Ballinamallard Youth Raising The Bar

Aim

Helping rural children get active, feel included, & develop skills through quality coaching, proper kit, and accessible football programmes

Who are we?

Ballinamallard Youth Soccer Development (BYSD) is a proud volunteer-led club at the heart of rural Fermanagh, dedicated to giving children and young people the chance to thrive through football. Every week, more than 250 boys and girls aged 5–17 take part in our coaching sessions, learning new skills, keeping active, and building friendships that stretch across communities.

But we’re more than a football club. BYSD is a place where young people grow in confidence, learn responsibility, and feel part of something positive. Alongside our coaching programme, we deliver activities that support health, wellbeing, and personal development from diversionary programmes and anti-bullying initiatives to workshops on nutrition, mental health, and staying safe.

Our volunteers are the driving force behind everything we do. By investing in their learning and development, we ensure that every child receives safe, high-quality support both on and off the pitch. We also work closely with local organisations to share knowledge, strengthen community links, and promote positive relations throughout Fermanagh and the wider western area of Northern Ireland.

At BYSD, we believe every young person, no matter their background, deserves the opportunity to be active, included, and inspired. Through sport, we aim to reduce social exclusion, boost wellbeing, and spark community action that makes our rural area a better place to grow up.

Together, we’re building more than teams.

We’re building healthier, happier futures for our young people and our community.

Why Are We Crowdfunding?

We’re crowdfunding because we want to introduce new and additional participation opportunities for children in rural Fermanagh, particularly those aged 5–12, an age group where access to structured, high-quality football is currently limited.

This project goes beyond our normal day-to-day delivery. Without this funding, we would not be able to launch these enhanced entry-level opportunities or retain children through the winter months.

To do that, we need to raise the standards of our coaching, improve our resources, and make sure every child can enjoy football all year round, no matter the weather or their background.

With your help, we will:

• UPSKILL OUR VOLUNTEER COACHES through new qualifications and workshops that are specifically linked to delivering this participation project, enabling us to expand capacity and deliver higher-quality sessions for new entrants aged 5–12. As a positive project legacy, the new coaches will support us to deliver the new Irish FA Youth Football Framework and provide the best possible learning environment for young players. Investing in our coaches means higher-quality sessions, safer practices, and more confident, motivated volunteers that can be recruited and retained.

• BUY ESSENTIAL NEW EQUIPMENT to support additional sessions for new participants who are not currently engaged with the club. The new balls, goals, bibs and more will support the growing number of new participants joining the club.

• PROVIDE NEW TEAM KITS for newly formed boys’ and girls’ teams created as part of this project, helping children feel included from their very first involvement.

• RUN A NEW WINTER FUTSAL PROGRAMME delivered indoors—a new activity for BYSD—ensuring children can continue participating during winter months when outdoor football normally stops. This project activity will ensure children can stay active, connected, and involved even during harsh weather when outdoor pitches are unusable.

This project will help us remove barriers to participation and give every child a strong, positive start in sport. By supporting our crowdfund, you’re not just helping to buy equipment or fund courses—you’re helping to build confidence, friendships, healthier lifestyles, and a stronger cross-community future for local young people.

Together, we can raise the bar for youth football in Fermanagh.

Thank you for being part of the journey.

How we’ll spend the money raised

We believe in being completely open about how every donation will be used. All funding is directly linked to the delivery of new and additional participation opportunities, not our existing day-to-day activity. Your support will directly improve coaching quality, grow participation, and give children in rural Fermanagh the best possible experience in football.

Here’s exactly how the funds will be spent:

1. Coach Education – £4,300

This investment will support new coach development pathways required to deliver additional sessions for 5–12-year-olds under the Irish FA Youth Football Framework, capacity we do not currently have without this project. To ensure every child receives high-quality, enjoyable and safe coaching, we will invest in upskilling our volunteer coaches:

• 5 × National Coaching Certificates – £1,100
• 2 × UEFA C Licences – £1,300
• 1 × UEFA B Licence – £1,500
• Coach Education Workshops – £400

Why this matters: These qualifications enable the delivery of new programmes and allow more children to take part safely and consistently. Better-qualified coaches deliver better sessions, helping us attract more young players and raise standards across the club.

2. Equipment for New Participants – £2,000

This equipment will be used for new participants joining through this project, not existing teams. As more children join our 5–12 programme, we need new equipment to support enjoyable, well-resourced sessions:

• Size 3 footballs (60) – £600
• Size 4 footballs (60) – £600
• Pop-up goals, cones, bibs, and training aids – £800

Why this matters: Removing cost and access barriers helps attract children who are new to organised sport. High-quality equipment ensures fun, engaging sessions for beginners and returning players alike.

3. New Team Kits – £2,000

These kits are for newly created teams formed as a direct result of this project, supporting inclusion and belonging from first participation.

Why this matters: Matching kits build identity, team spirit, and confidence for young players taking their first steps in football.

4. Marketing & Promotion – £500

This promotion focuses on reaching families and children not currently engaged with BYSD, particularly in rural and isolated areas. To reach young people in rural communities and encourage new participants:

• Local advertising, digital promotion, and outreach materials – £500

Why this matters: Many families are unaware of the opportunities available—this helps us connect with them.

5. Winter Futsal Venue Hire – £1,200

This funding supports the introduction of a new indoor futsal programme, which sits outside our normal delivery and prevents disengagement during winter months.

• Indoor hall hire for a winter Futsal programme – £1,200

Why this matters: The new Futsal programme keeps children playing, developing skills, and staying connected during the winter months.

Total Project Budget: £10,000

Every pound you donate goes directly into improving coaching, equipment, facilities, and new opportunities for local young people. With your support, we can welcome more children, deliver higher-quality sessions, and build a stronger, healthier future for our community.

Community impact

Ballinamallard Youth Soccer Development (BYSD) is much more than a football club — we are a vital community hub for rural Fermanagh. This project strengthens that role by introducing NEW PARTICIPATION PATHWAYS for children who have traditionally been excluded due to geography, cost, seasonality, or lack of opportunity.

WHO BENEFITS?

• Over 250 children and young people, particularly new participants aged 5–12 accessing football for the first time
• Families, benefiting from affordable, local opportunities year-round
• Volunteers, gaining new qualifications and leadership pathways that strengthen the volunteer workforce with new faces and energy.
 • The wider community, through increased inclusion and positive engagement that benefits from cross-community interaction, reduced social isolation, and positive role modelling for young people.

WHY OUR WORK MATTERS

In rural areas like ours, access to sport is often seasonal and limited. The new 5–12 entry pathway and winter futsal programme directly address this gap, keeping children active,

connected and engaged throughout the year. BYSD plays a crucial role in filling that gap by offering affordable, inclusive programmes that keep young people off the sidelines and away from negative influences. Through our wellbeing workshops and community development initiatives covering topics such as mental health, suicide awareness, nutrition, drugs and alcohol we support not only physical fitness but also emotional resilience and social responsibility.

A SPACE FOR MORE THAN SPORT

This project enhances BYSD’s role as a shared community space, supporting education, wellbeing, and cross-community interaction through new initiatives enabled by this funding.

This new project extends beyond football. We will host new community activities, additional training sessions, educational workshops, and collaborative events with local organisations.

THE WIDER IMPACT

By supporting this project, you’re helping to:
• Promote physical and mental wellbeing
• Reduce rural isolation
• Support new volunteers and coaches
• Create new participation opportunities for children in sport year-round
 • Foster cross-community understanding

Every contribution helps us deliver new, inclusive opportunities that level the playing field for young people in rural Fermanagh.

How you can play your part

There are four simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality.

1. Make a pledge. Don’t delay if you’re going to support us because momentum is key to our success!

2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.

3. Offer rewards. Get involved if you are a local business by donating things we can offer to our supporters. We will give you a shout out!

4. Fundraise for us. If you want to run your own fundraiser – maybe a sponsored activity or similar – use the 'contact project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own page only takes a few minutes and you won’t need any bank details. Just a fun idea!

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made