| As Promoter |
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Promoting this initiative
Spreading the news is, without a doubt, a crucial aspect. Promoting the 4th Global Rural Community Football Gathering in different ways will allow a greater number of schools and rural communities to get to know the project and organize their own Gathering. Here are some ideas:
* Sending information via e-mail or SMS to all the people who might directly or indirectly relate to activities that take place in rural areas.
* Sharing information (texts and links of our website www.futbolrural.org.ar) with friends and contacts through social networks (Facebook, Orkut, My Space, LinkedIn, etc.) or Twitter. This is a great tool, especially for global diffusion. Many people may be interested in spreading the idea or helping to organize an event.
* Contacting and making the information available to journalists and local, regional or national media (radios, magazines, websites, television, etc.)
* Printing and making information available to schools and rural communities as well as civil organizations, land owners, companies, agrarian professionals or individuals that may eventually be in contact with them.
* Printing, in black and white or colour, posters promoting the Gathering (available in Language Packs on our website). Distributing them in shops, libraries or other public spaces that agree to broadcast the event. Especially in towns and cities located near rural schools.
Collaborating with the organization
We know that many rural schools and communities are facing all types of difficulties and limitations It is not unusual to see.teachers and even headmasters preparing lunch or snacks for their students. To make matters worse, rural families’ work routines are diverse and exhausting as well. But we think that in spite of those challenges it is possible to “move mountains” with a little bit of help. To know that you are not alone if any conflict emerges is one of the greatest rewards in rural life.
How to help to organize the solidarity action and the Gathering?
* If you are a member of a civil organization that is related to rural areas, you can share ideas or useful experiences with headmasters and teachers of the schools. Remember always, as Montaigne said, that virtue doesn’t mean to do great things, but to do small things well . Three new fruit trees planted around the school may bear fruit year after year. A repaired slide or swing may raise smiles, and a new oven shall provide bread for every day.
*Making sure that all safety points related to the welfare of children, adolescents and adults are being followed during solidarity actions and the football Gathering. . (Check them on our website in the Recommendations section).
*Managing and generating networks to facilitate the development of the event. Many times, these tasks are an obstacle to carrying out the activity. Helping to avoid problems like the lack of tools, specific knowledge or time is relevant to the project.
Providing Resources
“What distinguishes one person from another are the actions made with what there is available, rather than making them with things that were given”. This thought exposed by Nelson Mandela has a deep meaning in situations were the lack of access to development –like rural communities- is an everyday reality. He also said that education is the great locomotive of personal development, and through it the daughter of a peasant gets to be a doctor, the son of a miner a mine chief, the son of a couple of farmers president of a great country. Without any doubt, these are inspiring words.
In this initiative, when we talk about providing resources, we refer to elements, materials, work and time, more than money. There are many ways in which individuals, groups, companies, organizations or institutions may contribute enormously to the school or rural community. Here are some ideas:
* Families may gather to collect educational games, sports articles (balls, nets, goals, etc.) or even a water filter.
*Companies’ professionals can get or recycle electronic devices for the school.
*A doctor could attend the match and speak to the parents about the importance of having a good nutrition or give out information about prevention of diseases.
*A company may donate some products or services useful to the school.
*Professionals or enthusiasts of photography, films or computers can offer their services to encourage teachers and students to use new technologies. For example, helping them to document the community action or the Football Gathering and sharing it with this and other websites.
*Agrarian professionals or technicians may advise parents, teachers and students in the starting of a vegetable garden or a greenhouse at the school.
*A social organization could motivate a group of volunteers to support those rural communities and schools who wish to strengthen the ties with their students’ families.
Spirit and Guidelines
The idea of this gathering is to strengthen the sense of community. To facilitate the rapprochement between families and the rural schools of their children or relatives. To be able to build stronger bonds to form a truly educative community.
The supportive actions are the most definite bond, and the football gathering is a symbol and a form of celebration.
The aim is that only children play football (boys and girls of school age). They would do it in an adequate and safe space chosen responsibly by the rural school or community. It is neither a tournament nor a championship; it is a gathering to celebrate the supportive action. The participation of adults will be exclusively focused on undertaking community actions and organizing the meeting to take place on October 26th, 2012.
Terms and conditions
As you well know, every event done by schools and communities must guarantee the safety of all participants. In this regard, here are, some of the safety measures that we believe must be taken into account:
*That children play in a place suitable for sports that guarantees their safety and wellbeing;
*That adults prevent possible problems that may arise on the day of the match. For example, for the school representative to be present, checking the field before every match to make sure that there are no sharp elements that may hurt the children, having a first-aid kit and doctors available, and –if possible- an ambulance in case of any accident, etc;
*If the field is covered, they should make sure it is suitable for this specific purpose and comply with the safety rules required by the applicable law;
*Remember that it is generally adults rather than children who are responsible for disturbances or conflicts in sports events, and keep this in mind in order to prevent any problems that may arise (for instance, exercising the right of admission to the event and notifying the community authorities);
*When talking about football , goals are the main cause of very strong knocks and even of serious accidents. Special attention must be paid to that. Covering the goals with a material that cushions the impact is one of the best forms of prevention. If they are not like that yet, it may even be a potential objective for the supportive action;
*The ball has to be made of a material that allows children to play without putting their physical safety at risk. For this same reason, we recommend that children play with sneakers to minimize the possibilities of an injury. If there are children who do not have footwear, a previous campaign can be organized so that nobody in the community lacks their own pair of shoes;
*Bear in mind and obey all the laws and any regulations, for example: rules that indicate how to prevent and act in cases of fire; laws that list the specifications for the installations where the event will take place, especially regarding emergency and evacuation signs, rules about safety and hygiene, among others.
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