Girls’ football across Wales has grown by 89% in the past 5 years, but 19% of girls across Wales have not had any opportunity to play football in school. The FAW hope to change this through the BE. Football Schools Programme.
The BE. Football Schools Programme provides training for teachers to support engagement of girls in curriculum physical education through football (in line with the new curriculum), identify and develop life skills and support girls to be empowered to lead football-related activity for others.
Delivered in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust, the FAW are recruiting a further 50 secondary schools to empower more girls through football during the 23/24 academic year. Each school will be tasked to identify 6 KS3 girls to engage in the programme by becoming BE. Football influencers!
With a focus on developing female leaders for the future, the BE. Football programme is proudly supported by 6 Cymru Women’s National Team Players’ who believe in and are passionate about the programme and it’s aims. The Programme Ambassadors not only support and inspire throughout the programme, but as girls’ football influencers, the girls within the programme will have the opportunity to meet and engage with the players whilst on their learning journey.
BE. Football Schools Programme Aims:
- Improve the PE experience for girls through teachers adopting a life skills approach to PE (making it relevant) through football.
- Building confidence in female PE teachers to deliver football on the curriculum and extra-curriculum activities.
- Increase the number of girls enjoying football related activities and being active.
- Develop girls in leadership roles to deliver relevant and enjoyable roles for more girls in their schools.
- Provide appropriate formats of football in a way that suits the female teenage audience.
Who can run this programme?
The expectations for delivery are:
- As a minimum one lead teacher (PE) must be identified to attend CPD (please note there is an opportunity for two teachers per school to attend).
- Recruit six BE. Football Influencers to be the marketeers to attend training bespoke young leader training.
- Deliver life skills through football in the physical education curriculum for a minimum of one unit of work.
- Deliver an extra-curricular opportunity for girls in football led by football influencers.
- Engage c. 150 girls through curriculum and extra-curricular activities.
- Report data to the Youth Sport Trust through a termly data collection process.
What support will successful schools receive?
- A support contact from the YST and FAW to provide longer term connection
- CPD (curriculum and leadership) including hard and digital copy resources
- ‘BE. Football’ branded clothing for girls as leaders, water bottles and resource cards
- Equipment to deliver the programme.
- Training on the Girls’ Football Youth Sport Award, a reward and recognition scheme which evidences Activators’ life skills learning and achievements through football.
Secondary schools in Wales can now register on the Youth Sport Website to sign up to the Be Football Schools Programme via https://youthsporttrust.org/programmes/faw-be-football
For any questions you may have, please contact Rachel Short: rshort@faw.cymru
