THE UNIQUE POWER OF FOOTBALL CAN MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. THE MISSION OF THE SECOND CHANCE SPORTS ASSOCIATION IS TO UNLEASH THAT POWER.
For nearly two decades, our association has been dedicated to harnessing the power of sport for personal development and innovative education, with a special focus on combating exclusion and poverty.
Since 2005, we have been organizing regular, free football training sessions across Budapest for disadvantaged children living in deep poverty, young refugees arriving in Hungary, homeless adults, and residents of child protection institutions.
We use sport as a tool to develop social skills, helping participants integrate more successfully into society. Our training sessions and complementary services – such as job search support and language classes – create real opportunities for participants to take control of their own future.
Through our Fair Play Football Roadshow program series, we build bridges between social groups in conflict, both nationally and internationally. During the matches, participants – including local decision-makers, police officers, civil organizations, and members of disadvantaged communities – jointly establish the rules of the game through dialogue, fostering mutual respect and understanding.
The Oltalom Charitable Association (Oltalom Karitatív Egyesület – OKE) first introduced sport as a personality-shaping, therapeutic activity in 2005. The idea came from our beneficiaries: residents of a homeless shelter expressed their wish to play football together, which began as a casual, joyful pastime. That same year, András Rákos, an OKE staff member and later president of the newly founded Oltalom Sports Association, came across a newspaper article about the Homeless World Cup. He shared it with the team, who saw great potential in participating. Since the registration period was open, they applied – and the Homeless World Cup accepted their entry. Regular training sessions followed, and in 2006 OSE delegated the first Hungarian team to the Homeless World Cup, held in South Africa. The transformation seen in the players upon returning convinced Oltalom’s leadership to continue and expand the program, making regular training and competition opportunities accessible to more athletes.
Initially, the program was offered exclusively to homeless people, but from 2008 onward, we extended regular, free sporting opportunities to younger participants from disadvantaged backgrounds as well. Over the years, our activities outgrew their original framework. Since 2021, we have been operating independently under the name Second Chance Sports Association, reaching a broader target group and working with new international and domestic partners.