Dergview Academy Football for All Programme

Aim

A new 12 week inclusive football programme for autistic children and young people in Castlederg

Who are we?

We are a voluntary youth academy in Castlederg, catering to youth football. We provide regular football and physical activity opportunities for those living within the Castlederg area through coaching sessions as well as competitive matches. The aims and objectives of our Club are:

- Offer coaching and competitive opportunities in football 

-Promote the club and sport within the local community 

-Ensure a duty of care to all members of the Club

-Provide our programmes and services in a way that is inclusive and fair for all. 

The Club provides opportunities that improve opportunities in sport for better physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. We work hard to develop local community links. 

For example, much of our efforts are focused on working with local community groups and organisations to ensure everyone has access to sport and wellbeing activities. A major aim of the Club is to encourage more participation from groups who otherwise would not traditionally have access to football.

Why are we crowdfunding?

We are a youth football Club based here in rural Castlederg, County Tyrone, and from August we want to fundraise to deliver a new 12 week programme called "Dergview Football For All programme", providing 5+ hours of football activity each week.

Our programme is about creating new opportunities for autistic children and young people to participate in football in a fun, inclusive and supportive environment. The project will provide specialist coaching tailored to participants' individual needs, helping to improve confidence, physical wellbeing, social skills and enjoyment of sport.

Our project is a new initiative that will help remove barriers to participation by creating a sensory friendly football programme that families can access locally, where there are currently very few opportunities of this kind.

We want to bring in experienced coaches with expertise in autism and inclusive sport to work alongside our volunteers, helping them develop the knowledge and skills needed to support autistic participants and deliver inclusive football sessions in the future.

Over the 12 week programme, we will support 20+ autistic children and young people to take part in regular football sessions, while also providing opportunities for parents and carers to connect with one another.

Crowdfunding will help us launch this new programme and bring in qualified coaches needed to deliver high quality, inclusive football sessions. It will also help us hire suitable indoor facilities and reach more families across the Castlederg area who currently have limited opportunities to access organised sport.

We will work with local schools, support organisations and community groups to promote the programme and encourage autistic children and young people to get involved.

Sport NI will match every pound donated up to a maximum of 65%, so please donate what you can.

Our project strongly aligns with Sport NI's Creating Opportunities programme by removing barriers to participation and creating new opportunities for autistic children and young people to become active through football.

The programme will deliver a new 12 week inclusive football initiative in rural Castlederg, where there are currently very limited local sporting opportunities specifically designed for autistic participants. Sessions will be delivered in a safe, supportive and sensory friendly environment by experienced coaches, helping participants build confidence, improve physical and mental wellbeing, develop social skills and enjoy being active.

The project focuses on a group that is significantly underrepresented in organised sport and often faces barriers to participation due to a lack of suitable provision, trained coaches and inclusive opportunities. By providing tailored coaching and adapting sessions to individual needs, we will enable more autistic children and young people to participate regularly in football.

Alongside the sessions, our volunteer coaches will gain practical experience and training in inclusive coaching, increasing the Club's long term capacity to deliver accessible football programmes. This will ensure the benefits continue beyond the funded period and create lasting opportunities for more autistic children and young people to take part in sport.

The project will strengthen community inclusion, increase participation in football and support Sport NI's ambition to create more inclusive, accessible and welcoming sporting opportunities for everyone.

Thank you for supporting this Crowdfunder!

How we’ll spend the money raised

Donations will cover the costs of specialist coaching, small equipment and facility hire. More specifically, our budget is as follows:

Coaching Costs: £3,720. Delivery of a 12 week autism football programme, providing 5 hours of activity per week with two qualified coaches at £31 per hour. Sessions will be delivered by coaches with experience in inclusive and autism-friendly football, ensuring every participant receives the support they need.

Facility Hire: £2,400. Hire of suitable indoor facilities for the delivery of the 12 week autism football programme, providing 5 hours of activity per week at £40 per hour. This includes pitch hire, indoor space for poor weather and sensory activities, changing facilities, utilities and associated venue running costs throughout the programme.

Equipment: £547- 20 footballs @ £15 per ball= £300, 1 multi sport coaching pack £247.

Community impact

Dergview Youth Academy is more than a football club. We are a community youth organisation that provides safe, inclusive opportunities for children and young people to be active, build confidence and develop friendships. Our activities promote physical health, mental wellbeing, teamwork, respect and positive life skills, while providing a welcoming environment for local families.

We work closely with local schools across Castlederg, youth organisations and community partners to encourage participation from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in sport, helping remove barriers and create opportunities for everyone to get involved.

Our facilities are also used for coach education, volunteer training, community meetings and partnership activities that strengthen links across the local area. Volunteers are at the heart of everything we do, giving their time to support young people and deliver programmes that benefit the wider community.

By investing in inclusive sport, we are helping create a healthier, more connected and resilient community in rural Castlederg.

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