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Kicking back against crime
11/01/2008
Free football coaching and playing opportunities for more than 30,000 young people across Scotland are at the heart of a groundbreaking new initiative funded from the proceeds of crime over a three year period to 2011.
The Scottish Government has brokered agreement with the Scottish Football Association to build on the existing Bank of Scotland 'Midnightleagues' and Bank of Scotland 'Soccer One' initiatives and over the next three years deliver:
- National network of 5-a-side football activity running from Jan - June, targeting youths
- A National network of 3 and 4-a-side football activity targeting youths, based in 32 venues throughout Scotland and aiming to involve up to 9,600 young people per year
- Building on the current Soccer One programme for S1 pupils, Cashback funding will be used to develop this into S2 and S3 by the third year of funding, we will have up to 1,300 new schools-based football teams involving up to 19,500 girls and boys;
- creation of 6 schools-based football academies for 120 P7 pupils who haven't responded to traditional teaching
- programme to bring 1,700 new volunteer coaches into the youth game
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill will launch the new initiative with Hearts player Callum Elliot and Gordon Smith, Chief Executive of the Scottish Football Association at 2 pm today at the Powerleague pitches, Sighthill, Edinburgh.
This three-year football initiative, to be funded from over £2.2 million from proceeds of crime funds and £1,926,485 of funding from the SFA, HBoS and the Coalfield Regeneration Trust, is the first of a range of positive activities for young people under this Government's "Cashback for Communities" scheme which will see the money and goods seized from serious organised criminals being used to make a real difference to the lives of young people across Scotland.
Over the coming months there will be further strands announced including support for youth groups throughout Scotland and culture and arts projects aimed at young people.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said:
"Criminals don't contribute to our communities - they live off them. That harms our economy but it also saps self-confidence and ambition - especially among young people. That's why its time for crime to pay and for the cash they make off the backs of law abiding folk to flow back into our communities.
"With our Cashback for Communities programme we are taking their ill gotten gains off them and giving them back to communities to make a real difference to the lives of young people throughout Scotland - providing both opportunities on the ground and a truly symbolic message.
"Football, as our national game, can play a big part in diverting young people from getting involved in crime and antisocial behaviour. Last year our national team put a spring back in our collective steps with their performances. In 2008 I believe our national game can help more young people take their own steps towards a brighter future.
"This exciting new package of football-related youth activities will see this Government working in partnership with the SFA to give young people the length and breadth of the country the opportunity to participate in football at all levels.
"This is just the start. We are looking at a range of further initiatives - in sport, in the arts, in youth work, locally and nationally. Further announcements will be coming within the next few months.
"Scotland's children and young people need to have the opportunity to realise their potential, to have real hopes and aspirations for their future and have a clear understanding that getting involved in crime and antisocial behaviour is not acceptable. We want to give our young people positive things to do with their lives and Cashback is giving us the way of doing just that."
Welcoming today's announcement, Gordon Smith, Chief Executive of the Scottish Football Association said:
"This is a fantastic scheme that shows what can be achieved when everyone in Scotland pulls together. We all want our young people to be healthier, more confident and full of ambition and aspirations. Getting them to play football does just that.
"I'm sure that everyone in Scotland will applaud this announcement. There is something incredibly satisfying to know that money is being taken from criminals and being invested in our young people and our communities.
"This, however, should only be the first step. We need more quality facilities to be built right across the country. We are doing all we can to make sure that more people than ever before are playing the Game. We hope that further investment can follow this to make sure that wherever you play football, you do so in a great environment."
Details of initiatives:
Midnight Leagues: National network of 5-a-side football activity running from Jan - June, targeting youths. This league is currently funded by HBOS and the Coalfield Regeneration Trust. Cashback funds will build on this by increasing the amount of venues utilised from 72 in the first year, with 10,000 participants, to 120 venues and 14,000 participants by the third year. Local police and other partners will provide advice on the best days and times to hold the events (usually 9pm Friday and Saturday).
Street Football Events: A National network of 3 and 4-a-side football activity targeting youths, taking place over 3 periods per year during school holidays and focussing on deprived areas. This is a completely new concept, funded entirely with Cashback funds except from a small contribution from the SFA via their Community scheme. It is based in 32 venues throughout Scotland, one in each local authority area, and aims to involve up to 9,600 young people per year.
- Building on the current Soccer One programme for S1 pupils, which is funded by HBoS and the SFA, Cashback funding will be used to develop this into S2 and S3 by increasing coverage and participation so that by the third year of funding, we will have up to 1,300 new schools-based football teams involving up to 19,500 girls and boys
- Building on the current pilot programme run by the SFA in partnership with Falkirk Council, Cashback funding will be used to enable the creation of 6 schools-based football academies for 120 P7 pupils who haven't responded to traditional teaching; this figure will rise to 240 pupils in the second and third years and will use the attraction of a professional coaching regime to ensure children are engaged physically and academically
- and a programme to bring 1,700 new volunteer coaches into the youth game drawn from colleges, universities and schoolchildren themselves from S4 - S6
Sarah Cran, Head of Sponsorship, HBOS plc said:
"We're delighted that Bank of Scotland's significant investment in grassroots football will be boosted with the Proceeds of Crime money from the Scottish Government. The success of the Midnightleague and Soccer One programmes is down to the hard work and commitment of the Scottish FA and with this extra funding the real winners are the many more kids now targeted for inclusion."
Peter Wilson, Chief Constable of Fife and Chair of Crime Business Area for the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland welcomed the announcement, describing it as an excellent way to promote positive health for our young people.
He added: "Community Police officers across Scotland have been energetic in supporting and organising sporting activities for young people for many years. This new scheme will allow even more people to participate. The message is simple - if the police and the courts can get our hands on the drug dealers and their profits, communities can reap the benefit."
COSLA Spokesperson Cllr Harry McGuigan said:
"It is great to see these proceeds of crime being used for such positive purposes. Indeed, there is a sweet irony in the fact that the opportunities created by this new initiative will hopefully divert young people away from criminal activity.
"COSLA welcomes this new initiative and looks forward to seeing the positive impact created by greater opportunities for young people to participate in football."
Jim Sweeney, Chief Executive of Youthlink said:
"On behalf of the Youth Work sector we warmly welcome this initiative which will encourage positive opportunities for our young people within localities throughout the country."
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill announced in a debate in the Scottish Parliament on June 6 last year that this Government would establish a new approach to reinvesting the money from proceeds of crime to benefit Scotland's communities and especially those hardest hit by crime by investing in services and activities which could make a real difference to young people's lives.
This will be the first time that the reinvestment of proceeds of crime money will be distributed back into every part of Scotland. Previous funds have been used to tackle the scourge of drug dealers and other criminals by raising awareness of the harm they do. We are now moving this further by using the funds to divert our children from feeling that the only option for success they have is a life of crime.