Development Plan – Update May 2007

Executive Summary

Background
Having identified the lack of opportunities, facilities and infrastructure in the north of Glasgow for young children (boys and girls) interested in football, members of Crosslands AFC established the North Glasgow Football Development Group (“NGFDG”) in May 2005 with the stated aims of “inclusiveness, opportunity and access for all – irrespective of social, racial, religious or cultural background -, improving facilities, improving coaching and youth diversion through football.”

Immediate success was realised when by working closely in partnership with the local Councillor and the City Council, NGFDG arranged for the upgrading of 2 derelict 7-a-side pitches at North Kelvinside Playing Fields (“NK”) together with the installation of two sets of permanent goal posts on the site. This enabled NGFDG to meet its immediate target and focus of providing football coaching for children within North West Glasgow.

Funding
One of the main tenets of NGFDG is that all members should have access to the best facilities, coaching and equipment possible. By working in partnership with various organisations (including Glasgow City Council, North West Area Committee and BT Community Champions) and carrying out fund raising activities, NGFDG has been able to purchase brand new equipment including footballs, marker cones, bibs, goal nets and a large storage container together with the 75% subsiding of club clothing for all members.

In addition to this, NGFDG was awarded a £8,500 grant from Sense Over Sectarianism. This funding enabled not only the continuing provision of formal coaching sessions but also facilitated the expansion of NGFDG through the set up and running of football teams for boys and girls – North Kelvin United.

Restructuring
As identified within the Mar 06 Development Plan, NGFDG has been restructured in line with the long term vision of NGFDG providing a means whereby girls, boys and adults can all play football ‘under one roof’ at one location.

NGFDG now brings North Kelvin United (children’s and women’s teams), Crosslands AFC (adult men’s teams) and open children’s coaching sessions under one umbrella and has a membership of 120 between the ages of 4 and 40.

Future Plans
NGFDG continues to place its main emphasis upon providing access to all to the best facilities and is currently working in partnership with Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Football Association to attain the nationally accredited Quality Mark Standard. This provides a benchmarking standard against which coaching, facilities and infrastructure are measured and recorded.

NGFDG’s ultimate goal remains the securing of a site, which would provide coaching and match play facilities on a single campus and activities continue in furtherance of this aim.
Structure of NGFDG

Following a review of current provisions against long term aims, NGFDG has been restructured and is now an umbrella organisation consisting of North Kelvin Utd and Crosslands AFC – two complementary groups, as follows:

NGFDG has the responsibility for the overall management of all activities of NGFDG encompassing Crosslands AFC, NK Utd and NGFDG. It is the main decision making body of the group and is also responsible for formulating and delivering the strategy and policies of the group.

NK Utd was set up in response to the continued expansion of NGFDG coaching sessions and provides opportunities for children, youths and women to take part in organised football competition. It is the natural progression from the formal Sunday coaching sessions. Currently NK Utd consists of 4 teams and the intention is to add an additional team at the start of each season.

Crosslands AFC was established in 1999 and runs two adult men’s football teams in local Glasgow leagues.

Headline statistics for NGFDG are as follows:

Approx 120 members (male and female, ages 4-40)
Training sessions held on Sun morning (open coaching for children aged 4-12), Tues night (Crosslands AFC); Weds night (NK Utd – children, youths and women) and Thurs night (Crosslands AFC)
6 teams
21 qualified coaches* (male and female)
Consists of 3 formal committees (NGFDG, NK Utd, Crosslands AFC)

* see section on future development plans - coaching

NGFDG Achievements to date

Successful launch of “Kids’ Coaching Sessions” for boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 12 every Sunday for 1½ hours at NK
Developed membership of 120
Conversion of derelict hockey pitches at NK into 2 newly lined 7-a-side football pitches with permanent goal posts
Formation of 3 new teams for children and one for women
21 qualified coaches*
General fund raising activities enabling the purchase of training equipment together with the subsidising of club clothing for all members
Successful grant funding applications to:
Glasgow City Council North West Area Committee - £1362 towards purchase of a storage container
BT Community Champions - £100 towards general running costs
Glasgow City Council - £56 subsidy for coaching course attendance
Sense Over Sectarianism - £8460 to enable continuation and expansion of current activities of NGFDG
Culture and Sport Glasgow and Quality Mark - £1250 to support Level 2 Coaching Young Footballers Certificate

Setting up and equipping of second adult team for Crosslands AFC
Providing training facilities for two adult teams at NK and Hyndland Secondary School

Development of a code of conduct that applies to all NGFDG members, including parents, spectators and officials
Development of NGFDG website to disseminate information to all members (www.ngfdg.co.uk)

* see section on future development plans - coaching

Future Development Plans

Group
NGFDG is committed to working in partnership with Culture and Sport Glasgow and the Scottish Football Association to attain the nationally accredited Quality Mark Standard.

Quality Mark is a new Scottish FA "Youth Action Plan" initiative, which helps to support and sustain grass roots football. Via Quality Mark, the Scottish FA and partners promote the role of clubs to broaden community participation and to enhance player, coach and volunteer development and best practice.

All future activities of NGFDG will take place against this standard.

Coaching
NGFDG is committed to providing quality formal coaching to its members. It currently has 21 coaches qualified to Level One - Early Touches Certificate standard. This is the minimum level of qualification, which a NGFDG coach must have, or be committed to working towards, in order to be able to lead a coaching session.

Following a recent partnering exercise with Football Development Officers from Glasgow City Council, 16 NGFDG coaches are now qualified to Level Two - Coaching Young Footballers Certificate standard.

NGFDG is also committed to providing development opportunities for those of its coaches who wish to improve their skills further and as part of the Quality Mark programme it has produced a Coach Development Plan and is in the process of recruiting a Coach Co-ordinator who will have the responsibility of managing the Plan by:

co-ordinating the workloads of all the NGFDG coaches
maintaining a database of all coaching qualifications held by the NGFDG coaches
developing the skills of the coaches by encouraging them to apply for SFA courses or sports coach UK workshops etc
working with the Fund Raising Officer to access funding to support Coach Education from sources such as Sports Councils, local Trusts etc
using the experienced NGFDG coaches in a mentoring role with the less experienced NGFDG coaches
facilitating regular in-service training
Player
NGFDG is committed to providing a pathway for players of all ages and standards to improve their skills and enhance their experiences.

To this end and in furtherance of the aims of attaining Quality Mark standard, all NGFDG coaching plans are tailored towards the Scottish FA Player Pathway Matrix which provides opportunities for recreation, participation and development for all members from the youngest and newest through to the senior and elite players.

Facilities
NGFDG remains fully committed to the principle of providing the best quality facilities available to its members. The long-term ambition is to be in possession of a site that will provide coaching and match play facilities on a single campus for all members of NGFDG.

As a result of recent local council reviews, NGFDG is continuing to work in partnership with Glasgow City Council on the potential re-development and upgrading of the NK Pitches.

Continual reviews on the quality and quantity of equipment will also be carried out and new and additional items will be purchased as and when identified and required.

This Development Plan will be reviewed on at least an annual basis.