For some young people, joining a football club is just an opportunity to keep playing the game that they love. For others, it can be the beginning of finding their feet in a new city, making friends and feeling part of a community. That is the thinking behind the Refugee and Asylum Seeker Football Programme in Glasgow, which has been running for seven years, and continues to provide young people across the city with the opportunity to get involved in the sport within their community.
The initiative began after an unaccompanied minor arrived at St Paul’s High School. A talented footballer, the young person had an obvious ability and passion for the game; however, for them, finding a way to play was not straightforward. The school reached out to local clubs, managed to source some kit and, eventually, helped the young person join a local team.
This experience sparked a bigger question for the local Active Schools team: how many other young people were in a similar position, trying to settle into a new life in Glasgow?
Claire Clark, Active Schools Coordinator at St Paul’s High School says;
“The First Touch Project allows young people from all over Glasgow to come together from different backgrounds and connect through playing a sport that they love. It allows young people to feel safe and connected in a City that is new to them. What began as a weekly football session has grown into a peer-led support system that extends far beyond the pitch.”
Building a community
From these early beginnings, the programme has now grown into a regular Friday night football session, welcoming young people from across the city. It is now promoted throughout the school network in Glasgow and even reaches those living in local children's houses and within a supported guardianship arrangement in the vicinity.
One of the clearest indicators of the programmes impact has been the number of young people who continue to attend - even after leaving school. They have built relationships and developed a genuine attachment to the club, and so, they keep coming back because they enjoy the football, but also because they feel they belong there.
Duncan Adams, Active Schools Coordinator at St Thomas Aquinas Secondary School
“One of the best things about the project is seeing young people continue to come along, even after they have left school. They will turn up week after week, rain or shine, because they genuinely love playing football and being part of the group. They have built friendships and relationships that go far beyond the pitch, and that is what makes the project so special.”
The sense of connection even extends beyond the football pitch, with a WhatsApp group providing participants with a way to stay in touch and support one another off the field. The friendships formed through the programme have been so meaningful that some young people have even moved schools to remain closer to those met within the club.
Partnerships have also been important in keeping the sessions going. Pollok United has stepped in to deliver football during school holidays and other periods. The partnership is also supporting delivery at St Marnock's Primary School in Pollok, working alongside an experienced Pollok United coach.
Looking ahead, there are ambitions to help participants gain their football coaching badges and become qualified coaches themselves. One former Rosshall student, Mukhusin Mahmoud, has already achieved that milestone. Mukhusin said;
“Friday Night Football has been incredibly valuable to me, as it has given me something to look forward to each week and the opportunity to play the game that I love. It has also allowed me to meet people from different backgrounds and be part of a project that supports young people, particularly asylum seekers and those from other backgrounds.
Through volunteering sessions, I have been able to practise my coaching skills and gain valuable experience. The project also helped me book and fund my coaching courses, allowing me to achieve coaching badges I may not have gained otherwise. These experiences contributed to my personal development and gave me valuable things to include in my university application.”
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