Football Association launch three-year plan for disability football
The FA have launched ‘Football Your Way’ an ambitious three-year plan to increase participation and access to make football available to all.
Within the plan are seven pillars of focus which are:
- Our People and FA Culture: increasing awareness within the FA around disability and creating an increased culture of inclusion
- Participation: increasing participation of disabled people in schools, clubs and the community
- Talent Pathway: ensure that disabled people understand what is available and how they can grow as athletes and showcase how sustainable and inclusive the pathway is.
- National Teams: engage world-class coaching and support services for six senior England and associated U21 teams with the aim of every Para-team challenging for podium success by 2024. Football Your Way also commits to establishing two new blind and cerebral palsy England Women’s teams by 2024
- Coach Development: Focus on recruiting and developing a great number of quality coaches that can nurture and grow future football players.
- Marketing and Communications: Embedding disability into everything that we do. This will include driving awareness of opportunities available for disabled players, coaches or administrators and will be about working to challenge stereotypes and change perceptions.
- Partnerships: Ensuring sustainable funding is allocated to the future of disability football.
Speaking on the impact of disability football is England international and Merseyside VIFC Blind footballer, Azeem Ameer, who said:
"Being able to play football at a high level with other disabled players has been an amazing opportunity for me. Football has made a significant difference to my life and to the lives of those I play with at every level. I hope The FA’s new plan, Football Your Way, can help raise awareness of disability football and provide significant opportunities to inspire people to play the game, from kids who are giving it a go for the first time, to fellow internationals on the world stage."
