Emmanuel, a 16-year-old, from Glasgow has been part of the Young Peoples Sport Panel for nearly two years and joined the panel because he wanted to use his passion to make change and raise the profile of sport within young people in his local community.
Ahead of his summer trip to Ethiopia, through his family, he was made aware of a youth football team, Ejere Youth Football Club in Addis Alem, Ethiopia, that was struggling for kits, boots and equipment. As someone who is very passionate about sports, and particularly football, he decided to start a fundraiser and collection for these supplies and then hand-deliver them to the team when he is in Ethiopia this summer.
With help from Emmanuel’s peers in the Sports and Health council at Bellahouston Academy and his local football club, Giffnock Soccer Centre, he set up collection points in the PE department and at the club for people to donate football kits, strips, and boots. His aim was to collect 80 kits, enough to supply each member of the local team, however he has already managed to exceed this nearly two-fold and the numbers are still growing!
Emmanuel said, ‘’I have received support from my peers and teachers who have been a great help in pushing my fundraiser to be as successful as possible. ''Teachers and fellow pupils have offered praise for my work which greatly encouraged me to work hard to maximise my fundraiser and with the help of my club coach, the project is being spread and publicised very well across the club so I can only be thankful for the support I have received.’’
Having played football from such a young age, Emmanuel understood how fortunate he was to have had access to resources and equipment to participate in sport and was aware that this is not the reality for so many. He wants to be able to make a small contribution to try and give some of the same experiences he has gained through sport in Scotland, to the Ejere Youth FC players.
Stewart Harris, CEO of sportscotland, has congratulated Emmanuel on his brilliant efforts. ‘’Emmanuel is the perfect example of what being on the Young People’s Sport Panel means and represents. His passion to try and provide some of the opportunities he has received in Scotland to those at the Ejere Youth Football Club, is admirable. His fundraising and kit collection efforts over the past weeks have truly shown the power of youth action and showcased what true role models our young people in Scotland are.''
Emmanuel is part of a 20 strong group of young people in Scotland who make up the Young People’s Sport Panel, which provides a national platform to represent the voice of young people in Scotland. Being part of the panel has provided this group of young people and Emmanuel, the opportunity to implement significant change across the sporting system in Scotland, as well providing them with the confidence and skills to pursue their own passions and projects.
