Disability
Football

Our disability football programme aims to enhance sporting and coaching opportunities for children and youth with disabilities.

For over 15 years, Scort and the Football Club Social Alliance have organised sport-based activities for children and youth with disabilities. The activities are focused on promoting participation, personal development, and inclusion.

Specifically, the programme can be divided into two complementary, but distinct, elements:

  • The Tandem Young Coach Education
  • The Special Youth Camp

The primary objective of the Tandem Young Coach Education programme is to empower young persons with disabilities to take on greater responsibility and become coaches themselves.

Furthermore, the Special Youth Camp offers a unique opportunity for children and youth with disabilities to participate in a leisure and sports camp at no cost.

Quick Facts
  • 250 Young Coaches with and without disabilities
  • 21% Females
  • > 1.300 Benefitting Children
  • 16 Special Youth Camps
  • 14 Tandem Educations

Programme Design and content

 

The Tandem Young Coach Education is a unique programme which targets young persons with and without a disability who are interested in getting involved in disability football as a coach.

During the education, one person with a disability (Young Coach) and one person without a disability (Tandem Partner) form a so-called “Tandem”. Led by an experienced team of instructors, these Tandems learn to become coaches in disability football while continuously working together.

This creates a process of mutual learning which ensures added value for both parties: With the support of their Tandem Partner, the Young Coaches learn to take on more responsibility. At the same time, the Tandem Partners gain practical experience in the area of inclusion.

This initiative addresses the scarcity of coaches available for disability football activities, while also fulfilling the desire of these players to actively take on responsibility for their team.

The Special Youth Camp is a football and leisure camp for children and youth with disabilities who come together to play, learn, and gather unique experiences outside of their usual environment.

During one week, the children enjoy tailored football trainings – instructed by the previously educated Tandems of the Alliance – as well as a diverse leisure programme.

Sharing these moments fosters the participants’ self-awareness, promotes self-confidence, and gives them the chance to make friends across borders.

The Special Youth Camp ensures that all players, regardless of their abilities, have access to enriching recreational experiences, considering the limited availability of inclusive camps of this kind.

Play

impressions From Different years

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Tandems

Over the past few years, we’ve gathered the stories from several of our Tandems, shedding light on their journeys into disability football and their ongoing experiences with our Tandem Education. Explore their stories to learn more about their paths and the impact of their involvement.

 

Luke & Eva – Tandem 2024
Luke and Eva both have a background in handball. Their aim is to promote inclusive sports beyond football.
Dominique & Jonathan – Tandem 2024
Jonathan oversees the inclusion projects at 1. FC Nürnberg and wants to involve Dominique in the club’s activities at special schools.
Marco & Kai – Tandem 2024
At the suggestion of teammates who had already taken part in the Education programme, Kai and Marco did not hesitate to take part in the Tandem Young Coach Education programme together.
Felix & Lorenz – Tandem 2024
Despite their young acquaintance, Felix and Lorenz from 1. FSV Mainz 05 were like a well-rehearsed team after the programme.
Finja & Thomas – Tandem 2023
Finja and Thomas first met almost a decade ago. Thomas serves as a coach of the disability team, while Finja not only showcases her passion as a dedicated player in Thomas’ team, but also aspires to become a coach herself.
Dae Cheol & Matthias – Tandem 2022
Dae Cheol has joined SV Werder Bremen four years ago. He started as a player before he took the leap to also become a coach. His Tandem Partner Matthias is a coach at the SV Werder Bremen Young Stars.
Bruno & Fabian – Tandem 2022
Bruno has already gained a lot of experience in football. After he was active as a coach in the competitive field, he founded his own inclusive football team, called Team United. Fabian plays in Bruno’s team.
Matthias & Moritz – Tandem 2021
When asked if they would like to participate in the Tandem Education, both immediately said ‘yes’. During the week they learnt step by step how to plan and implement training sessions for children with disabilities.
Yasin & Gregorio – Tandem 2021
Yasin and Gregorio are both from the DreamTeam of FC Basel 1893 and have known each other for some time. Taking part in the Tandem Young Coach education has brought the two of them even closer together.
Hilko & Markus – Tandem 2019
Before the education Hilko and Markus didn’t know each other. The education was a great experience for Markus, because until now he had only worked with young children.
Marco & Jan – Tandem 2019
Marco and Jan have made incredible progress during the education: from blindly trusting each other for the first time, to preparing and conducting training sessions for children with disabilities.
Charlie & Taylor – Tandem 2018
The Tandem Education enhanced Charlie and Taylor’s coaching expertise, boosting their confidence in disability football coaching at Newcastle United Foundation.
Gabriel & Evans – Tandem 2018
Gabriel and Evans went through the 2018 Programme together and they gained lots of experience training kids with disabilities.
Vanessa & Nikola – Tandem 2017
Vanessa and Nikola participated in the 2017 edition of the FCSA Tandem Education in Leverkusen and the Special Youth Camp in Basel.
Ross & James – Tandem 2017
In 2017, Ross and James participated in our Tandem Education in Belfast, Northern Ireland. They both gained tremendously from the training and the reciprocal nature of the learning that we promote.
Marvin & Björn – Tandem 2016
Marvin and Björn participated in the 2016 edition of the FCSA Tandem Education in Bremen and the Special Youth Camp in Basel.
Jacqueline & Patrick – Tandem 2015
Every Thursday, Jacqueline & Patrick train the Werder Youngstars. Together with other Young Coaches they train in total 4 teams with around 50 kids and youngsters with special needs.
Sarah & George – Tandem 2014
Even two years after the education programme, Sarah and George are still a successful “tandem”. The kids from the Old Boys Basel Dream Team look up to their coaches and enjoy the fun sessions.

Media and Reports

Partners & SUpporters

Participating Partner Clubs

Supporters

Further Partner Organisations

 

Stiftung Nachwuchs-Campus Basel

Sports Departement of Basel-City

Adventure Climbing Forest Lörrach

Egloff Sports Prizes

Did You know?

 

Since 2019, we are partnering with DFB Foundation Sepp Herberger and DFL Foundation to involve more teams and strengthen the disability football network!