Standard Chartered and IFNA’s programme, GOAL is a unique multi-stakeholder partnership which aims to empower young women to become leaders in their communities.
GOAL uses netball as a tool for positive individual development and social inclusion.
Standard Chartered Bank and IFNA work with grassroots non-governmental organisations, 60 schools and 15 colleges in Delhi, India to deliver GOAL to 3,500 young women.
The programme enhances existing community programmes; contributes to the Government of India’s aims to empower young women and complements its efforts to promote sport, and in particular netball, with a view to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
There are several key components to GOAL:
1)The Leadership Awards Community Programme
60 young underprivileged women from three disadvantaged communities in Delhi are participating in a year long leadership programme. The leadership programme is holistic in its approach and supports the development of young women’s social and entrepreneurial skills. The programme is implemented through a 45 hour modular training course covering topics such as communication, wellness and entrepreneurship (including for example financial literacy); action based learning through organising community events; and promotion of health and well-being through netball training twice a week. At the completion of the course successful participants will be given leadership award certificates and outstanding performance will be rewarded with scholarships, microfinance grants or even potentially employment opportunities with Standard Chartered.
2)Standard Chartered Employee Engagement
GOAL offers Standard Chartered employees numerous opportunities to use their core skills as volunteers. Employees contribute to the modules on financial literacy, health (including HIV/AIDS), mentor GOAL champions and leadership award candidates; arrange netball games and play with the candidates or learn to umpire; volunteer in associated community awareness events and accompany participants on outings.
3)The Goal Champions Programme
15-20 young women from 5 different colleges in Delhi act as GOAL Champions. The GOAL Champions provide peer to peer support to the leadership participants, participate in community events, promote netball in their respective colleges and volunteer by coaching and playing netball with leadership participants.
4)Coaches for Social Change
Professional coaches aim to train in netball up to 3,500 girls from 3 communities, 15 colleges and 60 schools. Aware of the fact that women’s empowerment is an issue across the social spectrum in India, coaches facilitate basic discussions on issues of social importance, the environment and well-being with college school participants. Finally coaches organise tournaments bringing together communities, colleges and schools.
5)Monitoring and Evaluation
A bespoke multi-tiered, learning and developmental approach towards research and evaluation has been developed for GOAL. This framework incorporates baseline surveys; a web based recording and reporting tool that stores quantitative data and qualitative information; an engagement matrix which enables the judgement and recording of levels of stakeholder engagement with GOAL; instant reporting and representation mechanisms for statistical information and qualitative reports.
GOAL is proving a tremendous success and very popular with participants, staff and the media.
Standard Chartered and IFNA hope to roll out GOAL to other locations.