Saving the dream of grassroots sport based on values

For many people, sports and in particular football, is part of their identity. However, many of these people, especially young people, take their frustration with them to the pitch or the stadium. Playing the sport of football has been associated with violence since its beginnings in 13th century. Nowadays football is still confronted with a number of threats such as violence, racism, discrimination and intolerance, among others. Those threats challenge the fundamental values of European political and cultural integration. Equally, racism and violence in grassroots sport jeopardize the role of sport as an important contributor in the fields of education and social inclusion and its capacity to generate jobs and economic growth. Undoubtedly, sport is a growing social and economic phenomenon which makes an important contribution to the European Union's strategic objectives of solidarity and prosperity. Despite efforts in this field, the prevalence of violence and racism in sports, and more specifically in football, is well-known in Europe.Based on these ideas, general objective of SAVEit has been to promote the recognition of sport values as a key element in fighting against intolerance, racism and other forms of discrimination, promoting integration, and drawing attention to its relevance for the integral development of our youngsters. To achieve this goal a complete methodology was established and has been followed by partnership. First step of the methodology proposed has been to carry out the research phase with the purposes of:* Identify and collect information about positive events that take place in European countries and successful cases about athletes both in grassroots and professional football, or any sports in general, who have stood out as a reference for good sport practice and for defending sport values such as respect, tolerance, cooperation, responsibility, courtesy, integration and dialogue. * Analyze the information collected and produce a Guide of Best Practices in Sport Values in both grassroots and professional football, and in sports in general, with the aim of promoting these values and publicizing these cases among sports organizations, clubs and associations, public authorities, the mass media, and society in general.The next step was to develop training materials tailored for the purpose of taking into account the different target groups. According to these target groups, the training materials have a different format:* A serious game based on football for the youngest practitioners.* Online format for coaches and families, mainly. The training has been focused on teaching values such as respect, tolerance, cooperation, dialogue, personal responsibility, politeness to others in an effort to improve coexistence, provide equal opportunity, accentuate respect for diversity, improve health and personal balance, promote respect for differences, and to learn from others.The next important milestone has been the development of the innovative training tools (serious game and an educational web platform) to host training contents. Once this step was accomplished, the next task was to identify coaches and children from grassroots football and other sports who were selected to take part in the SAVEit training which were deployed in the last months of project implementation.At the same time, evaluation and monitoring activity has been carried out. From the beginning of project implementation, SAVEit developed a monitoring tool kit that served to control de quality and allow improvement of all project phases. Finally, a powerful dissemination strategy has been developed. Summing-up, SAVEit, supported by innovative methodologies and technological ICT tools, has been focused on teaching values to the different parties involved in sports, with the understanding that the lack of these values in grassroots football and in sports in general might cause dramatic effects.