Fifty-six streetfootballworld network members have come to Lyon for the second streetfootballworld General Assembly. Hosted by network member Sport dans la Ville at their impressive premises in Lyon, France, the network spent three intensive days working on topics like gender equality, social inclusion and social enterprises, exchanging ideas for the coming years and discussing strategies for better collaboration between network members.

The General Assembly is the supreme organ of the streetfootballworld network and consists of all members. It meets every two years to approve the strategy for network activities and to elect a network board. Above all it is one of the greatest opportunities for network members to meet up, to see old friends, and to develop new initiatives.

Gender, social inclusion and social enterprises
Several network members were invited to share their expertise on selected topics with their colleagues. The workshops gave network members not only the opportunity to understand the work in other parts of the world better, but were also used to work on strategies for the coming years.

Steffi Biester of KICKFAIR, Sarah Murray of Women Win and streetfootballworld's regional consultant for East Africa Sarah Forde presented the results of the process on mapping the network’s set-up in terms of gender equality and opportunities for girls’ involvement.

The working group developed a first draft of a strategy for the coming years to improve the representation of girls and women in leadership positions, and to support network members in including girls better in their programmes. The network will follow a very special approach to tackling challenges in gender equality, including boys and men actively in the process to improve the situation for women and girls in society.

“The workshop was a milestone after a year-long process. It is incredible how the different organisations have been involved over such a long period. During that time and also today they have really made the gender initiative a joint project from within the network that goes beyond everything that has been developed in the network so far”, said Steffi, who initiated the process as network board member.

Developments in Latin America
Prior to the General Assembly, network members from Latin America met in a separate session to discuss the challenges of the past year which had led to the resignation of the streetfootballworld Regional Coordination in Latin America and nine network members from the region. In a very open and fruitful discussion, the network members decided to develop a new collaboration structure for Latin America and will meet again in March 2013 in Cartagena, Colombia to develop the ideas further.

Brazil is calling
Network members from all over the world also got an update on the activities of streetfootballworld Brasil, and the preparations for the upcoming Football for Hope events which will be organised by FIFA with the active involvement of streetfootballworld.

Adidas Exchange Programme
In parallel to the General Assembly, the fifteenth edition of the adidas Exchange Programme took place in Lyon with a focus on European network members. Coaches from the European members as well as from some other organisations from the sector like Special Olympics and the Football Association of Ireland joined the network members at Sport dans la Ville for the Coerver Coaching course.

Meanwhile, network members Teamplay@NAC, Sport dans la Ville and Albion in the Community presented their work on employability, and the members discussed further ideas for a stronger European collaboration after the recent meeting in Brussels.

“I was impressed by the quality of the programmes presented around the table and the willingness to create dialogue and to share”, said Clive Lessem from Mifalot.

A new board for the streetfootballworld network
At the very end of the General Assembly, the results of the elections for the new board were announced. The new board will focus particularly on improving existing governance structures at streetfootballworld.

We are delighted to announce that the following five network members have been selected by the General Assembly as the new streetfootballworld Network Board members:

Soccer in the Streets (USA)
Kick4Life (Lesotho)
Colombianitos (Colombia)
Slum Soccer (India)
FUDELA (Ecuador)

Congratulations! The new Network Board will officially start its work in January 2013 and will guide the networking processes at streetfootballworld for the coming two years.

It has been an amazing reunion and another important milestone for the streetfootballworld network.