Northside a hub for Futsal Project

REPUBLIC
of Ireland soccer stars Shay Given, John O’Shea and Sean St Ledger have given
the thumbs up to the new football education courses being run by the FAI in
three centres in Ireland, including one on the Northside.

The
Football FAI has teamed up with the VEC in Dublin and also DCU in the Community
to provide a unique opportunity for people who are unemployed and out of formal
education to get involved in an innovative project designed to help them back
into the workforce.

Project
Futsal is an EU funded joint initiative between the FAI and the Welsh Football
Trust (WFT) with the core aim of utilising football as a social inclusion tool
in order to facilitate innovative community regeneration.

The
overall aim of the project is to provide education and work placement
opportunities for young people and to influence and assist community
regeneration via employment and volunteerism.

This
innovative move will see the FAI and the WFT cooperating to share knowledge,
experience and best practise in relation to grassroots programmes.

Sunderland
star John O’Shea said it’s great to see the
FAI using the attraction of football to encourage young men and women
into education.

“These
centres are encouraging people to get new educational qualifications as well as
becoming certified football coaches,

? he stated.

“These
are skills which can bring great benefits not only to the individuals but also
to their local town. I think it’s a marvellous idea.

?

At
the core of the project is the concept of football hubs. Hubs are education
centres coordinated by FAI/WFT staff and offer an academic year of adult
education, personal development, football coaching education and work/volunteer
placements.

A
total of seven hubs in Ireland and five in Wales will be developed over the next
two years.

Places
on the programme are being offered to both men and women and it is hoped that
course participants will make up an even split of male to female participants.

The
main objectives are to increase participant’s employability and/or enhance
their prospects of going onto further education.

It
is hoped that the extensive programme of football activity on each course will
incentivise potential participants to participate in the project.

Participants
may be entitled to certain financial support while on the programme and
interested people should check with their local social welfare office, job
centre or VEC office to see if they are entitled to support through existing
schemes.

In
a joint statement, FAI development officers Jamie Wilson and Paul Whelan said
the hub in Ballymun has been up and running for a few weeks and is progressing
well.

“This
is a great opportunity for people in Ballymun and Finglas who are unemployed to
get involved in a project designed to broaden their education and help them
back into the workforce,

? they stated.

“The
added bonus of football being included in the programme should be attractive
given its popularity in Ballymun and Finglas and will bring positive health
benefits for participants.

“With
the extra qualifications and work experience gathered on the course, it should
provide a real boost to a person’s CV when looking for a job or to progress
their education.

?

?¢
FUTSAL is the official FIFA version of 5 a side football and in this context,
the term is used as an acronym for Football Used Towards Social Advancement and
Learning.