Pledge Project

BBFA Pledge Project

Pledge to raise awareness of Disability Football

Berks & Bucks FA would like to invite all clubs and leagues to take the lead on promoting disability football opportunities across the region.

Disability Football is one of the beautiful games greatest secrets and we need your support to promote the wide variety of opportunities across the region. Did you know we have 65 affiliated teams across the county? Or that we have one of the largest pan-disability leagues in England with 9 divisions catering for adult male, adult female, U16, U12 and U8 players?

We all too often hear stories of players dropping out of the mainstream game as clubs are unable to meet their needs. Promoting alternative opportunities or improving awareness could help keep players in the game we all love. 

Footballs biggest secret? Not anymore, this is why we are asking all grassroots clubs and leagues to pledge their support to promoting disability football.

What is the Pledge Project?

The Pledge Project is a campaign that clubs and leagues can sign up to which helps raise the awareness of disability football across our region.


Who can sign up for the Pledge Project?

All Berks & Bucks FA grassroots clubs and leagues (Youth and Adult) can sign up to the Pledge Project. We especially want to hear from mainstream grassroots club who don’t offer disability football within their club.


Why should our club sign up for the Pledge Project?

It could make a real difference and if just one person from your area finds disability football as a result of your efforts then it will be worth it.
  
In its simplest form a pledge could be to share the BBFA Disability Club Directory in your club house, on your website or via social media. By helping us promote the Club Directory and Disability Football a player, opposition, sibling, parent, supporter, player or coach might see this and lead to a new player with a disability into joining a local club.


What does our club have to do if we sign up for the Pledge Project?

Clubs & leagues decide their own Pledge. It can be big or small and suit the ambitions of the club or league. 

To help clubs devise their pledges we have put together some examples which have been submitted by our current Pledge Clubs. We have split these example pledges into 3 levels which relate to the time and resources needed to complete a pledge; 

Bronze = Minimal Time/Minimal costs.
Silver = One off events/some cost.
Gold = Weekly Commitment/Higher cost.

You can pledge just to do one thing or you could pledge to do 10 things. Regardless of size it will contribute to raising awareness of disability football in the local community.


What examples have other clubs Pledged to do?

Below is just a sample of things our pledge clubs have current:

Display BBFA Club Directory in your club house
Add the Club Directory to your website
Share the Club Directory on your social media platforms 
Audit the players within your club who have disabilities 
Plan to develop club facilities for players & spectators with disabilities

Put a coach through the coaching disabled footballers course 
Put a coach through National Autistic Society - Autism Workshop
Create a club disability football development group 
Host Disability Specific CPD workshops at your club 
Provide coaching opportunities for individuals with disabilities
Promote the England Disability Talent Pathway to eligible players at your club

Apply to host recreational disability football at your club 
Set up a youth disability team at your club 
Set up an adult disability team at your club 
Set up an impairment specific disability team at your club 

Launched in September 2018 an Incentive Scheme was added to celebrate and reward each pledge Club when completing their pledges.

Upon committing to a pledge every club will receive:

Our Pledge Card with details of their pledge
A hard copy of the BBFA Disability Football Club Directory
A digital copy of the BBFA Disability Football Club Directory
A disability football club engagement guide

Clubs who achieve Bronze Level will receive a voucher code for the value of £25.00 which can be used against any order on www.discountfootballkits.com upon completion.

Clubs who achieve Silver Level will receive a voucher code for the value of £50.00 which can be used against any order on www.discountfootballkits.com upon completion.

Clubs who achieve Gold Level will receive a voucher code for the value of £75.00 which can be used against any order on www.discountfootballkits.com upon completion.

Upon committing to a pledge every club will receive:

A Pledge Card with details of their pledge.
A dedicated staff member on hand to support clubs throughout the pledge process.
A professionally printed hard copy of the BBFA Disability Football Club Directory.
A high quality digital copy of the BBFA Disability Football Club Directory.
A disability football club engagement guide.
Access to our national ‘Pledge Club’ Hive Network. This is an Idea sharing platform linking all National Pledge Clubs.

1) As a club decide what you want your disability football pledge to look like

2) Complete the online form: click here

3) Club will receive positive coverage via social media

4) Pledge clubs will receive direct support from the County FA throughout the season to help them achieve their pledge for the 2019/2020 season.

5) Clubs achieving their pledge will receive their DKF voucher incentive upon completion.


For more information about the Pledge Project or to ask any follow up questions, please contact Berks & Bucks FA Football Development Officer (Disability), Jonathan Coles, via the details below.

Get in Touch

By Phone: 01235 544890

By Email:
Development@Berks-BucksFA.com