Motherwell FC Community Trust have secured £44,000 worth of funding from Comic Relief to develop and deliver a ‘Football for Families’ programme aimed at helping to build family relationships in Lanarkshire.
Over a two-year period, community coaches and other staff within the Trust will work with over 80 families across Lanarkshire using the football as an analogy for the family team.
Using footballing language the programme will deliver key messages around family life using football phrases such as ‘Get off the Bench’ and ‘Work as a Team’.
Each session in the programme will consist of a classroom activity within the Learning Centre using interactive materials developed for the programme and a physical activity component. During both the classroom and the physical sections parent and child will be partnered to complete the activities.
Classroom activities will include sessions on teamwork delivered by player, highlighting why teamwork is important for achieving aims and goals.
[pullquote]Through the ‘Football for Families’ programme we are delighted to be able to use the power of football in this innovative way where families will learn to work together as a team, as the first team squad do here at Motherwell, and how that can lead to many positive benefits.”[/pullquote]
– Charlie Bennett
Referees will deliver sessions on playing by the rules, linking rules in football back to the family environment, and coaches will deliver sessions on target and goal setting and why setting personal and team goals can help families rebuild trust.
Another session ‘Sing while you’re winning’ will reinforce the importance of family members supporting each other and providing nurture and encouragement to other family members in a positive manner. Other classroom sessions will cover the negative effects of alcohol and substance misuse on the family and its individual members, and the importance of diet, and exercise in maintaining a healthy family life.
Physical activity sessions will centre around football however other activities will be available including Tae Kwon Do, basketball, badminton, and zumba. These sessions will be structured in such a way to ensure family members must work together as part of a small team, therefore helping to rebuild their relationships.
An important component of the programme will be the ‘Dads and Lads’ module. Through this dads will have the opportunity to attain Scottish Football Association Coaching Certificates at children’s Level.
A raft of interactive learning resources will also be available to support the programme. These will range from workbooks through to games and quizzes, again across footballing themes. Each one will be aimed at specifically supporting positive family relationships.
Commenting on the award Charlie Bennett, General Manager of the Community Trust said “Football is part of the fabric of our society and has the power to motivate people to profoundly change their lives for the better.
“Through the ‘Football for Families’ programme we are delighted to be able to use the power of football in this innovative way where families will learn to work together as a team, as the first team squad do here at Motherwell, and how that can lead to many positive benefits.
“We would also like to thank our Comic Relief for their funding.”
If you would like any more information on any of our programmes please call us on 01698 239 926 or email us at community@motherwellfc.co.uk