How it started...
“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers. It laughs in the face of all types of discrimination.”
- Nelson Mandela, speech at the inaugural Laureus World Sports Awards, Monaco, 25 May 2000 -
This powerful quote perfectly captures the philosophy that lives at the heart of EdUcAntwerp. Since the very beginning, it has been a personal inspiration for Oscar, one of our founders. For us, sport is not only a game; it is a language of connection, a tool for inclusion, and a bridge that allows young people to step beyond social, cultural, or economic barriers.
EdUcAntwerp was born from a grassroots football initiative in Antwerp, where community-building unfolded naturally around the game. Two colleagues and close friends, Oscar and Mohamed, recognized that sport could become much more than physical activity. On and around the football field, they witnessed how young people from diverse backgrounds connected, grew, and found belonging. Inspired by these encounters, they envisioned safe spaces where youth could develop, discover new possibilities, and take ownership of their growth.
What started as small-scale community work rooted in sport gradually expanded into broader social, educational, and international projects. With the active engagement of young people, volunteers, professionals, and partner organizations, the network steadily evolved. Today, EdUcAntwerp stands as a dynamic platform grounded in empowerment, inclusion, and the strong belief that when trusted and supported, young people can become true agents of change not only in their own lives, but within their communities and far beyond.
Our Mission
At EdUcAntwerp, we are committed to empowering young people from highly diverse and often socially vulnerable backgrounds, while strengthening the professionals who walk alongside them. Every young person deserves a real chance to grow, to be heard, and to take an active role in shaping their own future, regardless of where they come from, what language they speak, or what obstacles they face.
We believe that youth work is not about offering temporary activities, but about creating sustainable spaces where young people build resilience, develop identity, and discover their strengths. Sport is at the core of our approach, not as an end goal, but as a powerful entry point. On the field, young people experience structure, motivation, cooperation, and the emotional safety to push boundaries, fail, learn, and stand back up.
These experiences translate into lifelong social, emotional, and cognitive skills that empower them far beyond the game. Our mission extends to youth workers, coaches, and professionals, who are key partners in this journey. We invest in their competences, offering training, coaching, peer-learning and collaborative exchanges that strengthen their ability to guide young people with care, structure, and vision.
By combining non-formal education, social sports, creative methodologies, digital innovation and strong international partnerships, we create environments where empowerment becomes a daily practice and where young people truly become co-owners of their own development.
Our vision
We envision a society where young people are not defined by their challenges, but by their potential. A society where youth are not passive participants in systems built for them, but co-creators of communities and futures they help design.
Leadership, in our vision, is not reserved for a few formal positions. It is a daily practice that starts when young people learn to take ownership of their choices, raise their voices, and take responsibility for their role in a broader community.
We believe that real empowerment requires trust, recognition, and safe spaces where young people are allowed to grow in complexity. Growth is never linear. It involves trying, failing, reflecting, learning, and renewing individually and collectively.
This process flourishes within strong communities where youth are supported by dedicated professionals, inspired peers, caring families, and engaged organizations who share responsibility for long-term wellbeing.
We see change as something that emerges from connection. That is why we continue to invest in building inclusive, resilient, and dynamic networks where young people and adults walk side by side, share knowledge, and shape meaningful, lasting impact together locally, nationally, and across Europe.