The Irish Football Association has been playing a leading role in delivering UEFA’s Take Care programme across Northern Ireland, embedding the initiative into its existing schools and community engagement work to help support young people through the power of football.
Since its launch last year, UEFA’s Take Care programme has provided national associations, clubs, schools and communities with practical, evidence-based tools designed to encourage healthier lifestyles and positive habits. Developed as part of UEFA’s Football Sustainability Strategy, the programme is built around six key themes: physical activity, nutrition, mental health, digital addiction, substance awareness and road safety.
Locally the programme has been incorporated into educational sessions delivered to young people aged 11 to 18, with a particular focus on mental health and wellbeing, digital addiction and tackling racism.
Working closely with teachers, youth workers and community partners, sessions reflect the lived experiences of young people from a wide range of backgrounds, including ethnically diverse and socially disadvantaged communities. Safe spaces are created for open discussion, with learning consistently linked back to football values such as teamwork, fairness and respect.
Keith Gibson, Inclusive Football and Sustainability Manager at the Irish FA Foundation, said:
“The Take Care programme has been a powerful tool for us to engage young people in meaningful conversations around mental health, online habits and anti-racism. By using football and the UEFA Take Care resources as a common language, we’re able to address complex issues in a way that feels relevant, inclusive and impactful.”
All Take Care resources are available through UEFA’s dedicated toolkit, with the flexible framework allowing national associations across Europe to adapt and deliver the programme in ways that best suit their communities.
To find out more click https://takecare.uefapublications.com/#!/book/838.
