A group of children and one adult play a game in a grassy area in front of a colorful school building, holding onto each other in a line, smiling and laughing outdoors.

No Child Plays Alone: Using Sport to Build Children and Young People Self-confidence in Indonesia
No Child Plays Alone: Using Sport to Build Children and Young People Self-confidence in Indonesia

SOS Children’s Villages Indonesia, SOS-Kinderdörfer Weltweit Germany

Partner

Indonesia

Location

3 Years

Duration

Children play basketball on an outdoor court surrounded by trees and a wire fence, while an adult walks nearby. The court has blue and red markings, and a brick building is visible in the background.

Community details

The old saying "it takes a village to raise a child" lies at the heart of SOS Children’s Villages’ work. The organization champions children’s rights and provides comprehensive and need-based support to those who have lost parental care or are at risk of losing it. In Indonesia, around 2.15 million young people live without a biological parent, according to UNICEF, with many separated because of systemic barriers like poverty, leading to abandonment, neglect and ultimately growing up without the support they need to prepare themselves for their future. Since 1972, SOS Children’s Villages has increased their support throughout the country and has worked to help ensure children in Indonesia have the support and care they need to become their strongest selves. To create sustainable and positive impact for youth and children, the organization prioritizes outreach and community services as well as family strengthening.

About the project

SOS Children’s Villages has long specialized in social inclusion, parenting, and children’s rights. Through this project, which is supported by a strong partnership between SOS-Kinderdörfer Weltweit Germany and SOS Children’s Villages Indonesia, the overarching aim is to test out the implementation and integration of Sport for Development (S4D) approaches and activities within the organization and to amplify its impact through its programs. The project works holistically at three levels: sport sessions designed for children and young people with a focus on leveraging sports’ ability to reinforce the development of social and emotional competences such as social awareness and relationship skills. The sessions are part of a larger S4D curriculum which aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly goal #5 on gender equity. The second layer of the project focuses on the training and capacity building of the trainers and caregivers, who are responsible for creating inclusive spaces where everyone feels welcome to participate, explore and learn. With newly developed capacities, skills and knowledge in S4D approaches and techniques, the trained trainers, coaches and caregivers work with the young people through sport to strengthen their physical and mental health and to reinforce their communications and problem-solving skills. At the community level, the project aims to embed S4D at a deeper level with other community stakeholders and community-based organizations to ensure its sustainability.

Two girls playing football basketball on an outdoor court surrounded by trees and a wire fence. The court has blue and red markings, and a brick building is visible in the background.

Moving for Change

The SOS Children’s Villages’ project is embedding S4D methodology into the existing organizational approach, by delivering sessions to children and young people, integrating capacity training to parents and caregivers, as well as working on engaging stakeholders in the local community to ensure its sustained impact.