Sports Activities – Integrating through games

Every week, Serve the City volunteers bring energy and a football to the refugee shelters.

It all came with a simple idea: sports can build bridges. It can be a lively football match between adults or some playful activities among children; our goal was to create these moments of joy and belonging to better help integrate people.

Football – It can be so much more…

We usually organise a friendly football match involving adult residents. It doesn’t matter where someone is from or what language they speak; once the ball hits the ground, everyone understands. These games are a great way to share laughter and build a sense of camaraderie. 

Florent a long-term volunteer shared :

“Playing sport as a team with refugees creates new interactions, and so this is a different experience. We even teamed with some Luxembourgish players who came to the playground at the same time.”

These moments of inclusion and cooperation help break down barriers and build real community, one pass at a time.

Outdoor Kids Activities

While the adults play, we also set up fun games and activities for the children. They play dodgeball and sometimes smaller football matches, making the kids feel included and have fun is very important. Especially now that the weather is getting warmer, it’s nice to have them running around and enjoying outdoor activities.

Connection Beyond the Game

Though the focus is on sports, the impact is more. Florent explains :

“The refugees I met were used to playing football and challenged me, it’s a healthy activity for yourself. Beyond that, during the breaks, everybody feels confident and close enough as a team member to discuss many topics on their own past and background.”

These casual conversations that happen off the pitch can be as meaningful as the game itself.

Why We Volunteer

Volunteering through sports isn’t only about giving, it’s also about learning, growing, and connecting.

“Volunteering extends your horizon in many ways: you feel useful outside work, outside your circle of friends; you meet people from beyond your usual social circle, both the volunteers and the refugees or homeless and you face the difficulties of people living close by, developing a greater awareness of the contemporary concerns of our cities.” – Florent

So even if  you’re kicking a ball, playing dodgeball with a group of kids, your presence matters. Because sometimes, a simple game can be a part of something bigger.