Opening ceremony of the Football and Advanced Life Skills training course for 18 female teachers from Can Tho, Quang Tri, Cao Bang and Ha Giang provinces. (Photo: FFAV)

The goal of the course is to train teachers to become "core life skills instructors", the nucleus in the mission of replicating the FFAV model in Vietnam.

The initiative aims to increase women's leadership in football and promote social values ​​such as gender equality and creating safe spaces for girls.

In addition to gender equality, the training also focused on raising awareness about climate change and the environment.

With Vietnam facing increasing extreme weather events, a key element of this initiative is to ensure coaches can improve their knowledge and skills on climate change, and engage effectively with young players on the issue.

Last season, SV Werder Bremen organized two training courses in Vietnam as part of its football development program. From these training courses, two Vietnamese coaches were selected to travel to Ha Giang on behalf of SV Werder Bremen to provide basic football knowledge to 18 female teachers; with the aim of improving the teachers’ football skills and using sport as a tool for social change.

In addition, students also participated in the Fun Football Festival to demonstrate the power of football to connect communities.

Teachers will soon be applying their learning to organise 18 Fun Football Days for young people. The event has a special focus on climate change awareness and incorporates this into regular football or life skills sessions at their school football clubs.

The initiative aims to increase women's leadership in football and promote social values ​​such as gender equality and creating safe spaces for girls. (Photo: FFAV)

These Football Days are also sponsored by Werder Bremen and are expected to take place from September to December 2024 in Can Tho city, Ha Giang, Quang Tri and Cao Bang in early 2025.

Werder Bremen's participation in the training course underlines the club's commitment to using football as a tool for social change and women's empowerment in Vietnam.

"We believe that football can be an important driving force in promoting social issues. With our commitment, we want to strengthen the issues that we consider important. Therefore, we are delighted to implement this project in Ha Giang together with our partners," said Mr. Dominik Kupilas, Head of Fan & Business Development at SV Werder Bremen.

Mr. Nguyen Hoang Phuong, Director of FFAV shared that, initiated in 2001, FFAV has expanded the model to more than 15 provinces and cities across Vietnam with the aim of enhancing women's leadership in football and promoting social values, such as gender equality and creating safe spaces for girls. Therefore, developing core instructors with a focus on climate change and environmental awareness has helped strengthen FFAV's strategy in developing and replicating the model nationwide.