Our Soccer School
The Local Dreamers Soccer School serves as a safe place to play for children in the neighborhood of La Arcadia in the south of Quito. All children in the age of 6-14 are welcome here, regardless of gender, social background and economic situation.
PROJECT SOCCER SCHOOL
Although the name Soccer School (in Spanish: Escuela de Fútbol) suggests that the school is only meant for playing soccer, we also want to introduce other sports like handball, athletics and frisbee to the children. By offering physical education in an organized program, we prevent them from taking refuge in alcohol, drugs and criminality, which are structural problems in this disadvantaged neighborhood.
In our Soccer School project we have created a performance group and a recreational group. The performance group consists of the oldest children (11-14 year). Within this group, we focus on developing general norms and values like respect, cooperation and discipline. Next to that, we put an emphasis on sportive aspects: technique, tactics and stamina. Within the recreational group, there is more emphasis upon the social development of the children by exercising and playing together. For them, the school is a playful introduction to football.
NEW! In 2017, we started playing with teenagers from the neighborhood and volunteers in an official competition. Moreover, we set up a team only for girls – the “Pachamamas”!
The fun and distraction you give to the kids is reflected in their enthusiasm.
Those enthusiastic, beautiful children, receiving you so happy and greatful. Made me feel good every time again!
Love the Game
Former volunteer Joachim van Imschoot interviewed assistent project coordinator Andrés Zambrano and some of the children. His video gives a great impression of the Soccer School Project and its goals!
How can you help?
Spanish
Location
Costs
Requisitos
Typical day
At the Soccer School, you can take the role of manager/project coordinator or as a trainer.
- Prepare and give soccer training in a challenging and structured manner;
- Introduce other sports like frisbee, handball or athletics;
- Safeguard the balance structure and progress of the project;
- Organize a soccer match against a youth team of a professional club on a monthly basis;
- Keep in touch with the kids´ parents, connect with them before or after trainings if necessary;
- Chair and prepare our monthly Soccer School team meetings;
- Actively involve yourself with the organization and the project: What is needed? What can be improved?;
- Encourage discipline, self-confidence and a proactive mentality;
- Create a safe and stimulating sport environment;
- Promote important values like respect and collaboration.
It is important that the trainers, manager or coordinator of the Soccer School to take spanish lessons to be able to participate and communicate with local people. In our office in Quito we have experienced teachers. During the lessons besides Spanish you will learn about culture and get enough experience. This is ideal because you will also have the opportunity to participate in all our projects in Quito: English school, swimming school, soccer school and other interesting activities, see our Spanish course page.
Local Dreamers offers its volunteers and interns excellent Spanish classes for the price of only € 11 per lesson. Every volunteer and intern are very excited about our Spanish lessons.
- Spanish Basic: €264,-24 lessons
- Spanish Intensive: €440,- 40 lessons
- Spanish Specialist: €660,- 60 lessons
The main office of Local Dreamers is in Quito the capital of Ecuador. There is also the meeting point to direct our volunteers and interns to the different projects. Our facilities have everything you need to prepare your lessons. We have a pleasant working environment with computers, internet and printers. In the cafeteria you can prepare a good cup of tea, coffee and a snack. Outside our office, just one step away, you will have access to all the facilities you need, for example, a large supermarket, restaurants (with a full menu for less than three euros) stationery stores, bakeries and even hairdressers, etc.
Upon your arrival at the airport, José Luis (our driver) will be waiting to take you to our office, where one of our guides will be waiting to take you to your lodging and will also teach you everything you need while you get used to the projects and how to get around in Ecuador.
First 4 weeks: €790,-
From the 5th week: €150,- p.w
WHAT IS INCLUDES?
- Preparation and guidance
- Management of your accommodation
- 24/7 in-country support
- In-country program orientation
- Pre-departure support from your Program Manager
- Airport pick-up
- Personalized guide, orientation and preparation with our team in Ecuador.
- Access to all computer equipment, printers, paper, internet, and other materials necessary for planning.
- Accommodation
- Breakfast and dinner included if you stay with a host family
- Feel free to prepare your own food and have full access to a clothes washer and dryer if you stay in our volunteer house.
By choosing one of our projects in the city of Quito you have the opportunity to participate in all the other projects in Quito at no additional cost
As a serious and responsible organization we ask for the following requirements to participate in our projects:
• Fill out registration form
• Sign general terms and conditions
• Sign code of conduct
• Have travel insurance
• Vaccines
• Criminal background check
• Copy of passport
Important: to reserve it is necessary to pay a registration fee
Former volunteer Sterre de Geus (21) described a day as a soccer trainer for us:
- 07:45 Alarm goes off, I put on my non-fashionable-but-decent clothes and have desayuno with my host family
- 08.30 In 10 minutes I walk to the office of Local Dreamers, on the way I take the Metro Newspaper and try to decipher the local and global news
- 09.00 Working time! All volunteers and interns are at the office and in small teams we start preparing lessons and trainings. Today my fellow trainer and I have to prepare the soccer training for the 5-8 boys group. With the help of Local Dreamers’ own soccer application we prepare some fun exercises for this afternoon’s training.
- 10.00 Coffee break. Let´s check if there is some news from the home front
- 11.00 Spanish lesson. Today Paulina (my Spanish teacher) and I discuss the imperative and my prepared soccer training, very effective because I can use it right away
- 13.00 Lunch. Today we try another lunch spot around the office. It will probably be soup, followed by rice with chicken for about $3.00
- 14.00 Time to take the bus to the South of the city, where the Soccer School is located. Together with fellow volunteers we take a 25 cents bus from the office to the soccer field.
- 15.00 The soccer training starts, today my fellow volunteer and I have to train the 5-8 boys group. An active but very enthusiastic group. After some different exercises we finish the training with a traditional game.
- 17.00 All the young kids have left the soccer field. We decide to play a soccer match with the volunteers against the oldest kids of our Soccer School, strengthened with our Ecuadorian trainers Andrés and Ariel. After an exciting game, Team Ecuador won by a penalty in the ultimate seconds..
- 17.45 End of the day. With all other volunteers I take the bus back from the South to our host families. My host mom prepares rice with chicken, while I try to show her my newly learned words.
PHOTOS
Fairytail scenery
In this fairytail scenery, the young stars of our Soccer School play every month a match against the youth academy of professional club Nacional.