FutDelas is a girl’s football project based at the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) in conjunction with the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL). The initiative was born from a partnership between the Norwegian university, responsible for the project “EMPOWERING GIRLS THROUGH FOOTBALL: A REAL-LIFE INTEGRATED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR CHILDREN’S HEALTH AND SOCIAL INCLUSION”, and UFPR.

The project aims to improve the development of girls in different aspects of growth, such as motor skills, physical performance, issues related to female empowerment, etc. In addition to the practical training, the project also works with scientific production in different research fields, and seeks to integrate different areas of specialization with research activities and professional practice.

We have summer workshops, which include an exchange programme of both undergraduate students and professors. The workshops, which are open to the public both in person and online, focus on the transmission of scientific information and presentation of studies carried out within the project. The proposed activities aim to develop educational tools using collaborative learning and promote joint supervision of research projects. In addition, the activities serve as tools for integration between physiology, psychology, pedagogy and sociology.

By promoting university involvement, the project provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to gain professional experience from the beginning of their academic career, promoting practical knowledge within sports training.

As its main objective, FutDelas is responsible for giving the headlights to an underrepresented minority: Women in sports. With free training sessions, the project tries to reach the largest audience possible, implementing a specific football program for the students involved, promoting health education, academic performance, gender equality and social inclusion.