Open Fun Football Schools Moldova 2024-2028

2024: During the 2024 inception phase of the OFFSCSP initiative in Moldova, significant progress was made in establishing a collaborative framework for addressing juvenile delinquency and promoting social inclusion through sport and cross-sectoral coordination. Led by Cross Cultures, in partnership with the Association for Participatory Criminal Justice (AJPP) and the Football Federation of Moldova (FMF), the project aimed to foster resilience among at-risk youth and strengthen community-level responses. One of the most notable expected results was the establishment of formal cooperation agreements between AJPP and two key government bodies: the Ministry of Education and Research and the General Police Inspectorate. These agreements marked an important step in operationalizing Moldovas multidisciplinary response mechanisms (EMD teams) for children in conflict with the law. AJPP also continued its long-standing collaboration with the Ministry of Justice and its subordinate bodies, including the National Probation Inspectorate and the National Administration of Penitentiaries, ensuring strong integration of justice-sector perspectives. In parallel, AJPP led a thorough evaluation of Moldovas national education curriculum, aiming to identify strengths and gaps in how delinquency prevention is addressed. This assessment included a desk review of legal frameworks and targeted interviews with education officials. A comparative analysis with the Danish prevention model was also initiated, providing valuable benchmarks for future policy recommendations. Capacity building was another core achievement. AJPP conducted four regional roundtables, engaging 92 professionals across 10 districts, from fields such as education, law enforcement, mental health, and probation. These roundtables served as platforms for dialogue and revealed several unexpected insights. Professionals highlighted that while a multidisciplinary mechanism exists, actual cooperation is often fragmented, with many actors still working in silos. The absence of psychologists in schools, overlapping classifications of at-risk children, and lack of training in school mediation were identified as systemic weaknesses needing urgent attention. A particularly impactful and unexpected result emerged from the pilot school mediation training held in Orhei, where 20 students and several educators were introduced to peer-to-peer conflict resolution techniques. The strong interest and engagement from participants underscored a critical unmet need for such programs in schools. AJPP responded by developing a practical toolkit on school mediation to support the trainees in applying their skills in real-world contexts. An important highlight of the inception phase was the study visit to Sweden and Denmark, where Moldovan stakeholders observed how Scandinavian countries coordinate child protection efforts across sectors. This exposure helped shape Moldovas future strategy by reinforcing the importance of localized, family-centered interventions and continuous professional development. Participants returned with renewed commitment to decentralizing services and empowering frontline professionals. Meanwhile, the Football Federation of Moldova (FMF) played a crucial role in facilitating the Open Fun Football Schools (OFFS), which serve as inclusive, community-based platforms where sports and social development intersect. FMF trained new coaches and local leaders in child protection and community engagement, using football as a medium to build trust, encourage teamwork, and reduce social risks among youth. Their efforts bridged collaboration between schools, social services, law enforcement, and civil society at the local level. Through FMF's contributions, the project not only reached vulnerable children with structured recreational activities but also promoted positive role models and safe environments that can deter youth from engaging in delinquent behavior. Their involvement demonstrated how sport can be harnessed not just for physical development, but as a powerful tool for social change and community cohesion. As a whole, the inception phase delivered key foundational results: the formation of institutional alliances, generation of actionable data, implementation of pilot trainings, and growing public and institutional interest in preventive and rehabilitative approaches for at-risk youth. The learnings from 2024 have informed the planning of expanded activities for 2025, including broader school mediation training, the development of specialized probation programs, legislative review support, and continued investment in intersectoral collaboration. Together, AJPP and FMF have laid the groundwork for a multi-year effort that is responsive, inclusive, and grounded in both local realities and international best practices.

The intervention is built on platforms and approaches developed in Moldova by the program partners supported by Sweden since 2009. Further, it builds on a study tour to Denmark, with the purpose to examine the philosophy behind the impact Danish SSP initiative that aims to create formalized and appropriate cross-sector frameworks for schools, social administration, and police with a view to preventing and following up on children and young people's problems related to crime. The project is strategically positioned to foster cooperation and generate synergy with the General Inspectorate Police's Community Security Councils. Through close collaboration with these councils, project will bolster the capacities of local CSOs and CSP-teams to actively participate in matters concerning home affairs, security, and migration. The purpose of OFFS CSP-initiative will go beyond its original concept and broaden interventions to develop a sustainable mechanism for cross-sector collaboration that works to prevent or reduce the occurrence of social issues, problems, or risks. The project will address juvenile delinquency and schools safety by introducing restorative practices adapted to the specifics of educational institutions in the Republic of Moldova. By promoting the restorative approach, it will set a precedent for early intervention in addressing conflicts and harmful behavior in a way that exceeds the traditional approach, helping to build communities that are safer, more cohesive, and oriented towards preventing conflicts. These practices will not only transform the way of responding to conflicts and safety problems, but also cultivate a culture of responsibility, mutual understanding, and reconciliation, having a positive impact on the whole society. Project will contribute to facilitating: A civil society network that engages local stakeholders in organizing inter-community-based children grassroots football across political and social divides Permanent cooperation between sport school social police (CSP) Problem-oriented bottom-up approach to achieve security and social prevention initiatives Respect for good governance, human rights, equality and diversity The ultimate goal and impact of the project will be to foster inter- and intra-community relations and bottom-up civil society initiatives that contribute to peaceful co-existence, child protection, gender equality, good governance and public security.