Medellín Social Academy
Transforming Lives Through Football
In 2023, with the aim of improving the lives of vulnerable children, youth, and communities, we opened the doors of the Medellín Social Academy in Colombia, following the model established in Uganda, working with 100 girls and boys and their respective families.
Aligned with the primary Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) pursued by Fundación Xcalibur—SDG 4, Quality Education—we develop activities through which children and their families acquire values and social skills, using the powerful social tool that is football.
Why do we work in Medellín?
The community that we work with is located on the outskirts of Medellín, it faces significant social challenges due to its high levels of poverty, violence, and vulnerability. According to the city’s Development Plan, more than a third of the population lives in conditions of multidimensional poverty, with peripheral communes being the most affected.
Children and young people in the community face numerous risks, including forced recruitment into criminal gangs, sexual exploitation, teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, domestic violence, child labour, school dropouts, lack of opportunities for constructive use of leisure time, and depression. These risks create a context that impacts deeply in their mental and physical health, limiting their educational and employment opportunities and perpetuating cycles of poverty and social exclusion.
Therefore, there is the urgent need for comprehensive interventions. Through the Social Academy, Xcalibur Foundation has taken on the challenge to help these vulnerable groups face these numerous difficulties. Our objective is to mitigate negative impacts and promote the holistic development of young people through social cohesion tools, using sports, culture, and other community activities.
"We believe that every girl and boy deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential, and we are dedicated to making this vision a reality."
Workshops, Community, and Sport
We use sport as a tool to promote values, as well as to engage children and youth into participating in the programme. Football sessions are carried out three days a week for different age groups. These sessions inspire girls and boys to cultivate essential skills like discipline, perseverance and teamwork, as they nurture a commitment that extends into other aspects of their lives.
We also actively involve families, encouraging their participation as agents of change through community activities held in collaboration with local organizations such as Ratón de Biblioteca Foundation and volunteers from the Parish of San José, who facilitate social and cultural workshops.
In addition to these activities, students of the Medellín Social Academy and their families participate in a medical programme that includes check-ups and support by medical students from the University of San Martín. This initiative reflects our commitment to addressing other Sustainable Development Goals.
Aligning with the 2030 Goals
At our foundation, we align our activities with several specific Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to maximise our impact and contribute to a better future. In order not to lose sight of our overall mission, the main SDG that we address in all our programmes is SDG 4: Quality Education. The specific SDGs of the Social Academy of Medellín are the following:
3.5 Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol.
3.7 By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes.
5.2 Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation.
5.5 Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.
10.2 By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
Who makes the Medellín Social Academy possible?
Our programme relies heavily on the collaboration of our local partners. We are grateful for the support of Fundación Revel, an organisation that plays a vital role in our socio-sport activities. Fundación Revel provides us with technical assistance through the methodology of the European Football Institute, ensuring the effectiveness and high quality of our activities. ‘The essence of the Social Academy is to work with organisations that share the same vision of pursuing the present and future well-being of children, teenagers and youth in Colombia. With Xcalibur Foundation’s team, we share that vision of work and thus have better athletes and better people’, explains Carlos Salazar, president of Fundación Revel, argues: ’We can only reach the programme’s goal if we work every day with the confidence of the team formed by our coaches Giovanni Cano Torres and Kevin Andrés Ardila, who with Sandra Gomez, a successful social worker is part of the heart of the project. We are very proud of their ability to connect with the young people and their families’.
Additionally, El Colombiano Foundation, supports the programme in organising community events and activities, significantly contributing to the well-being and development of our participants. Their role as a local communicator connects us with cultural actors within the community, such as the Ratón de Biblioteca library in the Alta Vista neighbourhood.
Lastly, we are grateful for the collaboration of the San José Parish, which acts as a unifying force in the community. Through this institution, we engage young people in our programme and obtain the social context necessary for measuring and monitoring our initiatives.
Committed to Change
At Medellín Social Academy, we are committed to create a positive and lasting impact in the community of Belén in Medellín. Through football and values-based education, we work to reduce inequalities, improve health and well-being, and promote gender equality. We believe that every girl and boy deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential, and we are dedicated to making this vision a reality.
Join us in this mission and be part of the change we want to see in the world. Together, we can build a better future for the next generation.