Author(s): FRØYD, B., FROYD, C., HERMUNDSGAARD, J., ENGELSRUD, G.H., SOUZA, M.T.O., Institution: WESTERN NORWAY UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES, Country: NORWAY, Abstract-ID: 980

Introduction
“Empowering Girls through Football: A Real-life Integrated Learning Environment for Children's Health and Social Inclusion” (EGP) was a 4-yr collaboration between the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL, Norway) and the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR, Brazil). At the heart of the project EGP is the football initiative FutDelas in Brazil.

The FutDelas project aimed to improve the development of girls in different aspects of growth, such as motor skills, physical performance, issues related to female empowerment, based on equal rights and without discrimination of ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation. In FutDelas, in total 150 girls aged 10 to 16, with low or middle socioeconomic status, and with no previous possibility to play organized football, were offered football training 2 hours *2 times per week. Included in the football training was life skill training, a methodology including work with psychosocial aspects such as self-esteem/self-confidence, teamwork, respect (fair play), and leadership both in (theoretical/) reflective sessions and incorporated in the practice on the field.

The participants were recruited in two ways: 1) the project team visited public schools and “favelas”, distributing pamphlets and personally inviting girls to join the project; 2) by social media, including Instagram and Facebook, as well as through open television broadcasts.

Methods
In a 2-months period (Oct-Dec 2023), 31 out of approximately 60 girls in FutDelas, agreed to use diary-entries and diary-drawings. The aim was to gain knowledge and understanding of the girls’ experiences from participating in FutDelas. Diaries were analyzed in three steps.
1) Getting a “Sense of the whole” material
2) Identifying meaningful segments and units
3) Identifying relations between segments and units and create a more general knowledge, to interpret the essence of these lived experiences, involving existing literature and theoretical frameworks.

Results & discussion:
The findings highlight significant themes of empowerment, skill development, and community building. The diary entries analyzed in this study provided a window into the personal narratives of these young girls, which reveals that participants extensively discussed themes like confidence, feeling of being in a safe space, advancing their football skills, and cultivating a robust sense of community. Due to the girls’ rich subjective and intersubjective experiences, the implications of these findings extend beyond the immediate context of the project. They underscore the potential of sports, particularly football, as a powerful way to promote social inclusion and gender empowerment.