St Ives Rangers FC, a local FA Charter Standard Community Club, has become Huntingdonshire FA’s first deaf friendly football club by signing up to the NDCS Deaf Friendly Football Club Pledge. The Club has recently joined the NDCS Deaf Friendly FC project and has committed to opening up the game to deaf people.
Designed to make football more accessible for deaf children, the Deaf Friendly FC project was set up in 2007 and has so far attracted 56 football clubs in England, including giants as Manchester United and Arsenal. Over the years, the project revolutionised the game at all levels for deaf children, reaching nearly 1,000 deaf young players and training up over 400 coaches on how to communicate with them.
Hayley Jarvis, NDCS Sports and Leisure Activities Manager explains:
“We know there has been a severe lack of football opportunities available from grassroots to elite level for deaf children and young people in the past. Deafness makes it harder for children to communicate which can be very isolating. Many deaf children and young people find it difficult to participate in football because clubs are not set up to provide good communication.
“This project is revolutionising the sport at all levels for deaf children and young people. Every football club that shows its commitment to deaf children by agreeing to sign the pledge will meet with NDCS dedicated Football Development Officer and receive expert knowledge and resources to aid the club in being truly deaf friendly. We are delighted that St Ives Rangers FC has signed the pledge, and committed to giving deaf people an equal opportunity to play football.”
Chairman Mark Richardson says:
“St Ives Rangers FC are proud to have signed the Deaf Friendly Football Club Pledge. We are looking forward to developing our playing and coaching opportunities for deaf people in our community and ensuring we help them reach their full potential in the sport. We are committed to supporting deaf footballers and ensuring that the Club and its officials are Deaf Friendly.”
Resources that will be provided to clubs that sign the Pledge include the opportunity to take part in the unique Coaching Deaf Footballers course, developed in partnership with the Football Association, a British Sign Language for Football course, a coaching DVD, practical support and assistance from NDCS volunteers, and help in promoting any deaf friendly football activities.
Over sixty clubs, including Arsenal and Manchester United, have already signed the DFFC pledge and are now working with NDCS.
The NDCS Deaf Friendly Football Club Project is being funded with the help of a grant from the UK’s largest sports charity, the Football Foundation (FF), which invests money from its partners – the Premier League, The Football Association, and the Government – into good causes. A further funding of £129,623 has been awarded by the FF and the Football Association has provided £10,000 towards continuing the project in 2010-2011.
If you would like to join St Ives Rangers FC then please contact Chris Convine, cj.convine@ntlworld.com, 01480 495292
For more information on how you, your child or your club can get involved please contact NDCS Football Development Officer by email at football@ndcs.org.uk or phone: 0121 234 9820 (v/t). You can also find more details at www.ndcs.org.uk/football .
For further information please contact:
Anna Galandzij, NDCS Assistant Media Relations Officer
Tel: 020 7014 1178
Email: anna.galandzij@ndcs.org.uk
Rory Carroll, Football Foundation Communications Manager
Tel: 0845 345 4555 ext 4280 or 07545 932 432
Email: rory.carroll@footballfoundation.org.uk
The Deaf Friendly Football Club Pledge requires the following commitments:
To ensure that the whole club is deaf friendly
To promote effective communication
To ensure that the club officials recognise the abilities of all deaf footballers and develop their game to help them reach their full potential
To create equal playing and social opportunities for deaf footballers
The Deaf Friendly Football Club project will help clubs achieve these commitments in the following ways:
Offer club coaches and officials the opportunity to take part in the unique Coaching Deaf Footballers course, produced in partnership with the FA
Provide club with resources, including the DFFC Coaching Deaf Footballers DVD
Add club details to our database of deaf Friendly Clubs. This will be accessible to all through our website
Provide opportunities for the club to access NDCS volunteers, including communicators
Help support and advertise any deaf friendly activities the club may organise
Find possible links and partnerships to local deaf organisations and clubs
Offer support and guidance from the NDCS Football Development Officer
About the NDCS
• The National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) is the national charity dedicated to creating a world without barriers for deaf children and young people, by supporting them, their families, and professionals working with them.
• Three babies are born deaf every day and 90 per cent of deaf children are born to hearing parents with little experience of deafness.
• There are 35,000 deaf children in the UK.
• Parents with concerns about their child’s hearing can contact the NDCS Freephone Helpline on 0808 800 8880 (voice and text) or email helpline@ndcs.org.uk open 10am – 5pm Monday to Friday, or access the website at www.ndcs.org.uk
• The NDCS uses the term ‘deaf’ to mean all types of deafness, including temporary deafness such as glue ear which affects one million children aged 0-8 years-old every year.
About the Football Foundation
• The Football Foundation is dedicated to revitalising the grass roots of the game, constructing modern football facilities, developing football as a force for social cohesion and as a vehicle for education in communities throughout the country.
• Funded by the Premier League, The Football Association, Sport England and the Government, the Football Foundation is the nation’s largest sports charity with a £45m budget going straight into the heart of football.
• Since its launch in July 2000, the Football Foundation has funded over 7,500 projects worth over £870m
• For more information visit www.footballfoundation.org.uk