Vålerenga Fotball launches the pilot project ‘Queer and proud in sport – all your life’
With support from the Norwegian Sports Confederation, Vålerenga Fotball, Vålerenga Fotball Samfunn and FRI Oslo og Viken are now launching the pilot project “Queer and proud in sports – all your life” with full force.
NIF is now supporting the project with funds allocated through the “Powerhouse for Diversity and Inclusion”, which will help to change culture and create lasting change: “Queer and proud in sport – throughout life”.
“If sport is to be perceived as a safe arena, also for queer, transgender and non-binary people, we need to increase competence about the themes in sport”. Good for athletes, the entire grassroots, federations and governing bodies. “It was a good project description that responded to much of what the Diversity and Inclusion Initiative is about – that we will strengthen the diversity and inclusion work already underway, build new knowledge and give the work in Norwegian sport an extraordinary boost. With support from Skeiv kunskap in FRI Oslo og Viken, we believe that Vålerenga Fotball, as one of the major top clubs in Norway, can create the tools that everything from the grassroots in sports clubs to the sport’s top governing bodies and special federations will benefit greatly when the project is completed in a year and a half”
Lars Neerbye Eriksen, project coordinator at the Norwegian Sports Confederation (NIF)
The pilot project will now work to ensure that everyone from management to parent coaches and referees in Vålerenga Fotball will receive adapted digital courses and tools that make it easier to handle the challenges that exist when it comes to queer athletes and anyone who violates the norms for gender and sexuality.
“Everyone should be able to participate on their own termsIn the autumn of 2022, together with FRI Oslo and Viken’s specialist department Skeiv kunskap, we have been working on a project that will benefit the whole of sports Norway. Recently we received good news from NIF about our application – and now the cooperation agreement for the project has finally been signed.” Parent coaches and the management of our club are the first target group. Important and adapted digital programmes will be developed at different levels. The goal is to create tools that can help change the culture and create lasting changes, which will help increase LGBT+ competence and ensure that we as a club, and in the long term in the whole of sports Norway, act in such a way that everyone feels that they can participate on their own terms”.
Harriet Rudd, general manager of Vålerenga Fotball
Safety makes for better athletes
“We are convinced that clubs and the entire sport will benefit from more focus on the topic. People live large parts of their lives in sport, and it is obvious to us that people can thrive and become better and safer as athletes if there is more security and competence about gender and sexuality diversity in sport. This applies from the start of a person’s sports career up to elite level. That’s why this project is important”.
Jan Elisabeth Lindvik, acting chair of FRI Oslo og Viken
Facts and more information
Vålerenga Fotball, Vålerenga Fotball Samfunn and FRI Oslo og Viken are now launching the project. Jannicke Aas from Vålerenga Fotball Samfunn and Joo Helena Hansen from FRI Oslo og Viken and the specialist department Skeiv kunskap will be responsible for much of the coordinating work and development. The status of the project will be presented as early as this summer’s Oslo Pride, and an event is being planned together with NIF to focus on the theme.
The “Diversity and Inclusion Initiative” is the result of the Government’s 2021 presentation of the sports strategy “Stronger back – a more inclusive sport”, which provided an earmarked grant for a separate initiative for diversity and inclusion in sport.
More about ‘All in & Win’
‘All-in & Win’ is a project to increase knowledge & awareness to recognize discrimination in grassroots sports towards members of the LGBT+ community. Together with two academic institutions, the John Blankenstein Foundation and multiple hockey & football national associations, EFDN aims for the acceptance of LGBT+ and to create a safe & inclusive sports climate for people who identify themselves within the LGBT+ label.
Participation in sports is a human right and everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy its physical, social and mental health benefits regardless of their sex, sexual orientation or gender identity. With the support of the European Commission, All-in & Win is setting up a research spread around Europe to gather empirical results about racism, discrimination and intolerance of the LGBT+ community in sport.
THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM ARE TO:
- Tackle racism, discrimination, and violence against the LGBT+ community in sport
- Social inclusion in and through sport
- Promote social cohesion through sport
- Promote active citizenship
- Promote voluntary activity in sport
- Enhance social and bridging capital of athletes
- Creating a safer environment for athletes within their club or organization
