kind of proud of what KFC have achieved so far, but there is always that fear of failure; we want to make it work.
karambi Football Club 