Youth Development

Two of our main youth social investment programmes, Outward Bound Oman (OBO) and FutBol Net, seek to develop the skills and capabilities of Oman’s youth.

FutBol Net Oman

Futbol Net is an education program that uses football to promote life and leadership skills such as commitment, respect, tolerance, teamwork, responsibility and effort among children between 8 and 16 years old.

This programme provides an opportunity for young boys and girls to develop life and leadership skills that are vital to their success in the job market.

Shell has partnered with the Football Club Barcelona foundation to launch this project and is also working with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Sport Affairs, and the Omani Football Association.

Outward Bound Oman (OBO)

Outward Bound Oman (OBO) was set up in 2009 by Shell and other organizations across Oman.  This programme engages young students in a series of challenging outdoor adventures in Oman’s beautiful and diver environment as a means of teaching them new skills.  This programme continues to grow each year and has taught students a series of skills to make them more employable.

In 2012, 1,128 people took part in 4,131 OBO field days. This is a substantial increase from the 606 people who participated in 2011.  In 2012, 38 participants came from the corporate sector and 658 (397 in 2011) were Omani.  Increasing popularity of OBO has resulted in more field days and 11 full time staff (73% Omani). 

OBO also ran courses in 2012 for non-Omanis from Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain. 

Oman also hosted the Outward Bound International Conference in 2012 in which CEOs of all OB schools took part.  It has been indicated that 2013 will be OBO’s busiest year to date as groups from Singapore and the UK will come to Oman to participate.