Football brings people together everywhere. It inspires and motivates us! With a chance to play, the potential of this game is used to provide spaces in which children can develop.
Play and sport are not an extra, not something that is merely ‘nice to have’: rather, they are central to child development. For this reason we are creating safe spaces for children and using this positive force to give them the opportunity to grow up in an environment that is suitable for children. They live healthier lives, they learn social competences and they are offered prospects for the future.
A chance to play is aimed towards disadvantaged children and young people near to Volkswagen sites and focuses on the prevention of violence and learning and training opportunities.
The Volkswagen Group Works Council and the child welfare organisation terre des hommes work together with the ‘a chance to play’ programme to implement this goal. The Volkswagen workforce has supported the initiative from the start and voluntarily donates the ‘spare cents’ that come after the decimal point of their salaries. This enables terre des hommes to improve the living situation of thousands of children and their families on a long-term basis.
In its diverse projects, a chance to play uses street football to provide children with non-violent conflict resolution skills and to boost their confidence.
Playing, running about and being creative – these activities describe the heart of a happy childhood for good reasons. Children develop and learn through playing, through artistic experimentation, through running about and from occasionally lazing about. Children who have no opportunities for play, sports or leisure activities suffer serious setbacks in their development.
For this reason, terre des hommes and the Volkswagen Group Works Council are creating opportunities for play and sports in environments that are often fraught with violence and damaged family structures. Through these activities, access is also increased to education and social support and the children’s competences are boosted.
Volkswagen
Konzernbetriebsrat
terre des hommes
Deutschland
The Volkswagen General and Group Works Council has been supporting the child welfare organisation since 1998. The shared objective – to support girls and boys in their efforts to develop their own potential – will be further extended by the involvement of both parties.
This collaboration stands for thousands of Volkswagen employees who voluntarily donate a part of their salaries for children. It stands for the blisters gained on charity runs, cold fingers from long hours manning information points and collecting donations – in short, for a workforce with an incredible commitment.
It stands for many of the staff of terre des hommes and partner organisations who give of themselves daily under difficult conditions in many countries.
Above all else, this cooperation stands for thousands of children and young people around the world whose life situations have improved long-term, who with the support of the two organisations have made their voices heard and who have won themselves a space for playing and kicking a ball around.
terre des hommes has been a dependable partner to our workforce for many years, and so I am particularly pleased to support this child welfare organisation.
As a global company we have a global social responsibility that every one of us should honour.
Volkswagen is a large international family. Because of this, for me social engagement doesn’t end on my doorstep. Many of our global sites are situated in areas of great need. Being able to help here is more than just a good feeling. For me it’s a matter of honour.
Practicing diversity and gender equality makes us better people!
The preferential treatment of one gender over another is still unfortunately a reality and experienced on a daily basis throughout the world. Together with the Volkswagen Group Works Council, a chance to play campaigns at the global level for gender equality in all countries in terms of mindset, perspectives and societal action. Sport can play an important role here in achieving equality on the global scale.