The Youth Sports Program is mainly based at the Galkayo Youth Sports and Peace Resource Center. The center was established since 2010 to 2014 with the financial support of Oxfam Novib, Diakonia, ARC, NPA, CIDA, and GECPD. The idea was to avail a social facility where the youth (girls and boys) will come to be mentored and empowered to play a more active role in the society in terms of promoting peace, security, education, gender values and community development as they constructively engage and grow their talents in sports. In a nutshell, the vision of the center is to become a breeding ground for a core group of youth who will drive the social change and transformation agenda in Galkayo and Somalia at large.

Most of the physical facilities are in place including a football pitch complete with an 800-seater grand stand, a changing room, a basketball court, a library (30×15 Metres) equipped with 600 assorted book titles on Peace, FGM, VAW, Democracy, Sports & human rights and 10 computers. The center also has a 250pax Conference hall, a 50pax meeting/training room, guidance and counseling room, a Sports Office, Administration office room, First Aid/Emergency room and a Waiting room. Also within the compound is a 100 pax Cafeteria, a Kitchen, a Store, a Prayer room, a Dormitory and Children’s Park. The center also has indoor sports facilities including 2 Table Tennis Tables, 1 snooker table, 2 table soccer tables and 2 Dats Boards. All this facilities are within a 41,600 square meters compound well secured with a walled fence 2 meters high and a barbered wire security barricade on top.

GECPD has rolled out a Youth Development Program at the center which includes Life Skills development, Talent building, Mentorship, Guidance and Counseling.

The program seeks to realize the following outcomes;

• Protect the youth and adolescents through strengthening commitment and support for their rights and special needs
• Increase access to comprehensive, youth friendly, gender and age sensitive education and services to improve the physical and intellectual development of adolescents.
• Develop a cadre of young future leaders and peace advocates who will establish a foundation of trust, confidence and understanding within the resident communities
• Avail facilities where adolescents can meet and organize themselves plan and transact club activities
• Strengthen links between the adolescents, youth and the community
• Provide and enhance positive experiences for the young people, which will contribute towards their personal development
• Adolescents and youth enabled to make more informed choices about their affairs through life skills development