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Down Syndrome Specific Football Programme All ages
Poole, England, United Kingdom
Aim
We are raising money to help improve our football programme run specifically for people with Down syndrome.
Who are Longfleet Youth FC?
Longfleet Youth Football Club has been established since 1988 and is an award winning Charter Standard Community Club, run solely by volunteer members. We strongly believe that all sport should be inclusive and accessible for all.
Why We Started The Longfleet Youth FC DSActive Football Programme
In August 2015 we identified that there were simply no provisions for young people with Down Syndrome to play a team sport in a fully inclusive environment. Until September 2015 Dorset had no specific sport opportunities other than signposting individuals to mainstream clubs or pan-disability provisions in their local area. However, the physical and cognitive impairments experienced with Down Syndrome meant that participants with Down Syndrome can find team sports in particular, too fast paced to keep up with.
Longfleet wanted to change this, and through its community approach, set up monthly training sessions for people with Down Syndrome aged from 5 up to adults. This has created a truly level playing field where they can excel, learn and grow.
Our Progress
The sessions have been well attended with a steady growth in numbers, with current average attendance being 30+ at each monthly session over 3 different age groups. We are very proud to have been the first voluntary community club nationally to offer this programme. This project has also created a strong support network for parents of children with Down Syndrome, offering some key respite opportunities. We take great pride in using football as a tool to remove discrimination and promote a fully inclusive sporting landscape in Dorset.
Why We Are Looking For Funding?
We are looking for funding to ensure that our Programme remains viable for the future and to expand the opportunities that our Down Syndrome football programme provides. We are also looking to purchase more specialised training equipment and place volunteers on training courses in order to help enhance the development of our players of all ages.
As a Club and Charity run solely by volunteers we appreciate all donations to help us to continue to achieve our high standards of football provision, and to help improve our participants overall physical, social and emotional health.
Awards Received
We are very proud of the awards that our DSActive Football Programme has received.
- 2016 - Poole Sports Council - Certificate of Commendation
- 2017 - Dorset County FA - Outstanding Inclusive Football Project Award
Thank You
Thank you for reading our page and we hope you would like to support us reach our fundraising target.
Aviva Community Fund provided £650 of match funding
This project successfully funded on 7th October 2020