Volleyball Foundation
The programme aims to improve the mental health and psychosocial well-being of 100 children from Syria affected by displacement
The FIVB Volleyball Foundation and Generations For Peace (GFP) are delighted to announce a new partnership to launch a Volleyball Programme in Zarqa, Jordan. The programme is an innovative sport-for-development initiative designed to improve the mental health and psychosocial well-being of young people affected bydisplacement.
Jordan is home to over 688,000 registered Syrian Refugees and 2.39 million Palestinian refugees. In urban centres like Zarqa, children and young people often face significant pressures – from child labour and gender-based violence to the absence of safe, welcoming environments for recreation.
The new Volleyball Programme will work directly with 100 Syrian refugee youth (50 girls and 50 boys), aged 10-24, offering them trauma-informed, inclusive volleyball sessions over the course of the programme.
Through two cycles of regular volleyball activities, led by trained youth facilitators and supported by specially designed Sport for Protection training, participants will experience both the joy of volleyball and its confidence-building and well-being benefits. Two community centres will be selected in consultation with local partners, and local youth leaders will receive intensive training to ensure the programme is delivered with both skill and care.
The programme will also extend its reach beyond the court. Parents, caregivers and community members will be engaged through awareness sessions to strengthen support systems and address protection concerns, while baseline surveys and ongoing evaluations will help measure the programme’s positive impact.
In total, 100 refugee youth will receive targeted psychosocial support, four local youth leaders will gain leadership and safeguarding skills, and an estimated 775 additional individuals will benefit through broader community engagement.
“The FIVB Volleyball Foundation uses the global reach and power of volleyball to uplift communities worldwide through impactful projects. This partnership and programme really do demonstrate this, and we hope it has a positive impact for the Zarqa community,” said interim Volleyball Foundation President Fabio Azevedo. “We are proud to stand alongside Generations For Peace in championing the transformative potential of volleyball in communities facing profound challenges.”
Lama Hattab, CEO of Generations For Peace, said:
“At Generations For Peace, we believe in the power of sport to go far beyond the game itself. Through our partnership with FIVB and in close collaboration with the Jordanian Ministry of Youth, we are creating safe spaces where youth can heal, grow and lead with resilience. By combining sport with psychosocial support, we are not only addressing immediate needs, but also helping to make these centres more youth-friendly by leveraging their facilities to better serve young people. Together, we are building stronger, more inclusive communities for the future.”
The Volleyball Foundation’s investment will cover training, facilitation, equipment, mentorship, monitoring and evaluation. GFP is contributing its expertise through the co-design of the curriculum, technical support and capacity-building.
As a pilot, the Zarqa initiative will help lay the groundwork for scaling volleyball-based Mental Health and Psychosocial Support programmes in other refugee-hosting communities in the future.
