SD Europe is excited to announce that our latest project, “Fans Matter!”, has been selected by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union for funding.
The primary objective of “Fans Matter!” is to improve the capacity and professional management of member-run football clubs and supporter organisations that are involved in the management of clubs, particularly on the non-elite – lower league and amateur level.
National/continental fan organisations, national football associations and member-run clubs from eight countries, spreading across three continents, will be involved in a series of training workshops and exchange visits, with the goal of improving the resources available to member-run football clubs and supporter organisations that are involved in the management of clubs.
‘Fans Matter!’ will be the fourth EU-funded project run by SD Europe and co-financed by UEFA, since 2012. Our current Erasmus+ project,“LIAISE” (Liaison-based Integrated Approach to Improving Supporter Engagement), will run until the end of this year. The ‘Clubs and Supporters for Better Governance in Football‘ and ‘Improving Football Governance through Supporter Involvement and Community Ownership‘ projects helped identify the need for “Fans Matter!”. To date, SD Europe distributed around €400.000 to its members and partners via these projects.
While further details will be announced in due course, below is a brief description of each organisation involved with ‘Fans Matter!’:
National Fans Organisations
Isarafans is the representing body of football supporters in Israel where it promotes fan ownership and influence in clubs. It offers advice and support to football clubs and supporters groups on ownership and governance, whilst also working to establish dialogue with the Israeli Football Association and Ministry of Sports. Ultimately, the organisation works to instil positive fan culture in Israel and strengthen relationships between clubs and the community.
SinC is a not-for-profit association that is geared towards promoting genuine democracy in football though supporter involvement in the governance of the game. The organisation draws its membership from voluntary grassroots supporter groups representing fan-owned clubs, minority shareholders and supporters of football clubs throughout Italy. SinC is active at the local, regional, national and European level. Since its inception in 2013, the organisation has worked to build meaningful dialogue between fans, clubs and those who run football in Italy through a recognised democratic structure.
FASFE is a not-for-profit association, drawing its membership from voluntary grassroots supporter groups representing members, shareholders and supporters of football and multi-sport clubs throughout Spain. Since its formation in 2008, FASFE has been active on local, regional, national and European levels and is an acknowledged partner in dialogue with the governing bodies of Spanish football.
Continental Fans Organisation
Sandlanders represents African football supporters and club members, drawn from its membership of supporter-owned clubs and supporters clubs. It was formed in 2010, as a representative organisation to speak for African football supporters on a national and international level, to benefit African sport (and football, in particular) as a whole.
National Football Associations
The Israel Football Association is the governing body of football in Israel. It organises a variety of association football leagues, the Israel State Cup and the Israel national football team. The association aims to work closely with Israfans for the benefit of the rising number of community clubs in Israel.
The Italian Football Association, also known as Federcalcio, is the governing body of football in Italy. The FIGC is aiming to work more closely with our members, Supporters in Campo, to improve the dialogue with fans but also to help support the running of member clubs.
Member-run clubs
Following the transfer of AC Omonia’s football department into private hands, a group of supporters who were dissatisfied and sceptical with the process and the decision set up a protest club that would be member owned whilst crucially preserving AC Omonia’s traditions. The club was named ‘People’s Athletic Club Omonia 1948′. The club prides itself on safeguarding and celebrating the original club’s founding principles and views itself as the ‘real’ club in Nicosia.
The supporters trust ‘Vzw Eskabee 1935’ was formed in January 2011 by supporters of Koninklijke SportKring (KSK) Beveren following the relocation of nearby club Red Star Waasland to their home ground and the termination of all men’s footballing activities. Dissatisfied with the decision, KSK Beveren supporters founded a new team, which competes in Belgium’s 4th Provincial League, to continue the history and legacy of their club whilst preserving its links with the local community. Vzw Eskabee 1935 is the club’s highest decision-making body with almost 100 members.
We are also pleased to be working closely with the following organisations with regards training programmes and mentoring and the overall evaluation of the project: Athlead UK, Sporting Assets and SchweryCade
For more information about “Fans Matter!” contact SD Europe via our social media channels or at info@s839813844.websitehome.co.uk
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