The Swedish football club using sports against unemployment and for inclusion

“Training makes me physically stronger. But it is about much more than that. It also gives me discipline, mental strength, improved self-confidence and a feeling of achievement,” says Mattej Petrovic.

He is 23 and started his dream education two weeks before the Nordic Labour Journal met him at Boost by FC Rosengård’s premises in Malmö where he has returned for the interview.   

“I sat at home for four years doing absolutely nothing. Since 1 September I have been attending vocational school to study game programming in English,” he says, not without pride, as the path to get there has not been straightforward.

Mattej Petrovic.

Despite being a licenced personal trainer, Mattej Petrovic could not manage to get himself out of his inactivity on his own.

“If Boost had not pushed me, I would not have applied for education. Thanks to having regular meetings with my mentor and taking part in the motivational programme, I was reminded of what I already knew about the importance of routines and other things for feeling good. The staff here are so dedicated and they kept pushing me. It helped,” he says.

“Believe in your dreams”

That is the motto of FC Rosengård, the football club whose vision is “to create an equal Malmö that includes all areas and people. Where all children and families dare to believe in their dreams and have goals for the future. Both on and off the pitch.” 

The club rests on two main pillars. One is about football – the ladies’ team has won 13 Swedish championships – and the other is social, where Boost by FC Rosengård is one of several initiatives.

Boost, as it is known in everyday language, is a non-profit organisation where unemployed people between 18 and 29 get personal guidance and help to create their own plans and goals. The path to get there goes through the Swedish Public Employment Service. 

Since the beginning in 2011, Boost has successfully guided 40 to 45 per cent of participants onward, primarily into further studies.

Looking to the future

Right now, 80 people are signed up. One of them is 25-year-old Bella Petrén. She started at Boost six months ago.

“I’m participating in the motivation-boosting programme which has helped me become better at expressing myself, standing up for myself and even helping others,” she says.

Bella Petrén.

Bella Petrén goes to the gym in her spare time and enjoys strength exercises.

“I can deadlift 120 kilos,” she says. A lift the Nordic Labour Journal’s writer cannot even dare to dream of repeating. 

Jesper Henningsson started at Boost two months ago. He soon turns 23 and is already taking his driving theory and has been introduced to the motivation-boosting programme. 

“I am now going to the gym only occasionally and sense how my muscles are dwindling. I used to play table tennis when I was younger but stopped when the club went bankrupt. Now, I’m hoping to regain my motivation to start again, because I really want to progress in that sport,” he says.

Jesper Henningson.

Three flexible paths

Ann Sigvant is the operations manager for Boost by FC Rosengård. She emphasises the holistic approach that characterises the organisation.

“We work with the entire person. That’s why those who come to us can choose between three paths: 

• A study path with a tailored pace, individual study planning and help to navigate the education system.
• A work path to improve your CV, master interviews and plan a career.  
• A health path that focuses on the connection between exercise and health, and how to achieve a better structure in daily life through diet, sleep, and mental health management. 

Many move between paths and can participate in all three.

“Too much sitting still can soon become a vicious cycle,” adds Majlinda Ismaili, a mentor at Boost.

“That’s why we walk a lot. Everyone can do that. Sometimes we do it with an app that talks about the history of Malmö. It is a social event and we move at the same time.” 

The young people at Boost can also test other physical activities like badminton, pedal boating on Malmö’s canals, outdoor gyms, yoga and martial arts.

“We try to introduce different sports and often it is the young people themselves who will suggest something. If I love my body, I want to take care of it. That’s when the health path becomes a natural choice,” says Majlinda Ismaili. 

Looking to the European Social Fund 

Boost by FC Rosengård is run in collaboration with the Employment Service in Malmö city and 11 surrounding municipalities. 

The Nordic Labour Journal gets a chat with Mario Filipovic, head of the Youth Section at the Malmö Employment Service.

“When young people come to us, society has not been able to take care of them. If the Employment Service is to help them move on, collaboration with organisations like Boost provides the youths with the support they need to become employable.

"We don’t have the health-promoting resources ourselves but must rely on the non-profit organisations that can offer this,” says Mario Filipovic.

The existing agreement between Boost and the Employment Service runs out at the end of the year. An application has been sent to the European Social Fund to continue the collaboration. An answer is expected towards the end of November.

“The Employment Service must collaborate with several actors to help more people find work. We cannot do this alone and need help from businesses, municipalities and civil society. Good health plays a big role in achieving success. Both for the individual and for society to move forward,” says Mario Filipovic (pictured).

The number of young people outside the labour market has risen considerably after the pandemic, and keeps mounting, according to Filipovic. Right now, 2,118 young people between 16 and 24 and 2,274 between 25 and 29 are registered with the Employment Service in Malmö. 

“It is important to work with social values, democracy, respect and inclusion,” says Majed Alabdallah. He has recently become FC Rosengård’s club and talent developer for the boys’ team.

This autumn term, FC Rosengård had 200 children queueing up for their football school. 100 got in.

“The aim is to attract the children to a fun and active life outside of school. We also offer homework help and reading sessions where we read books with football themes to practice empathy, solidarity, being a good friend and respecting the referee’s decisions." 

To ensure that everyone could participate in football training, FC Rosengård established Segerfondet in 2022, named after Caroline Seger, who for many years was captain of the ladies’ team and who captained the Swedish national team for 15 years. 

“Money should be available to those who really need it. This might cover cub fees, transport, equipment and more. Both businesses and private individuals can support Segerfonden.”

Football and parents

One of Majed Alabdallah’s tasks is to engage parents of players aged 5 to 12.

“Rosengård has an international population and many parents do not have knowledge about community life and do not speak Swedish either. For many, being active in a club is a completely new tradition and it is a major challenge to inspire them and make them realise that when they get active they also become more included in society.”

Sport and society

So how important is sport for society? And can it actually solve some of our social challenges? The question was posed during the Ystad Summit in September this year, an annual event where people from non-profit organisations, politics, society and business get together with private individuals to discuss current issues and the future.

Johan Norberg, professor of Sports Sciences at Malmö University, was one of the panellists in two of the four program items – out of a total of 80 – that focused on sports.

The societal benefits of sports have different dimensions, he tells the Nordic Labour Journal.

“We know that people benefit in different ways both physically and mentally by doing physical activities and that this can help fight depression and thus improve public health.

“It can also be a way into society for both children and adults. Organised sports are structured enough to be a way to break isolation and meet new people. There are social aspects to club sports. 

"If you don’t have a job or have unwanted free time, I believe that sports can be a way to have a meaningful pastime. And all club activities have a welcoming structure. If I go there and say that I want to join, I'll be welcomed.”

Another point on the programme about sport during the Ystad Summit was called “The Health Gap is Widening – is good health just for rich people?” As a researcher at the Swedish Research Council for Sport Science, Johan Norberg has helped write two reports looking into this issue: 

• Sports and segregation – on the role of sport in an unequal society
• Sports and (in)equality – in the interest of members or society?

The short answer Johan Nordberg gives the Nordic Labour Journal is that when comparing Swedish municipalities, sports follow the same patterns as the rankings for income and health.

"Generally speaking, sports fare much better in suburban areas and significantly worse in rural areas. This is a common thread throughout all the analyses.” 

Swedish sports analysed

The Swedish Research Council for Sports Science provides independent support to the Swedish government and conducts analysis to examine the status of sports. 

“Sports are independent but state-funded. In recent years, this has amounted to 2.3 billion kronor a year (€203m). That is why we need a third party that is sufficiently independent from sports that can analyse how that money is spent,” says Johan Norberg. 

Right now, there is no ongoing scientific research on the importance of sport for jobseekers.

“There is of course a need for that type of research. There are many issues to investigate. Sports cannot solve societal challenges like segregation, exclusion and unemployment but it can be an important support,” says Johan Norberg. 

The Nordic Labour Journal has not received any answers to requests for comments from the Swedish Minister of Sports Jakob Forssmed and the new Minister for Employment Mats Persson on initiatives taken to promote job seekers’ physical health.