The NIF refugee fund

Action accessible to all including newly-arrived migrants

PROJECT OWNER

Name of the project owner: The Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports (NIF)

Status of the project owner:  National NGO

Area of work of the project owner: Sport

PROJECT

Norway

Geographic scope of project: National

Project objective: Educate and transmit values through sport / Practice a physical activity for physical/mental health / Promote access to volunteering in sport

Types of sport or physical activity carried out: 41 different sports and physical activities

Partnership / supports: Grants / Human resources / Other partners (Red Cross, The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration)

Project duration: 2 years (start: 1.9.2015 / end: 31.12.2017)

Project status: Underway

Supervising staff: Volunteers

Summary of the project: The Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports (NIF) is an umbrella organisation which organises all national sports federations in Norway. NIF has app. 2.100.000 memberships and consists of 54 national federations, 19 regional confederations, app. 366 sports councils and 12.178 clubs. The NIF Sports Board initiated the NIF Refugee Fund in the fall of 2015 to help sports clubs to create activity for the target group - refugees in the centers and at sports clubs facilities. In a situation with a record influx of refugees to Norway, the sports organization has contributed with activity, involvement and cooperation on several levels. In particular, the volunteer efforts in sports clubs have been formidable. In 2015, 92 sports clubs involve and activate more than 3,000 participants through the fund. NIF has wished to engage more sports clubs through sport federations and regional sport offices for creating activities, especially on the receptions of single minor asylum seekers (EMA), and where children live. This was due to the fact that NIF was very concerned that the offer at EMA receptions was very limited. What has sports clubs done? Each sports club and its board, through the application for funds, has agreed internally to assist and reach out the Asylum receptions. Each club has contacted the Asylum reception centres thoughout the country for offering their competency within approx. 41 different sports.

In 2015 until 2017, the fund has managed 13.8 million NOK (Norwegian kroner) from foundations, ministry, directorate, IOC (international Olympic committee) and from sport organisations in Norway. The fund has awarded app. 700 sports clubs in the period between second half 2015 to 2017. More than 8,500 participants have participated in activity from 2015 to 2016, and a total of 1,390 sports clubs have applied for 30 million NOK in 2015 to 2017. The maximum amount in each application cannot exceed 25.000 NOK. Sports associations/federations have processed applications before NIF has allocated sports clubs. NIF has also organized several seminars about the fund with, among other things, Red Cross and NFF to increase competence regarding the refugee situation and the fund in the sports organization. Sports clubs has planned, coordinated and carried out the activities, as well as allocated and prioritized funds for the purchase of equipment, fees, hiring, training fees and transportation. NIF has not provided specific guidelines for sports clubs work, and sports clubs has confirmed that the scheme has been unmanageable and easy to administer. The municipality and NGOs have been important partners in the work. Sports clubs has had special challenges with transport and language barriers, but other NGOs, such as Red Cross, has assisted with free transport for the participants. Some of the EMA could speak a bit of English and use of body language made the communication easier. Many sports clubs have initiated social gatherings with food/drinks for the refugees and newly settled has also made improved relations and cooperation.

NIF Refugee Fund has established its own working group with the Norwegian Football Association and The Norwegian Handball Federation for exchange of experience and making sure no sports clubs receive extra funding. The working group's cooperation has been a success factor for activity locally, regionally and nationally. In general, most special associations have contributed to the appraisal of the applications and were positive in the way NIF has managed the refugee fund. Several associations have become more active and follow the clubs' refugees closer. The fund assumes that the sports organization has received many more members - active athletes and volunteers in the sports clubs. In addition more refugees have built good social relations with other in the community, and many find the sports club a safe and a good place to do sports activities and meet friends. NIF hope that many of these would like to become future coaches, leaders and referees in the sports clubs in the future.

If NIF is to continue the fund, more funding must be available, especially to target the huge number of newly settled. At the same time it is important for NIF to establish an emergency “activity” plan in case the number of refugees to Norway suddenly increases.

Information about the Norwegian sport club in 15 different languages

TARGET GROUP

Country of origin: Afghanistan, Syria

Type of migration: Refugee / Asylum seeker / Migrants in transit

Target beneficiary: Families / Men only / Women only / Children / Teenager-Young people

Target age group: 5-10 / 11-20 / 21-30 / 31-60