What is Your Game?
Your Game is a partnership between the BBC and the Football Foundation which offers young people, aged 16 to 25, from under-served communities the chance to get involved in football, music and the media.
The football festivals are completed for 2008 but Your Game carries on throughout the year by continuing to help projects begin or flourish. Your Game 2009 is only around the corner and you can get involved by contacting the Your Game team.
Contact detailsWho is it for?
Your Game is not an open-invitation event, it is aimed at the most under-served communities and those groups not currently engaged in regular, competitive structured football. To do this Your Game works with national social inclusion organisations, sports bodies and community groups at every level to ensure that the opportunity is given to those who need it the most.
How does it work?
Ten Your Game festivals of football and music have taken place across England between March and May 2008 with over 350 teams battling it out. Over 3,000 young men and women from under-served communities took part in a national street-football tournament with the winners competing in a national final held at Birmingham City's stadium.
It's not just about winning though, the male and female teams which demonstrated the best spirit on and off the pitch at each regional festival also qualified for the final making a total of 40 teams who played at St Andrew's.
Why Your Game?
Your Game is much more than just a football tournament. There were many opportunities on offer in coaching, qualifications and accessing funding.
At each festival, participants got the chance to take part in creative workshops in street-dance, MCing and DJing, sports photography and much more. Aspiring musicians received advice from industry experts in our 'music-makers surgery'. They also accessed free coaching opportunities through the FA and Chartstage. The Football Foundation were also present at every Your Game event to provide advice, guidance and support about the funding opportunities they offer.
When and where did it happen?
You can read the reports, watch the highlights and see the photos from each of the 10 festivals here:
Weds 19 March SOLENTWhere can I find out more?
If you want to find out more, email us at your.game@bbc.co.uk or call the team on 0207 7651212.
Or you can visit our page on facebook where you can be a fan, keep up to date with all the latest news, pics and video and even learn some freestyle moves!
Your Game on facebook
RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
Football Foundation
BBC 1Xtra
FA Umbro Fives
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