With our sports projects we strive to make a significant positive impact on:
- Physical and mental health
- Personal development
- Social cohesion
- Livability
It is our goal is to make a contribution to these four societal challenges: increasing physical inactivity, loneliness & insecurity, individualisation and urbanisation.
Check out our impact in just 1 minute
1. Physical and mental health
Around the world, we see glaring exercise poverty. Children and youngsters do not meet the minimum exercise guidelines, partly because they spend a lot of time behind screens. Children with disabilities exercise even less.
The numbers speak for themselves:
In addition, there are places in the world where livability and safety are under pressure and spaces to play sports are not a priority at all.
The Cruyff Foundation creates space for children and youngsters to exercise:
- 300 Cruyff Courts in 23 countries (+19 Cruyff Courts in 2023);
- 1.8 million visitors on our Cruyff Courts by 2023;
- 99% of our Cruyff Courts are publicly accessible 24/7;
- 12 hours of organized activities per week;
- 49 sports projects for children with special needs, with 22 different sports;
- 18,654 participants in our sports projects for children with special needs (2023), half of these children were participating for the first time;
- 650 Cruyff Foundation Coaches worldwide to optimally activate children and youth.
2. Personal development
Many people associate loneliness with the elderly, but this is also a current issue among youngsters. They have few or no friends. Or they do have friends or family around them but still feel alone. Prolonged loneliness can lead to various mental health issues.
Physical activity helps people meet each other and be part of a group. Self-esteem and self-confidence get a boost. Meanwhile, communication and social skills improve because sports create frameworks and provide rules. The Cruyff Courts, Special Cruyff Courts and Schoolyards14 have signs with the 14 rules of Johan Cruyff. These are important rules on the pitch, but also for daily life: universal values that apply to all of us.
- 49% of children develop more self-confidence;
51% of children on Cruyff Courts learn to cooperate better.
3. Social cohesion
Our sports and play projects, guided by Cruyff Foundation Coaches (local professionals), encourage meeting, connection, and friendships between children with different backgrounds.
- 93% of children and youngsters from different ethnic and/or socio-economic backgrounds form friendships.
4. Livability
In focus areas, local sports and play projects improve physical livability. In Special Education, we provide better facilities. The Special Cruyff Courts are fully adjust to the needs of their target groups. On many of these fields, sports and play activities are organised at least once a week by professionals.
- 89% of the neighbourhood feels that a Cruyff Court makes the area more attractive.
The image below displays the themes and social issues the Cruyff Foundation focuses on:
Impact Measurement
Our global impact has been measured and monitored by USBO Advice, Utrecht University. We work with the method: Theory of Change.
This research maps out the social changes resulting from the activities of the Cruyff Foundation. The USBO Impact Report ’23 includes reviews from professionals who use a (Special) Cruyff Court in their work. The impact of sports and play projects for children with special needs has also been studied. Respondents include: neighbourhood sports coaches, youth workers, physical education teachers, teachers and physiotherapists from Special Education schools, residential counselors, and leisure activity staff from (youth) care institutions.
Do you want to read our Annual Recap? Check it out.
SOURCES:
- Impact measurement by USBO Advice
- Kenniscentrum Sport & Bewegen (Knowledge Centre for Sport & Physical Activity)
- VWS-Monitor