JUCONI Sports Club

Intervention Goal

To promote the social integration and emotional development of children and adolescents from the Socio Vivienda 2 sector, utilizing soccer and volleyball practice as key tools for recreation, learning, and the prevention of violent behavior.

Implementation of Sports Sessions

In alignment with the core approach of the JUCONI Sports Club, structured soccer and volleyball activities were conducted, seeing the active participation of children and adolescents from Socio Vivienda 2—a community facing high vulnerability and exposure to domestic and social violence.

The central purpose of these sessions was to establish a safe, recreational, and educational space where participants could share positive experiences, internalize essential values, and strengthen their coexistence through the dynamics of sport.

Throughout the sessions, the children and adolescents demonstrated remarkable enthusiasm, commitment to teamwork, and a strong willingness to participate actively. Our focus was on fostering crucial values such as respect, cooperation, discipline, and empathy, reinforcing their application both on and off the field.

Observed Changes and Specific Achievement

This phase of the program has yielded concrete results that underscore the value of sport as a tool for change, as detailed below:

• Increased Participation and Integration: A significant increase in integration and a sense of belonging among the children and adolescents have been observed, successfully overcoming initial barriers of distrust.

• Improved Coexistence: There is a noticeable improvement in mutual respect and the ability to collaborate effectively in teamwork settings.

• Decrease in Aggressive Behaviors: We have documented a reduction in aggressive behaviors and confrontations during games and group interactions.

• Rise in Positive Interest: There is a marked increase in interest in sports activities as a healthy, constructive alternative to violence and as a positive way to use their free time.

• Strengthening of Community: The program has contributed to the strengthening of the sense of belonging and community within the group of participants.

Conclusion

These sports activities are becoming a positive and tangible alternative to the social problems in the area, offering children and adolescents an environment where the right to play and recreation is guaranteed. Through sport, we are not only restoring a safe space but also actively fostering physical, social, and emotional skills essential for their future.

At JUCONI Sports Club, sport is a powerful tool for child development. Each month, 250 children and adolescents actively participate in our football and volleyball sessions.

These sports activities are not just games; they're an integral strategy. We often use them before our community workshops to help children release their energy, which, in turn, improves their focus and participation in educational sessions. Furthermore, sports are integrated as an active break during the workshops, offering a space for healthy and active fun. After the workshops, sports practice serves as a reward and an incentive, motivating children to participate appropriately and fostering the value of sport as a positive activity in their lives.

For many of these children, the dream of becoming professional footballers is big, but the reality of their neighborhoods is harsh. They live in areas with limited resources and constant danger, where the fear of being injured or even killed in gang disputes has deprived them of safe outdoor spaces to play. This fear robs them of a fundamental right: the right to recreation and play.

The JUCONI Sports Club has been a vital solution for these children. We've observed how the desire to play sports translates into more disciplined and joyful participation in workshops. Knowing they'll have time to practice their sport makes them more committed, and the physical activity after workshops becomes a reward that reinforces their positive behavior. We are giving them back a safe space and the opportunity to dream through sports, a right that had been denied to them by their environment.