Over the past 12 months, Falkirk Football Community Foundation has collaborated with other like-minded football charities to partner up and deliver the ‘Together Equality Achieves More’ (T.E.A.M) project. This project is funded and supported by the UEFA Foundation for Children, who oversee some incredible Football projects around Europe.
This collaborative effort has seen us team up with Big Hearts, Motherwell Community Trust, ST Mirren Charitable Foundation, and Morton in the Community. The project looks to target demographics that may face barriers in society and use football as an effective tool to break down barriers, provide opportunities, and change lives.
AT THE FALKIRK FOUNDATION, WE WANTED TO IDENTIFY A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO DIDN’T HAVE THEIR OWN SPACE IN FOOTBALL.
We reached out to Down’s Syndrome Scotland and made it clear that we wanted to become the first football charity in Scotland to run a Down’s Syndrome specific football session. Down’s Syndrome Scotland provided the training and tools to allow our coaches to run tailored Football sessions to meet the needs of the children.
In March 2024 the sessions kicked off, and the year that has proceeded has been truly wonderful. 10 families are involved in the sessions. Each week, they come to The Falkirk Stadium on a Monday at 4PM and get to be the stars of the show for the hour they are with us each week. The sessions also provide parent and carers with some respite and allow for peer support with like-minded families.
THE SESSIONS ARE BURSTING WITH POSITIVITY, AND VIBRANCY.
The children love coming along, and we love having them. The session goal was to not only provide opportunity, but to spread awareness. In the past year, the Falkirk Foundation Down’s Syndrome Football Group has received SFA awards at regional and national level. Sky Sports News chose to come and meet the group and create a short film for Down’s Syndrome Awareness week, which was show on Live TV. The coverage, and exposure that the group has received is incredible, and we are flying the flag for those with Down’s Syndrome in a football setting.
“THE KIDS ARE AN ABSOLUTE JOY TO WORK WITH. THEY MAKE YOU FEEL HAPPY AND GIVE YOU ENERGY WHEN YOU’RE WITH THEM. THE WORK THAT’S BEEN DONE HERE IS CLEARLY HAVING A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THEIR LIVES, AND YOU FEEL NOTHING BUT PRIDE WHEN YOU SEE HOW THE CHILDREN HAVE GROWN TO LOVE THEIR MONDAY AFTERNOON’S HERE.” PROJECT LEAD BEN SHEARER-RICHARDS
The support from Down’s Syndrome Scotland, and the UEFA Foundation for children has allowed the sessions to run exactly how they need to run and has created an environment for the participants to flourish. The coaches are fantastic with the kids, and the parent group has been amazing in their trust of our delivery.”
