Football Club Roodenburg is located in Leiden-Noord, a district that had always had a rich social tradition. The numerous clubs contributed to the social cohesion within the district. In the nineteen seventies and eighties, this changed drastically. Many immigrants came to the district, while other residents left the area. The district slowly deteriorated. There were few green spaces for the residents to enjoy and not enough playgrounds for the children. The state of the houses deteriorated. Football Club Roodenburg suffered a change as well.

A few years back, the project 'Roodenburg even more complete’ was begun with the aim of bringing back the important social role to Roodenburg that it had enjoyed in the past. The idea was to have Roodenburg become a football club that serves as the social glue between residents, and at the same time a sports association where young people are taught rules and respect. The project consists of a number of 'software' and 'hardware' measures. 'Software' measures refer to measures that enhance the social and cultural climate within the club, while 'hardware' measures refer to improvements of a more tangible nature. The 'hardware' measures are improvements to the atmosphere of buildings (Roodenburg as a youth club) and the fields.

In 1998, the project 'Roodenburger even more complete’ was initiated. In October, a partnership agreement was signed by the different partners. In November 1999, is the 'Roodenburg 2002' project team was established. The project will finish in 2002. The project was not simply intended to benefit the football club. The basic idea behind it was that a new lease of life for the football club might be the way of improving the quality of life within the district while also improving the relationship between the immigrant and the native population.

Sportbedrijf Leiden
Caroline Schippers, tel. +31 71 5315601

01/01/1999

case

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Community development

Citizens' participation