GAME Annual Report 2023

ANNUAL REPORT 2023

Address:

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CVR. no.: Founded:

Board of Directors:

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GAME

Enghavevej 82D, DK-2450 Copenhagen SV (+45) 70 20 83 23 game.ngo game@game.ngo

27 21 33 08 2002

Lotte Marschall, Chair

Mads Flarup Christensen, Vice chair

Jacob Bruun Farid Fellah

Philippe Furrer

Line Groes

Meriam Kadoura

Josephine Svensson

Simon Prahm, CEO & Co-Founder

Ida Brix, Executive Director of Communications & People Ayhan Can, Executive Director of Facilities & Engagement

Marie Traasdahl Staal, Executive Director of Innovation & Programmes

Grant Thornton, Stockholmsgade 45, DK-2100 Copenhagen

20-year-old Hayfa Baraka is a Playmaker in GAME Zone Mornaguia in Tunisia. She leads weekly practices in basketball and dance, mainly for girls.

At the annual GAME Finals event in Tunisia, Hayfa took the role of referee in the girls’ basketball tournament.

Hayfa was selected together with 14 other Playmakers to join a Training of Trainers session in 2023, which makes her capable of leading Playmaker training sessions at GAME’s Playmaker Camps.

Photos: Design: Illustrations: Text: Print:

Editor in chief:

All rights reserved

Monika Kadlubcová

Emilie Klint

Ida Brix and Marianne Hjort

ON!AD

Ida Brix

FACILITIES

GAME'S PARTICIPATORY DESIGN PRINCIPLES

ENGAGING

BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ REPORT

How do we make the world a better place?

In GAME, we contribute by enabling young people’s empowerment. By giving them the tools to include other children and youth in street sports in their communities, we enable them to become change makers, supporting the empowerment of others and creating social change. This year we are once again proud to deliver strong impact, resulting from the empowerment of youth, educating role models, and enabling a chain effect of good impact.

In 2023, the war in Ukraine continued and new brutal conflicts have developed in both Sudan and Gaza. The humanitarian tragedies that are taking place are shocking. We are witnessing horrible attacks taking the lives of innocent civilians… and sadly, many children and youth, too. In GAME, this makes a strong impression, and the Board, our staff, volunteers and partners are deeply affected by this. We are calling for a ceasefire, for getting humanitarian aid through to where it is needed, and for paving the way for peace and the protection of human rights. Our thoughts go to those that are affected and, in particular, we stand with the innocent children.

GAME’s Alignment to Address Local Challenges

GAME plays a small role in preventing conflict through instilling values such as respect and embracing diversity, and through encouraging youth to raise their voices and claim a democratic future. In addition, our training of young Playmakers includes conflict mediation and violence prevention modules, which helps the young role models gain experience as conflict mediators.

Despite facing extreme hardships stemming from numerous crises and risks, GAME in Lebanon continues its relentless work, enabling the empowerment of youth to build a peaceful future - now more important than ever. This year, a dream came true, with the securing of GAME House Beirut, where youth of all genders, backgrounds and religions can play and develop a culture together in a positive and safe space.

By listening deeply to the local challenges facing youth, we are innovating our approaches in directions that align with local needs.

Here are a few:

• In Jordan and Tunisia, GAME is part of the programme ‘Ready for Tomorrow’, where GAME’s Playmaker training also aims to increase employability, enhancing young people’s technical skills and nurturing their entrepreneurship.

• In Kenya, one of the aims of GAME and our partner is to prevent ethnic and political violence and conflicts among youth in Nakuru County.

• In Somaliland, GAME has completed a climate adaptation program with the aim of countering recurrent droughts. The focus was on building long-term resilience in and around the camps for internally displaced people.

• In Denmark, we have started a new phase of the “Asphalt Meetup” programme tailored for children and youth with psychosocial challenges. Also, we are continuing the “MORESTREET” programme that aims to include more youth in street sports, creating “Street Hub” meeting places around the country.

Well-Being, Health and Social Change

According to the WHO (2022), adolescents around the world lack physical activity. It is quite alarming that 85% of girls and 78% of boys do not meet the recommendation of 60 minutes of physical activity daily, with negative effects, for example, on physical and mental health, cognitive development, self-esteem, social integration, academic achievement, and overall well-being. GAME’s inclusion of children and youth in street sports in underserved areas around the world helps to counteract this statistic. What is more, the many positive side effects of GAME’s unique methodology help us to move closer to the mission of creating lasting social change.

The Danish Government has consulted GAME as a capable thought leader in our area when preparing for launch of the “Well-being Commission”, working with the aim of improving well-being among children and youth across Denmark. The Commission was launched at GAME House Copenhagen in August and one of our experienced Playmakers was appointed to the Commission. We are proud of this involvement and look forward to following the work throughout its implementation in 2024.

We were also happy that street sport was mentioned by the Danish Minister of Culture recently as an example of a new trend preferred by a growing number of people, but which receives only very limited financial support from the Government. It was pointed out that the informal setting of street sports, user involvement, and more spontaneous activities appeal to more people and can be a means to improve well-being, promote better health, and inspire social change. In GAME, we hope this statement leads to more public financial support of street sports.

The cocktail of street culture, training of local role models, inclusion in positive communities, life skills and physical activity has once again contributed to a significant impact in 2023.

Financial Status

In financial terms, we have unfortunately suffered a significant loss of €0.5M in 2023. This loss represents a tough year, when we have struggled to maintain the level of funding and other income from 2022 and a shift from the growth we have seen in previous years.

The loss brings the equity capital in the annual accounts down from €0.7M to €0.2M and this is not a satisfying development. We are currently aligning our plans for 2024 with this situation, in order to show a positive financial result at the end of 2024 and strengthen our equity capital.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I thank all our volunteers, partners, participants, staff, and donors for their support for GAME in 2023 and we look forward to continuing our work on the asphalt together.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Lotte Marschall Chair of GAME

1,213 young volunteers in GAME

38% of volunteers in GAME are young women

The 'Pathways' project in Somaliland, funded by CISU, has created the advocacy platform and skills for youth to promote safe public spaces for children and youth. Dedicated Playmakers underwent training and collaborated with community leaders to emphasize the importance of safe spaces for girls' sports and social interaction. The Playmakers were engaged in securing approval for five public spaces awaiting refurbishment.

NORWAY

SINCE 2020

SINCE 2002

T U N IS I A

SINCE 2019 GHANA SINCE 2019

GAME RESULTS

LEBANON

SINCE 2007

JORDAN

SINCE 2018

SINCE 2018

SINCE 2022

SINCE 2022

INTRODUCTION

GAME is an innovative street sports and culture organization, recognized as one of the world's 150 best NGOs (#114). Since 2002, GAME has worked to create lasting social change through youth-led street sports and culture.

GAME offers training for youth to become street sports instructors and role models. This training equips youth to run weekly training sessions in street sports and street culture. Life skills, empowerment, teamwork, conflict management, equality and civil society are part of the associated education.

GAME establishes award-winning facilities in close cooperation with children and youth. In 2010, GAME opened GAME House Copenhagen in an abandoned tram depot: since then, GAME has opened four other facilities in Denmark and in 2023 opened a GAME House in Beirut, Lebanon. Currently, GAME operates in ten countries across East Africa, the Middle East and the Nordics.

GAME in East Africa

In collaboration with strong local partners in Somaliland and Kenya, GAME supports local youth in addressing significant threats to their safety and opportunities. For instance, in the Nakuru district of Kenya, we work closely with the local NGO MIDRIFT Human Rights to prevent ethnic and political conflicts. Here, local youth are trained in conflict mediation, life skills, mental health, youth leadership and violence prevention in the Playmaker programme.

In Somaliland, where access to safe public spaces for youth is limited, GAME collaborates with local partners such as SCORE Somaliland to address this challenge. Our initiatives include developing public urban spaces in Hargeisa and implementing climate adaptation programmes in IDP (internally displaced persons) camps.

GAME in the Middle East

The MENA region, characterized by its young population, faces considerable hardship due to economic and political downturns, with youth facing high rates of unemployment and lacking skills. In Tunisia and Jordan, GAME and local partners enable the empowerment of resilient and entrepreneurial youth by creating opportunities, nurturing youth leaders, and fostering positivity.

In Lebanon, a record number of children and young people have been part of GAME, and the Playmakers' involvement has helped create several GAME Zones and refurbish courts for street basketball and street football.

After a year-long effort, the establishment of a GAME House in Beirut is finally about to succeed.

GAME in the Nordics

There is a growing demand for street culture among youth in Northern Europe, driven by challenges in mental health and a desire for platforms for self-expression, creativity, and leadership. In Greenland, a successful pilot programme has expanded into continuous programmes and the establishment of new GAME Zones. In Norway, plans are underway for the country's first GAME House in Arendal, supported by local authorities and communities, with a focus on crime prevention and mental health.

In Denmark, our programmes and facilities empower youth, and combat marginalization, mental health issues, socioeconomic inequality and physical inactivity, with impressive outcomes reported among volunteers and participants.

Ukraine

The war in Ukraine has forced local NGOs to redirect their commitment to humanitarian aid. GAME has supported the local street sports partner, Street Culture, in delivering emergency supplies to people in the Kharkiv region who do not have access to food and necessities, and in providing shelter to internally displaced people in Lviv, who have fled their homes in eastern Ukraine.

Sense of Belonging

In 2023, GAME made significant strides in fostering a genuine sense of community and belonging for children and youth worldwide. As we embark on the journey of 2024, we commit to actively supporting and scaling this sense of belonging, ensuring that it remains a cornerstone of our work.

STRATEGY 2023-2027

In 2023, GAME embarked on its strategy for the years 2023-2027, aimed at focusing and deepening our impact. Youth is at the heart of the strategy. By focusing on young people and supporting them through street sports and street culture, we invest in their important contribution to a sustainable world.. This strategic vision prioritizes a robust organizational framework and sustainable funding streams.

GAME's work is concentrated in three areas: East Africa, the Middle East and Northern Europe. Here, we always collaborate with the local community, local organizations, local donors and local authorities.

User involvement, in particular, is a cornerstone of GAME's work. Every time we design something new, we think about how we can create a safe space so that more people find their way into a community. Through workshops, interviews, observations and tests, we meet local needs and global challenges, giving us the opportunity to continuously improve our concepts and methods.

GAME in Kenya

The Kenya Playmaker Programme in Nakuru County, implemented by MIDRIFT HURINET and funded by CISU, bridges the gap between ethnic and political divides that can lead to violence among youth in Nakuru County. The programme also offers training for youth to support their paths into safe communities through sport.

GAME in Denmark, Greenland & Norway

In 2023, Playmakers from Greenland joined the Playmaker Camp in Copenhagen to bring the methods to the Playmaker Programme in Greenland. Two camps are conducted every year to train the Playmakers as street sports instructors and role models, but the camps also create friendships, community, and a sense of belonging.

The programmes in GAME are scalable, and in Greenland, youth have now developed the Playmaker Programme to fit their local context and challenges.

In GAME Norway, the municipality of Arendal has approved the refurbishment of the old firehouse as a GAME House.

HOW DO WE CREATE SOCIAL CHANGE?

COMMUNITY

SOCIALLIFE SKILLS

INDIVIDUALLIFE SKILLS

Creative thinking

Critical thinking

Self-awareness (physical & mental)

Coping with stress and emotions

Reflective decision-making

SOCIAL LIFE SKILLS

Teamwork

Trust

Leadership

Empathy

Effective communication

Problem solving

COMMUNITY

Peace/reconciliation

Gender equality

Sustainable communities

Democracy

Creating partnerships

Other local sustainability issues

GAME EMPOWERMENT MODEL

All GAME initiatives are based on enabling children and young people's strengths and opportunities. We call this empowerment.

Empowerment goes hand in hand with youth engagement. When young people feel empowered, they have the confidence, capacity and motivation to take action and create change for themselves and others.

However, empowerment is not just about individuals; it's about building up communities and the collective capacity to take action. Thus, empowerment manifests at the individual, social and community levels, and the premise is that empowerment at one level can catalyse change at other levels.

One example is the Playmaker Programme, where GAME offers young people training as volunteer street sports instructors and role models. The Playmakers then use their training to create inclusive and active communities for children in at-risk areas.

This gives both children and youth skills to navigate through changes, challenges and opportunities in their daily lives, beyond GAME and in society in general.

Esra Sari-Kahia and Jasmin Adnan Meki Mohammed are Playmakers and they explain it this way:

"One of the things we learn from being Playmakers is to take responsibility. We have been GAME Zone children ourselves, and back then it was someone else who took responsibility for us. But now that we are Playmakers ourselves, the roles are reversed. It's a really big thing for us and it gives us a lot of competences. It makes us proud.

LIFE SKILLS

Life skills are competencies that are built over time and work on three different levels:

The personal abilities to 1) constructively relate to oneself, 2) to relate to others and 3) to actively participate in the society around them in relation, for example, to gender equity, democracy, health and social change.

INDIVIDUAL LEVEL

At the individual level, young people in GAME develop individual skills such as creative and critical thinking, physical and mental self-awareness and self-confidence.

SOCIAL LEVEL

At the group level, young people in GAME gain skills in teamwork, leadership, effective communication and problem solving.

COMMUNITY LEVEL

The community level enables and supports spaces where young people in GAME engage and create positive and sustainable change in their local communities and society in general.

Learnings

GAME's empowerment approach and focus on life skills contribute to sustainable outcomes. For instance, 93% of Playmakers (age 16-24) in Denmark acquire knowledge they can use in their lives beyond GAME, with 80% reporting increased self-confidence after joining GAME. Among children (age 8-15) in the Danish Playmaker Programme, 53% report improved conflict management skills after joining GAME, while 56% were not previously engaged in active communities.

GAME in Jordan & Tunisia

Youth in Jordan at a Playmaker Camp cheering for each other.This Playmaker Camp was part of the ‘Ready for Tomorrow’ programme, funded by DAPP, that offers youth in Jordan and Tunisia training in life skills and technical skills, as well as in becoming street sports instructors to create positive communities around street sports and culture.

The programme aims to address the economic challenges that young people face and provide them with the skills and opportunities they need to succeed in a rapidly changing job market.

GAME HOUSE VIBORG

GAME HOUSE AALBORG

GAME TRANSFORMS OLD INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS INTO AWARD-WINNING FACILITIES

GAME has more than 10 years of experience in transforming old, industrial buildings into innovative facilities. The goal is for street sports and street culture to be accessible to everyone – even when the weather doesn't encourage it.

Here, children and youth can meet and participate in various activities and thus strengthen the communities around street sports and street culture. Involvement of youth, local communities and associations is an important part in the creation and development of GAME's facilities.

In 2023, after a year-long effort, GAME Lebanon successfully established a GAME House in Beirut.

GAME HOUSE COPENHAGEN

GAME HOUSE BEIRUT

Together with local youth, children are participating in the refurbishment of a run-down street basketball court in Qasqas into a safe and public space.

In 2023, GAME Lebanon finalized two very successful programmes working with youth and their engagement in sustainable development, social cohesion, reduction of inequality, and entrepreneurship: Youth RESOLVE 2, funded by the European Union, and Lebanon's Youth Building Dreams, funded by DANIDA.

GAME in Lebanon

GAME'S NEW FACILITIES AND PROGRAMMES

ARE DESIGNED TOGETHER WITH

CHILDREN AND YOUTH

EAR TO THE ASPHALT

PLAY WITH IDEAS TEST AND

The way to create innovative solutions is to understand the needs and dreams of those who will use the solutions when created: in this case, children and youth.

Here it is all about coming up with as many new, weird, different ideas as possible. The most important thing is to play with the ideas, turn them upside down and build on others’ ideas.

Try the ideas out, make try again. Spend as sible behind a desk. tested quickly on a out how they work in

GAME’S PARTICIPATORY DESIGN PRINCIPLES

Innovation is a cornerstone of GAME’s way of working using methods from what is called ‘Human Centred Design’ – an approach to design that invites all stakeholders and users into the design process.

GAME volunteers, children, parents and collaborators participate in workshops, interviews, observations, feedback sessions and tests, and contribute with significant inputs for developing new concepts and methods. This allows us to continuously improve our concepts and methods and to excel in delivering social impact and lowering the threshold to physical activity.

AND RETRY TAKE

IT TO THE STREETS CREATE SOCIAL CHANGE

make mistakes and little time as posNew ideas must be small scale to find in reality.

New, great ideas need to be brought to life and implemented in reality. This requires planning of the rollout and considerations such as time, resources, stakeholders, the local context and GAME’s methodology.

The last and most important principle is to ensure that the idea actually brings about the social change that it was put in the world to create. We do this through evaluation and learning methods.

Ukraine

The war in Ukraine has forced people out of their homes and created an immense need for emergency relief. With a grant from the Danish Emergency Relief Fund (DERF), GAME has supported the local organization, Street Culture, in providing shelter to internally displays people in Lviv who have fled their homes in the eastern Ukraine.

Urban Camp is an old, abandoned, industrial building, refurbished into a shelter. The focus is not just on shelter, but also on the dignity and protection of people, and for them to experience relief from the war.

GAME House Beirut

It has been a dream for years to establish a GAME House in Beirut. Now, this dream will come true as the municipality of Beirut has given permission to use an abandoned space in Karantina that was destroyed by the Beirut blast. GAME Lebanon has refurbished a part of the space into a GAME Zone that has been active since 2022 and now the rest of the space is being refurbished into a 1,700 m2 GAME House for street basketball, football, street dance, street art, music, parkour and skateboarding. And, most importantly, a safe space for children and youth to be active and find positive communities to thrive and unfold their greatness.

ENGAGING MORE GIRLS IN POSITIVE SPORTS COMMUNITIES

10 RECOMMENDATIONS

Make sure the girls feel invited to the activities

Adapt activities to local context and needs

Support diversity by understanding culture-specific barriers

Use comfortable, safe and nearby locations

Involve female role models as coaches

Involve the girls as co-creators of the activities

Create opportunities for the girls to cultivate their friendships

Remove the feeling of performance pressure

Make the girls experience progression

Create trust in the activities amongst parents

The existence of gender inequality in sports is well documented. According to WHO, 85% of adolescent girls globally do not meet the current recommendations for physical activity. Also, girls from minority backgrounds have a significantly lower participation rate in sports and physical activity than their peers. This imbalance calls for rethinking how we develop, design and organize activities in order to make sure that all girls can find their way to positive communities.

GAME has used an exploratory approach and gathered knowledge about girls’ leisure time, their motivational factors and needs, as well as what barriers may arise when it comes to sports participation. Against that background, we have developed 10 recommendations for engaging girls who are currently not active. As our starting point, we have taken at-risk communities around Denmark where a majority of girls have a minority background. However, many of the recommendations can also be used in more general work on girls’ participation. The recommendations can be used by coaches, clubs, associations, municipalities, voluntary organizations, local actors, etc., and serve as inspiration for ways we can increase girls’ participation rate in sports and physical activity.

For more on these recommendations, go to: game.ngo/female-empowerment

It is well known in research, and common in GAME's experience and studies, that some structural conditions must be in place if girls are to join active communities. For example, they should be close to home, positive role models should be involved, and the girls should be actively invited into the activity.

Music is an important part of street culture. In the GAME Zones, the local children know, that the activities begin when the Playmakers turn on the SOUNDBOKS speaker. The music also sets the mood at events such as Street GAME in Viborg. Here, Bili Esteban Nikolic Megyessi (no. 3 from the left), who is an instructor and role model at GAME’s Urban Music School, shows local children and youth how a DJ controller works.

GAME IN NUMBERS

FINANCIAL STATEMENT

PROGRAMME DONORS

NOBE • Belbin • Microsoft • Podio