Lommel SK - samengroeien

Lommel SK and community institution Mol start Younited team Club 11 dec Lommel SK and Mol Community Institution are joining forces for a unique collaboration. In the coming year, youngsters aged between 16 and 18 who are temporarily staying at the institution will defend the club's colours as a Younited team.

Building bridges between socially vulnerable groups and professional clubs: that is the concept behind Younited Belgium. ‘Several professional clubs in Belgium cooperate with social organisations in this way,’ outlines Nicky Cionoiu, one of the driving forces behind the project at the institution. ‘With vulnerable target groups that we also know through and through in the community institution in Mol. This is where young people come from a very troubled home situation or young people who have committed or are suspected of committing a juvenile crime. The juvenile court entrusts them to our institution. They are often boys and girls aged between 12 and 18 who have fewer developmental opportunities due to circumstances.’

‘So we didn't have to think for long when we got the opportunity to enter into cooperation with Lommel SK,’ Cionoiu continued. ‘Our young people sometimes have few success experiences in their backpacks. That they can suddenly discover their football and other talents boosts their self-esteem and confidence. They once they close the door of the institution behind them can also take that feeling with them. It is clear that our youngsters will wear those green and white colours with great pride at the tournaments in which several Younited teams participate.’

The text continues after the photo.

Social role
A lot of professional clubs in Belgium put their shoulders to the Younited project. ‘It shows the power of football in our society,’ outlines Harm van Veldhoven, president of Lommel SK. ‘As a football club, we not only have a sporting mission, we also have a very important social role. Within the Pro League, we actively work on Football & Social Responsibility, but we ourselves as Lommel SK are also actively involved in helping our community move forward. That is why it is an obvious choice for us to set up a Younited team. Together with the youth institution in Mol, we want to give opportunities to young people who have reached one of the most difficult moments in their lives. The fact that we, as a football club, can mean something to them to push their lives in a positive direction is the main motivation to enter into this cooperation. This is exactly what our social operation, Lommel in the Community, is for.’

Educators
A team of educators will work with the young people as trainers. ‘Every week we organise at least one football-related activity,’ outlines head coach Thijs Huysmans. ‘Three head trainers alternate to give training or coach the boys during a Younited tournament. During those moments, we can also very much focus on factors that youngsters need outside the institution. We teach them how to deal with frustrations on and off the pitch and how to work together. During such tournaments, there is also no referee: they learn to admit mistakes themselves and look for compromises. The fact that they are the first Younited team with players under 18 makes it even more special.’

And the youngsters themselves? They mostly feel a lot of gratitude. ‘I am especially incredibly grateful that the club, Lommel SK, and our trainers are giving us this opportunity’ says Isaac* (17). ‘Despite spending some time here in a closed institution, it ensures that we can still pursue our hobby.’

*Because Isaac is under juvenile court supervision, we use a pseudonym.