Football Equity Project
The Scottish Football Association is committed to ensuring that football in Scotland is open to all and that barriers, real and perceived, are removed, particularly in relation to under-represented groups.
Although it is integrated into everything we do as an association, thanks to the Scottish Governments Cashback for Communities fund we have been able to develop a bespoke project with dedicated professionals employed by ourselves whose aim is to work within diverse communities and achieve the aims set out in our strategic plan.
The Football Equity team consist of 5 Football Equity Officers, a Football Equity Co-ordinator and a Football Development Manager. They are split across our 6 ‘Scottish FA regions’ , which we hope means that everyone in Scotland will have the same chance to benefit from the project. The team have already made some great strides in achieving some of their aims, but the project still has a long way to go and we are working to ensure the impact of the project is felt beyond the current 3 year funding profile.
Working in conjunction with BEMIS, we hope to achieve our many targets and objectives that are fundamental to its key overall goals. We feel that the three major objectives should encompass all targets for success
- An increase in the knowledge and perception of grassroots football for diverse community groups in Scotland
- Increased participation in football from people from a EM background
- Increased opportunities for people from a BME background within football
These 3 headline objectives have informed our other aims within the associated strategy. Within our work we recognize that when ‘participation’ is mentioned there are 4 main areas that it covers:
- Players
- Coaches
- Volunteers
- Referees
It is these roles that will receive the greatest focus and attention in ‘increasing participation’ as they encompass the whole grassroots game. Communication of the work that is being done and the support that can be offered to groups will be vital in the success of the initiative. It is clear that success will only be achieved as a consequence of creating a positive and outcome focused first impression with the community and how that work is followed up with substance.
Parliamentary Motion
Multicultural Homecoming Cup
That the Parliament congratulates the Scottish Football Association (SFA) and BEMIS Scotland on the success of the recent Multicultural Homecoming Cup event; notes that the multicultural festival of football was held at Toryglen National Football Centre on 17 October 2014 and saw 16 teams with more than 120 players from diverse cultural backgrounds competing for the national title; understands that the SFA Equity Project, a partnership project between the SFA and BEMIS Scotland, is a CashBack for Communities-funded initiative that develops participation for diverse communities in the national sport via bespoke training, coaching and volunteering opportunities while using football as a means of promoting health, wellbeing, community spirit, respect and equal opportunity; recognises that Multicultural Homecoming 2014 is part of the national programme of events led by BEMIS Scotland celebrating Scotland’s diverse cultural and ethnic minority communities, and wishes all participants, organisations and community groups involved every success for the remainder of the celebrations.
Supported by: Patricia Ferguson, Hugh Henry, Hanzala Malik, John Mason, Dennis Robertson, Richard Simpson, Anne McTaggart, Richard Lyle, Adam Ingram, Graeme Pearson, Neil Findlay, Annabelle Ewing, David Torrance, Bill Kidd, Mark McDonald, Jackie Baillie, Elaine Murray, Gil Paterson, Angus MacDonald, Kevin Stewart, Maureen Watt, Bob Doris