2016 will be about telling stories and making connections. Stories about what the Cruyff Foundation does: that our work makes so many children happy and contributes to a better society.
The figures prove that:
Fortunately, we can see that the four themes of the Cruyff Foundation (health, quality of life, personal growth, and participation for all) are increasingly being embraced and, more often, being the subject of publicity.
Together, we can bring these themes to life. Because Johan’s words ring true: ‘You can’t do anything alone, you have to do it together.’
We must go on doing this without Johan, but we can do it with you. Private individuals, governmental institutions, organisations, and companies… Together, we can give our young people better prospects. This is our responsibility.
This is why we will be working more intensively with the projects we support and the organisations contributing towards our mission. Together, we can better convey the urgency and our successes.
In 2016, we will be continuing to assess and investigate. To a large degree, measurable effects define the value of our work, even though a child’s happiness is not always expressible in figures.
Cruyff Courts
With the Cruyff Courts, we will be getting more young people in other countries exercising: in the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Brazil. In the Netherlands, the focus will be on replacing and activating Courts. We will continue installing water taps, while investigating potential ways to simplify the process from application to completion.
Disabled youth projects
We will be organising a number of extra activities young people with disabilities in 2016, including activities surrounding the Paralympic Games. The number of Special Cruyff Courts will be increased, and we will be organising more activities.
Schoolyard14
In Schoolyard14, the 250th facility will be opened midway through the year. We will continue to raise awareness of Schoolyard14 among the relevant persons in the world of education.
International
The Foundation is growing, not only in the Netherlands and Spain but also in the UK. This we wish to continue into 2016. In the UK, we have found a strong partner in the People’s Postcode Lottery.
We are launching Schoolyard14 there and will be establishing three Cruyff Courts. Likewise, in America, the Foundation will be expanding its activities. The cooperation with our sister organisation in Spain will be intensified.
Marketing and Communication
Johan Cruyff’s biography will be released this autumn. This will be an opportunity for us to devote a great deal of attention to highlighting our work. Increasing our name recognition, in the Netherlands and elsewhere, and conveying the urgency of our work, remain important. We hope that the willingness to donate on the part of private donors and the increase of financial support from the business sector will be a logical consequence of these efforts.
In 2016, preparations for the Foundation’s 20th anniversary in 2017 will begin.
A point on the horizon
In 2016, we will be developing a long-term vision in consultation with our colleagues in Spain. In it we will define the direction and the goals for 2020. Decision helps us make strategic choices. It will become a plan designed to facilitate the continuity of our work.
The Foundation was Johan’s life’s work, his dream. This is something we intend to continue, and to do so we need everyone’s help.