kick for boys – step foundation

Since 2016, the "kick for boys" program of the step foundation has enabled football-based extracurricular activities at schools in Freiburg that focus on social learning. Originally launched as "kick for refugees" for boys with refugee backgrounds, the program today is open to all interested boys, while still maintaining a focus on participants with refugee biographies. In weekly training sessions, trained sports coaches for integration and diversity work playfully with groups of up to six participants to develop mechanisms of cohesion, conflict resolution, and frustration tolerance. Through this low-threshold approach, barriers are reduced, prejudices questioned, and intercultural respect promoted – factors that make a sustainable contribution to strengthening social cohesion.

Eligible for funding are educational institutions and public organizations in Baden-Württemberg that implement the program in cooperation with a school in Freiburg. This is a continuously approved grant funding that provides schools and sponsors with planning security. The focus is on the fields of child and youth development, sports, migration, education, commitment to social cohesion, labor & social affairs, as well as culture & media. A prerequisite is close cooperation with a local school and that the extracurricular activities are exclusively aimed at boys. The funding aims to strengthen tolerance, respect, and integration skills within the school environment and to establish social engagement at an early stage. Registrations and scheduling are possible throughout the year.