FURD has completed a 3-year research project exploring the role football can play in aiding the integration of asylum seekers, refugees and the communities in which they live.
The project, Football: A Shared Sense of Belonging? was funded by the Big Lottery Fund and led by Dr Chris Stone.
The final report from the project is now available, both online and in print. The report includes case studies and interviews and discusses how football, as both a spectator sport and a participatory sport, can improve mental health, empowerment and a sense of inclusion.
It concludes with a series of recommendations for steps that community and refugee support agencies and football organisations can take to ensure that the potential for football to contribute to a sense of belonging can be realised.
More information about the project, including a link to the online report can be found at this link
Printed copies can be requested from enquiries@furd.org or borrowed from the FURD library.
Any questions about the report or the project can be directed to enquiries@furd.org.