FOOTBALL AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO DRUG USE IN HIGH SCHOOL

The project theme is motivated by statistics that show us that young people, students in particular, make contact with drugs for the first time around the age of 16. And from drug use to juvenile crime, the road is very short and usually goes almost instantaneously.
The world of football, by taking social responsibility in the direction of high school students, drug users, can make its contribution to combating this phenomenon. The results of the research, obtained as a result of this scientific approach, which gives them an objective, universally valid character, will be made available to the Romanian Football Federation, which will become a model in this fight and can establish a direction to follow, at UEFA level, in this field.
As a full-time EU member country, we are aware that we are facing the same problems at the level of European school populations. Which leads us to be responsible for the development and results of the research, which must be objective, scientifically and universally valid.
The concept and the premises underlying the research, confer originality and a high degree of innovation, knowing that the studies so far have had only theoretical and statistical character.
The scientific approach starts from the study of the specialized sociological bibliography, according to which, we have framed students who use drugs in a primary social group.
As a result, the target group will consist of students known to be drug users.
The duration of the project will be identical to the duration of a school year.
Scientific research is based on two methods:
1. Theoretical – elaboration and application of a sociometric questionnaire;
2. Practice – organizing football tournaments as an alternative means of drug use;;
The research hypotheses are:
1. Determining the relationships and characteristics of the primary social group of high school students, drug users, will lead to the identification of the most effective means of intervention, in order to reduce the number of consumers.
2. Offering an alternative by practicing football at certain times can lead to a decrease in drug use among young people, by organizing 5 to 6 football matches in places where at peak consumption times.
The research will be conducted as follows:
1. Forming the target group of students known to be drug users, media coverage of football competitions;
2. Application of the sociological questionnaire, in order to determine the social status index, sociometric matrix, leader and methods of intervention;
3. Organization of football competition on days when the rate of drug use and criminality in high schools and adjacent areas reach a maximum;
In this sense, we consider that NGOs and football clubs are the partner organizations that can contribute to the successful implementation of the project.
The analysis of the results will be carried out by determining the correlation coefficient and the regression function, the final results being statistically validated, by comparison with the data provided by the authorities, NGOs and independent entities.