Aberdeen Fc Community Trust 2019-20 Impact Report
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ABERDEEN FC COMMUNITY TRUST 2019-20 IMPACT REPORT UEFA Grassroots Award (Winner) 2019 - Best Professional Football Club | #StillStandingFree 2019-20 IMPACT REPORT OUR CONTENTS VISION: Foreword 04 AFCCT WILL WORK TO MAXIMISE THE Our 3 Pillars 05 POTENTIAL OF OUR COMMUNITIES Our Community Impact 06 BY IMPROVING PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELLBEING. Education 08 Football 12 Community 14 OUR Power of Partnership 16 MISSION: Timeline: Covid-19 Response 18 #StillStandingFree 20 TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND Partners 22 OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE LIVES FOR THE BETTER. OUR VALUES: AT THE HEART OF OUR ACTIVITIES, WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE SAFEGUARDING OF THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF ALL OUR STAFF, VOLUNTEERS AND PARTICIPANTS. WE AIM TO BE INCLUSIVE OF ALL REGARDLESS OF BACKGROUND, ETHNICITY OR BELIEF. TOGETHER WE ARE: DYNAMIC, COLLABORATIVE, NURTURING, EMPOWERING, TRUSTWORTHY. 03 2019-20 IMPACT REPORT FOREWORD OUR 3 PILLARS 2019-20 IMPACT REPORT WHAT WE DO EDUCATION WORKING WITH OUR PARTNER SCHOOLS TO HELP REDUCE THE POVERTY RELATED ATTAINMENT GAP THROUGH A RANGE OF HEALTH & WELLBEING INTERVENTIONS. What I, or anyone else, didn’t expect was that March would herald in the beginning of an unprecedented level of disruption across the globe as FOREWORD Covid-19 impacted on all our lives. The swift response from both the Trust and the football club to the lockdown and the prolonged restrictions which followed, demonstrated what can be Liz Bowie achieved by us working together. FOOTBALL FOR LIFE Under the banner of #StillStandingFree and with the support of staff, players, AFCCT Chief Executive volunteers, and our amazing Red Army, we put food on the tables of those who needed it the most and, through a dedicated call centre, provided a vital PROVIDING A RANGE OF FOOTBALL social lifeline for vulnerable and isolated members of our community. OPPORTUNITIES TO PROMOTE The dictionary definition of impact is ENJOYMENT & DEVELOPMENT FOR a marked effect or influence. It’s clear The Trust’s achievements since its formation in 2014 have deservedly YOUNG PEOPLE & COACHES ACROSS in reading this impact report that AFC earned recognition at the highest levels. In 2019, it was named UEFA’s Best THE NORTH-EAST. Community Trust has had a marked Grassroots Football Club and presented with a Queen’s Award. effect on those we support and we’ve The passion for AFC and the power of football give us a unique approach influenced positive change that which fosters engagement and enthusiasm in our participants. From our transforms lives. work in schools, where Trust staff are integral to educational activities; to When I joined AFC Community Trust the provision of football coaching, camps and festivals; management of as its Chief Executive in February 2020, primary schools’ and girls’ football leagues and initiatives including dementia I knew I was privileged to be joining sufferers and the elderly, the Trust enriches lives across our community. an organisation, that in the six years Based in our new home at Cormack Park, we’re excited about the since it was founded, has dramatically opportunities for community participation in the future, the introduction of improved the health and wellbeing new initiatives and the broadening of existing ones, such as our MINDSET of more than a million people across programme, which addresses mental health through play-based learning for Aberdeen City and Shire. 11–13-year-olds. Tackling mental health will be a priority for us as we address the increasing impact of the pandemic on mental well-being, particularly HEALTHY COMMUNITIES among young people in our communities. This Impact Report illustrates all the areas in which we make a marked effect. WORKING TO SUPPORT ALL AGE It provides a valuable insight into our work. GROUPS IN THE COMMUNITY FROM I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported us. Your YOUTH WORK; PUBLIC HEALTH generosity has helped thousands of people during this difficult year and will INITIATIVES; ACTIVE AGING & allow us to continue to change lives for the better. DEMENTIA FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES. Best wishes, Liz 04 05 2019-20 IMPACT REPORT OUR COMMUNITY IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY IMPACT 2019-20 IMPACT REPORT AFCCT LOGIC MODEL OUR UNITED NATIONS: WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS GLOBAL ACTION PLAN ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY COMMUNITY THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS THE GLOBAL ACTION PLAN ON PHYSICAL ARE THE BLUEPRINT TO ACHIEVE A BETTER ACTIVITY AIMS TO CREATE A MORE ACTIVE AND MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR ALL. SOCIETY, MORE ACTIVE ENVIRONMENTS, THEY ADDRESS THE GLOBAL CHALLENGES MORE ACTIVE SYSTEMS, AND MORE ACTIVE WE FACE, INCLUDING POVERTY, INEQUALITY, PEOPLE, WORKING TOWARDS THE GLOBAL IMPACT CLIMATE CHANGE, ENVIRONMENTAL GOAL OF REDUCING PHYSICAL INACTIVITY BY DEGRADATION, PEACE, AND JUSTICE. 15% BY 2030. INTERNATIONAL STRATEGIES INTERNATIONAL Local, national and international strategies, alongside reacting to local community SCOTTISH FA: ONE NATIONAL PLAN needs, drive our community interventions as an enabler for Aberdeen and SCOTGOV: NATIONAL PERFORMANCE FRAMEWORK Aberdeenshire. Direction from the World EDUCATION SCOTLAND: INTERVENTIONS FOR EQUITY Health Organisation and United Nations give us an international perspective on the SPORTSCOTLAND: SPORT FOR LIFE STRATEGY importance of increasing physical activity, STRATEGIES NATIONAL and tackling issues such as poverty, inequalities, and wellbeing. Through engagement with the Scottish Government, Education Scotland, ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL: ABERDEENSHIRE COUNCIL: SportScotland and the Scottish FA we have identified strategies which have shaped our LOCAL OUTCOME IMPROVEMENT PLAN LOCAL OUTCOME IMPROVEMENT PLAN work on a national level in recent years. At a regional level, this feeds into the Local Outcome Improvement Plans of LOCAL OUTCOME IMPROVEMENT PLANS ARE THE MECHANISM BY WHICH COMMUNITY Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City councils, PLANNING PARTNERSHIPS DELIVER IMPROVED OUTCOMES FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES. THEY which in turn shape our 3 pillars of activity. ARE BASED ON A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF LOCAL NEEDS AND REFLECT AGREED LOCAL LOCAL STRATEGIES LOCAL This Impact Report details a ‘Contribution PRIORITIES. WE COLLABORATE WITH EDUCATION & CHILDREN’S SERVICES IN BOTH LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO DELIVER BETTER OUTCOMES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. Analysis’ against the international, national and local strategies showing what AFCCT is doing to support the delivery of these key outcomes. FOOTBALL HEALTHY AFCCT PILLARS EDUCATION FOR LIFE COMMUNITIES 06 07 2019-20 IMPACT REPORT EDUCATION EDUCATION 2019-20 IMPACT REPORT CASE STUDY: EDUCATION DEVELOPING WORKING WITH OUR PARTNER SCHOOLS TO HELP REDUCE THE POVERTY RELATED ATTAINMENT GAP THROUGH A RANGE OF HEALTH AND WELLBEING INTERVENTIONS. THE YOUNG some changes in his education. He joined AFCCT’s School of Football programme at the WORKFORCE Academy and started enjoying school again. Finlay said: “I didn’t mind going to other We are very proud of our ongoing collaboration to provide an alternative curricular offering for classes, ‘cos I knew I was getting to play football later, something I love”. Finlay really with Aberdeenshire Council’s and Aberdeen City disengaged pupils which best meets their needs. enjoyed the School of Football, both the practical element of working on his football Council’s Education & Children’s Services, and Across our 22 Partner Schools, we raise the skills and fitness, but also the theory side. The various football related learning tasks thank both local authorities for their continued aspirations of 8,300 targeted pupils, developing Improving Wellbeing helped him work on his budget skills, presentation and public speaking skills, and he support. Together, we continue in our efforts to the next generation of young people in the North- learnt about running and managing a football club. close the poverty-related attainment gap, and east of Scotland. Reducing Exclusions After graduating from the School of Football, Finlay continued his involvement with AFCCT, and joined the AFCCT Youth Ambassador programme. The Youth Ambassador Improving Participation programme supports young people aged 14+ to access informal training and development workshops, training courses, and provides the opportunity for work experience with AFCCT and the wider community. Improving Engagement Finlay has completed various workshops and learning sessions on themes such as safeguarding, mental health, social media safety & devising a social media guidance policy for Youth Ambassadors. He also started his Introduction to Coaching course. Finlay is a 15 year old Northfield Academy pupil, and Finlay has helped at various AFCCT events, and AFC home games. This has included an AFCCT Youth Ambassador. Finlay is a lifelong Dons being a flag bearer on the pitch, helping with bucket collections, and promoting fan, and has been involved with AFC & AFCCT all his life, AFCCT Day at the Aberdeen FC v Ross County match at Pittodrie in February 2020. He from going to games to attending AFCCT’s Summer and said working with new volunteers, and learning how to speak to strangers of all ages October Holidays Camps in Primary School. while volunteering at matchdays has been a huge help to him in his wider life. He is When Finlay moved to Northfield Academy he now a member of the Aberdeen City Youth Council, and has attended and spoken at sometimes found it difficult to motivate himself for events across the UK and abroad, meeting people from around the world. Finlay is classes he didn’t enjoy. After a School Exclusion, Finlay always looking for more opportunities to not only further his education and personal was determined to turn it into a positive and to make development, but to help give back to the community. CASE STUDY: IMPROVING This is Ned. Ned is a drawing which describes a pupil’s wellbeing improvement WELLBEING journey. Ned feels a bit different from others, that’s why Ned is drawn as an alien. Ned previously would be hiding around the corner, reluctant to participate. Ned is still cautious, but starting to come out from hiding to explore. Improving Attendance Ned was a non school attender the term before he became involved with AFCCT.