Qatar Shell, QFA Host Koora Time Coaches Training Seminar

The seminar focused on five teaching modules that encourage healthy living – ranging from how to hydrate properly to maintaining an active lifestyle – through football. Over 130 local coaches from the QFA and Qatar Women’s Sports Committee, including both Qatari men and women, attended the seminar and improved their knowledge-base and teaching skills.

This season, they will use their newly refined expertise to coach and measure the programme’s impact on over 2000 Koora Time participants, per week – over 500 more than 2017-18 – at participating schools across the country.  In addition, from now until March, the Aspire Zone will host exciting, fun, fully-coached football sessions on Fridays and Saturdays between 0800 and 1000, open to everyone under 17 years of age in Qatar.  Throughout, Koora Time coaches will be able to provide parents with advice and recommendations on healthy living, including hydration, healthy diet, healthy relationships, an active lifestyle and disease prevention.

Koora Time was developed by Qatar Shell in partnership with the Qatar Football Association. It is designed to improve the health and well-being of young people in Qatar through football. Koora Time is based on FC Barcelona Foundation’s FutbolNet methodology which uses soccer and other sports-related activities as tools for reflection and agents of change to improve the life of children and young people. It provides children with an extra 72 hours of extra-curricular physical education per year.  Since its launch in March 2013, with 8 venues in total, the programme has grown to be held at 30 venues across Qatar. The programme has benefitted over 20,000 children across Qatar, and last year’s season saw a reduction in Body Mass Index (BMI – a standard measure of health based on height and weight) of 93% of participants. It also saw 1,500 participants attend weekly and of those, 50% were girls: proving football is not just a boy’s game.

In recognition of its positive impact on the health of youth, Koora Time has been the recipient of numerous awards including the 2014 & 2016 ‘Sports Industry Award’ for Best CSR Initiative, the 2015 ‘CSR Award Qatar’ for Best CSR Impact Initiative, the 2014 ‘Dar Al Sharq Corporate Social Responsibility Award’ for the Best Sports Initiative, the 2014, 2016 & 2017 ‘AFC Dream of Asia Award’ in the area of social responsibility, and the 2017 ‘QFA Awards’ for best CSR programme.

To find out more about Koora Time or to register your child for the award-winning and impactful programme, please visit www.kooratime.qa.

About Qatar Football Association

The Qatar Football Association was established in the 1960’s; it is a pioneer among Qatari sports associations. QFA plays a pivotal role in laying the foundation for football in the state and is still the first to help advance the game and improve its level in Qatar, thus making the state a crucial player on the regional and international football scene.

Social responsibility is one of the key priorities of the Qatar Football Association (QFA). The purpose of engaging the society through various football-related programs has been well received by the public in recent years.

The QFA aims to strengthen the role of engaging the society through sports activities under the 2021 vision of the football ruling body.

The Qatar Football Association works on all levels of the football system to identify and develop young Qatari talents.

• QFA bonds with the local society to promote the game and expand its fan-base in a systematic and methodical approach.
• QFA aims to reinforce football professionalism by improving the existing infrastructure of the game.
• The ruling authority is constantly striving to develop and harness young talent that could be the base for youth and senior outfits competing regionally, continentally and internationally.

About Qatar Shell

Qatar Shell is committed to delivering long term value for Qatar and Shell for decades to come. Today, the scope of Shell’s partnership with QatarEnergy covers the entire value chain of the oil and gas business: liquefied natural gas (LNG), gas to liquids (GTL), shipping, exploration and petrochemicals. In addition, Shell has a world-class research and development facility at Qatar Science & technology park.

Qatar Shell contributes to Qatar National Vision 2030 and the nation’s long-term sustainability and self-sufficiency through extensive corporate social responsibility initiatives, and the professional development of our Qatari employees. Our programmes, such as Koora Time and TAFAWOQ, bring tangible benefits to the nation - in partnership with Qatari institutions.

Qatar Shell is the largest international investor in Qatar, investing USD 21 billion over the past decade. Pearl GTL is the world’s largest gas to liquids plant, and cements Qatar’s position as the GTL capital of the world. Shell provides shipping & maritime services to Nakilat and partners up with QE in the Qatargas 4 LNG joint venture to develop the North Field.

For more information, please visit: www.shell.com.qa and please follow us on Twitter: @Shell_Qatar and Instagram: @shellqatar

About Koora Time:

A ten-year sustainable initiative between Qatar Football Association (QFA) and Qatar Shell, Koora Time is designed to improve the health and wellbeing of Qatar’s youth through football.

This initiative aims to facilitate access to more football in a non-competitive environment, supporting an active and healthy lifestyle amongst the young people in Qatar. As part of the ten-year campaign, QFA and Qatar Shell will jointly organise and launch a series of youth engagement programmes using football as the platform.

Koora Time supports the Social and Human Development pillar of the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy (NDS) through engaging the young people in Qatar at every stage of their lives with programmes tailored to ages 6-17.