As part of their RESPECT campaign, UEFA have teamed up with streetfootballworld to promote healthy lifestyles in Poland and Ukraine ahead of Euro 2012.
The eyes of the world will be fixed on Poland and the Ukraine next summer, providing a great opportunity for football to set a positive example of long-term social change.
Top players know that physical fitness and a healthy diet are as crucial to success as the ability to deliver a pin-point cross or put in a perfectly timed tackle. But you don’t have to have to be a professional athlete to benefit from a healthy way of life - which is why UEFA and streetfootballworld have joined together to create a programme promoting health awareness.
Raising awareness of health issues
‘RESPECT your Health - Euroschools 2012’ is designed to encourage people to quit smoking and cut down alcohol consumption, while eating a healthier diet and doing more exercise.
Children and adolescents will be a major target group, with sport courses and health education sessions taking place in schools, youth clubs and community sports clubs. It is also hoped that the benefits of the programme will extend to parents, raising awareness of health issues throughout society.
streetfootballworld is coordinating the RESPECT your Health campaign, which will be implemented by a number of local partners. These include Volunteers for Sport, PL.2012 and the School Sports Association in Poland and the Football Federation of Ukraine and Open Fun Football Schools in Ukraine.
The World Heart Federation, the European Healthy Stadia network and Muuvit will run programmes in both of the host nations.
“Long-term, sustainable change”
The project is based on a ‘train the trainers’ approach, in which local coaches, sports teachers and NGO workers will learn how to use the power of football to engage communities and increase health literacy levels.
The programmes will take place in the eight EURO 2012 host cities. UEFA will set a shining example by enforcing match day smoking bans in all of the stadiums.
Having organised ‘Euroschools 2008’ and ’20 Centres for 2010’, streetfootballworld has considerable experience in the implementation of social legacy programmes for major football tournaments.
“Events such as EURO 2012 capture the imaginations of millions and are ideal opportunities for triggering long-term, sustainable change,” said streetfootballworld CEO Jürgen Griesbeck.
“We’re very pleased to be contributing to health awareness in Poland and Ukraine with RESPECT your Health.”
For further information about RESPECT your Health - Euroschools 2012, please see the official press release here.
For full details of the RESPECT your Health - Euroschools 2012 campaign, check out the brochure.
