Ascent Soccer & Green Leadership Academy
“When you realize the value of all life, you dwell less on what is past and more on the preservation of the future.” - Dian Fossey
Ascent SOCCER announces new partnership with Forest Green Rovers.
CLICK HERE to learn more about FGR taking ‘green’ to East Africa.
WHAT IS THE ASCENT SOCCER ‘GREEN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY’?
Founded in 2014, Ascent Soccer is now developing Southeast Africa’s first purpose built full-time residential green school, environmental education centre and equitable youth soccer academy. The Green Leadership Academy (full website site coming soon & targeted to launch in 2023) aims to deliver on a mission that teaches students how to listen, learn and lead in a changing world, while supporting academics and an understanding towards a healthier, cleaner and more sustainable future.
OUR PROBLEM: Global anxiety, fear and cultural divides are growing, alongside urgent calls for a new moral and environmental leadership. However, our approach to education lacks a connection to the planet and our place in the world. And in East Africa, there continues to be a vast under-investment in youth of talent and promise.
OUR OPPORTUNITY: A sustainable and green campus provides global environmental leadership, and long-term cost and program savings in a region with a still developing public infrastructure. Green education and a new generation of leaders can be the driving force for accelerated progress in governance and community development.
OUR SOLUTION: An investment in young talent through a sustainable, conservation-centred campus, can be the birth of a new foundation of leaders with global, environmental and community-first approaches to problem solving and leadership. We are creating a new ecosystem of moral, grounded leaders – through the beautiful game.
Ascent Soccer is making a new commitment to put people and the planet first, as the greenest football club and academy in Africa.
HAVE AN IDEA FOR US? WANT TO GET INVOLVED?
OUR GREEN CAMPUS & PROGRAM VISION
The Ascent Green Leadership Academy aims to be a continental ‘leader by example’ in sport and education, including:
GREEN SOCCER: Our ambition to be the greenest soccer organization in Africa and the region’s only full-time girls & boys youth soccer academy grounded in academics, character and the environment.
JUSTICE & EQUITY: Full scholarships, regional recruiting and an investment in gender equitable academic, leadership and sporting talent -- in one of Africa’s most impoverished regions.
SUSTAINABILITY: Reduced environmental impact and costs through sustainable architecture, local materials, green power/water/roofs, native gardens, green space and athletic fields.
EDUCATION: Global green curriculum, outdoor learning, compassionate problem solving and an integrated STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, maths) education plan.
LEADERSHIP: Campus-led community, regional and global environmental education, workshops, events and eco-tourism, generated from Africa and by our emerging African student leaders.
HEALTH: Fresh air, natural light, outdoor education and sustainable non-toxic materials, all contributing to enhanced physical health, mental health and academic outcomes.