A successful first Erasmus+ experience for the Youth FA

A group of seventeen football administrators, made up of ten officials from different nurseries along with YFA Council members, have just returned from Scotland following their successful participation in an Erasmus+ project.

This project, entitled #The Goal – Investing in our people, has been hosted at Kilmarnock FC and put together by Ms Stephanie Rocco (YFA EU Funds Projects Coordinator) and Brian Sproul (Kilmarnock and Scottish YFA), as a training facilitator. The project intention is to give our football administrators a better insight in order to develop new ideas to run our nurseries in a more professional and efficient manner.

The participants attended various lectures in different themes including child protection, ethics and positive coaching and an insight of the Community Trust. They also had the opportunity to witness at first hand the operation of the Kilmarnock academy, along with visits to grassroots clubs in the area, and also having placements within the various departments of Kilmarnock FC.

The YFA group was also hosted at Hampden Park, where they had the opportunity to meet up with the Scottish YFA Chief Executive Officer and other officials to discuss in detail the similarities, and the future of the grassroots game.

On daily basis different members of the group facilitated interactive evaluation sessions during which they discussed the salient points of the day and how we can adapt and improve the local standards of the game contributing towards long-term player and club development.

The Maltese contingent hosted a well-attended themed night “Taste of Malta”. A selection of local dishes and delicacies was prepared by the same participant administrators. Guests from Kilmarnock FC and other clubs within the area, the Scottish FA and the East Ayrshire Council and Sports Council attended the event. Special thanks to the Malta Tourism Authority and other local food and beverage suppliers for supporting this cultural night.

The group also attended the Scottish Premier League match Rangers vs Motherwell at Ibrox Stadium, and also had the opportunity to meet with the Maltese Youth International Myles Beerman, who plays for Glasgow Rangers.

The Youth FA aims to continue spreading the positive aspects emerging from this mobility experience in Scotland. In fact the participants will now be requested to put forward ideas and proposals which they can implement within their nursery as a start and which implementation will be mentored and monitored accordingly. The Youth FA commits itself to continue promoting continuous professional development amongst its member football nursery administrators.

This mobility experience in Kilmarnock, Scotland is supported by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union.

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