Bangor University and the Welsh Football Trust team up to create more playing opportunities

Thanks to support from British University and Colleges Sport (BUCS) and Sport Wales, Bangor University and the Welsh Football Trust are launching an exciting new initiative. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Bangor University have been selected as one of four Welsh Universities to take part in this innovative pilot which will see Football Activators deployed at the institution. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The aim of this initiative is to get more university students playing football and in particular women. Non-traditional formats of the game will be key to get more people ‘hooked on the sport’. The emphasis will be recreation, offering lots of opportunities for students to play no matter their age, gender or ability. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Activators have been tasked with engaging with at least 100 new female and 100 new male participants. To assist with delivery a volunteer workforce programme will also be created. The aim is to provide students with an opportunity to gain valuable experiences whilst also enhancing their employability through volunteering within the football family which is inclusive of not just the University provision but also within the local community. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Richard Bennet, Director of Sport at Bangor University, said: “This is a great opportunity for Bangor University students to get involved in coaching within the University and also the local community. This scheme has employability benefits whilst gaining qualifications.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Rob Franklin, Senior Partnership Manager for the Welsh Football Trust, commented: “I’m really excited to be working with Bangor University on this innovative initiative. As a result of this partnership we will have more students playing football and a workforce to help support delivery”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Manon Rees-O’Brien, Sport Wales HE Liaison, said: “Sport Wales is proud to be supporting this exciting opportunity with BUCS, Bangor University and the Welsh Football Trust. This new initiative deploying Football Activators at the institution offers a real opportunity to get more university students playing football and in particular women and students that are new to the game. This local opportunity will hopefully act as a blueprint to break down barriers to participation and bring more people into sport. The workforce offer is an important element of the initiative with the aim of growing the local sporting workforce that is fit for the future. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“As part of our work on this bid we’ll be working hard to bring HE and NGBs closer together to create sustainable strategic relationships so that those coming through higher education have access to the right support to enable them to continue to take part in sport, whether playing, officiating, coaching or volunteering.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​