We are I Speak Football. A unique initiative that combines football sessions, tailored language classes and a safe mentorship space to support displaced young people in learning English through the medium of football.
By integrating language learning with the universal passion for football, our program offers a dynamic and engaging approach to language and literacy development that addresses some of the traditional barriers to learning.
At I Speak Football, our vision is to empower displaced young people by harnessing the transformative power of football.
We envision a future where every displaced young person has access to safe, nurturing learning environments tailored to their unique needs, where they can heal from trauma, build strong social networks, and develop the skills and confidence to thrive in their new communities.
Find out more in our video
My name is Djibril. I come from Ivory Coast and I have been living in the UK for 8 years. I have loved football since I was a little boy and usually play twice a week out in the community, where I often make new friends or welcome new people to our open sessions in Clapham Common. I am the founder and co-director of I Speak Football.
For more info about my journey click here:
My name is Ben I’m from the UK but was raised all around the world. I have extensive experience as a sports coach and a dedicated advocate for refugee empowerment. I have been working with Djibril since the first pilot, and I am also a co-director of I Speak Football.
For more info about my journey click here:
My name is Mark. After 12 years with the UN, I am now a consultant with The Sports Effect who specialises in improving impact and inclusivity in sports for development programmes. I am also a co-director with Ben and Djibril.
For more info about my journey click here:
To ensure our services continue to respond to the needs of young displaced people and to further empower them as part of our processes we have created a Refugee Advisory Board.
The RAB has refugees and migrants from all around the world including; Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Poland, Ukraine, Zambia, Sudan and Afghanistan, and more.
They meet at least once a quarter on-line or in person and are consulted with in the design and evaluation phases of our projects.
They are fully paid and part-time positions, with travel expenses paid. If you would like to join the board, learn more about our RAB or work with them to better your refugee services, please contact us at:
info@ispeakfootball.org
We would love to hear from you!
Please use this form to reach out about our services, our refugee advisory board, or partnering with us as we expand in the UK, Europe and beyond. We are eager to work with like-minded sponsors, experts, NGOs and Academia to improve the work we do.
If you would like a copy of our business plan or Sponsorship Pack, please mention in the message and we will send.
Or feel free to contact Djibril, Ben, or Mark at info@ispeakfootball.org
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deliver transformational S4D programmes that are impactful,
inclusive and sustainable.
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