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PROJECT PLAYGROUND

MinelslobcyieGtåyrd

Meaningful leisure time
helps bring about sustainable

social development

Meaningful leisure time encourages drive in children and young people.
This is the basic concept for Project Playground, and its approach to combating

exclusion and helping make the world more sustainable. Project Playground
empowers young individuals and gives them hope for the future by creating
safe spaces and capacity-building activities for children and young people in

vulnerable situations.

Project Playground’s ambition is to create a world in which all “We’re also working to create better conditions for all the family by
children and young people can grow up with a belief in the offering psychosocial support and food parcels. Although the COVID-19
future and the ability to make a positive impact on their own pandemic made it more difficult for us to reach out to people in South
lives. This fundraising foundation was born out of the knowledge that Africa, we managed to carry out more than 2,800 home visits and a
scarce economic and social resources increase vulnerability among total of 500 children and young people were active in our programmes.”
children and young people, which in turn can affect their well-being,
self-esteem and future prospects. Founders HRH Princess Sofia and THE PANDEMIC CREATED NEW NEEDS
Frida Vesterberg wanted children in vulnerable situations to have the Activities in Sweden began with the wave of refugees that arrived in
opportunity to take part in an organisation that focuses on personal 2015. Project Playground could see that the needs of unaccompanied
development and needs from a holistic perspective. minors arriving in Sweden were similar to those in South Africa. Project
Playground was able to offer a range of activities in Sweden by building
ACTIVITIES IN SOUTH AFRICA AND SWEDEN on the expertise acquired by the foundation in South Africa. Project
From the start in 2010, Project Playground has provided children Playground is now based in Sundbyberg and works in partnership
and young people with meaningful and safe contexts in the form of with Praktiska Gymnasiet, Liljeholmen. Its programmes include sports
capacity-building, educational and developmental programmes. By and culture, but also skills-enhancing activities such as study support,
focusing on play, Project Playground aims to identify children and coaching and lectures. Project Playground focused strongly on the
young people in vulnerable situations before they are at increased risk well-being and academic achievement of high school students during
of social problems such as crime, lack of education, mental illness or the COVID-19 pandemic.
substance abuse. The various programmes provide children and young
people with the psychosocial support and encouragement they need “The COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions meant that
to create and live the lives they want. Cecilia Bergling Nauclér is the many high school students ended up in a pinch. Young people living
Secretary General of the Project Playground Fundraising Foundation. in poverty or without internet access or a computer couldn’t attend
lessons remotely. This contributes to a sense of isolation and hope-
“Our programmes are available in Sweden and South Africa. Our aim lessness among young people, which also affects their mental health.
is to help bring about sustainable development in both parts of the We offer help with homework and support for young people in need in
world. Leisure time is the most vulnerable time of day in many parts of partnership with the city of Sundbyberg. We run Hjälpakuten, an ac-
South Africa. Project Playground runs free after-school activities such tivity focused on equipping young people with the right tools for adult
as football and help with homework among the shantytowns of South life, together with Praktiska Gymnasiet in Liljeholmen. We’ll be offering
Africa. We also run “Play on Wheels”, a daytime activity for young contact pathways in the business community, and help with writing
people with various disabilities. CVs. Besides these activities, we also make sure young people in need
have access to school supplies and computers.”

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