International Day of Peace: Hockey programme builds resilience and hope for vulnerable youth in Southern Thailand
A pioneering hockey programme is helping vulnerable young people in Southern Thailand build confidence, resilience and stronger connections with their communities through the power of sport.
The Play for Peace on the Field of Hope initiative, delivered by the Thailand Hockey Association and Nusantara Foundation as part of the Sport Youth Crime Prevention (SYCP) Initiative, recently completed a successful first phase of delivery, laying the foundations for long-term impact across Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat provinces.
Play for Peace on the Field of Hope uses structured hockey activities, mentoring and leadership development to reduce young people’s vulnerability to crime while promoting peaceful coexistence and community engagement.
It is supported by the SYCP Initiative, which was initiated by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Agence Française de développement (AFD), and is being delivered by the Alliance of Sport in Criminal Justice in collaboration with Laureus Sport for Good, Upshot and a wide range of regional and national partners.
During the first implementation period, Play for Peace on the Field of Hope completed a baseline study, leadership bootcamp, three community hockey camps, sport diplomacy sessions, weekly hockey clinics and peer mentor circles featuring Thailand national team athletes. Watch the video summary below.
The camps combined practical hockey and floorball sessions with values-based learning, emotional regulation workshops and the participant-led ‘Heart Rules’, encouraging respect, responsibility and teamwork both on and off the pitch.
A standout feature has been the involvement of elite athletes, with national team players sharing personal stories of perseverance, overcoming adversity and representing Thailand on the international stage. The mentoring sessions created trusted spaces where young people could discuss challenges, build confidence and develop positive coping strategies.
Organisers say the programme is progressing in line with its core mission of using hockey as a platform for youth development, crime prevention and peaceful community engagement.
Speaking ahead of the International Day of Peace on September 21, Thailand Hockey Association’s Lead Co-ordinator Parawan You explained: “Through the successful implementation of its first tranche activities, the programme has established a strong operational foundation and demonstrated positive early engagement among participants, stakeholders and local communities.”
Guided by the SYCP framework, the initiative focuses on engaging young people showing early signs of vulnerability while also supporting those who have previously encountered the justice system.
Parawan added: “By combining structured sport-based activities with mentorship, leadership development and community engagement, the initiative seeks to foster resilience, promote positive behavioural development and strengthen protective support systems around participating youth.”
The next phase of the programme will expand community hockey camps, monthly clinics, family resilience workshops and coach training, strengthening local capacity to ensure the programme’s impact continues well beyond the current delivery period.
Read more about the Southeast Asia Sport and Youth Crime Prevention (SYCP) Initiative.