Going for Goal

THE Irish Football Association’s ‘Going for Goal’ official two year charity partnership will continue until December 2010. Three charities with a strong reputation for ‘grassroots’ work with disadvantaged and vulnerable people in all communities across Northern Ireland are involved in the partnership with the Irish FA.

The charities are Mencap, Positive Futures and The Prince’s Trust. The Prince’s Trust helps young people who most need help to overcome barriers and get their lives working. Positive Futures and Mencap both support people with a learning disability and their families.

The Irish FA’s Head of Marketing and Communications, Geoff Wilson said: “The Going for Goal project is the first time the Irish FA has engaged in a planned partnership arrangement with selected charities. So far it’s been highly successful and, in addition to raising around £20,000 the charities have had some excellent opportunities to raise their profile. Irish FA staff have also had the chance to work ‘hands on’ in some charity projects organised by our partners and all concerned have really appreciated and benefited from this aspect of the project.”

The Irish FA will continue to back its ‘Going for Goal’ charities with a range of fundraising and publicity initiatives up until December 2010. The charities will have the opportunity to make the public more aware of their work, carry out collections at forthcoming Northern Ireland home international games, involve their service users and staff in half-time pitch ‘walk rounds’ and organise other fundraising initiatives.

Youth charity The Prince’s Trust helps change young lives in the UK. It gives practical and financial support, developing skills such as confidence and motivation. It works with 14-30 year olds who have struggled at school, have been in care, are long-term unemployed or have been in trouble with the law. Since it was founded by HRH The Prince of Wales in 1976, The Prince’s Trust has helped over half a million young people and continues to support 100 more every day. www.princes-trust.org.uk Prince’s Trust programmes offer personal development opportunities that bring tangible and lasting benefits to both young people and the communities in which they live.

Positive Futures is a Northern Ireland charity that provides community-based services for children, young people and adults with a learning disability and their families. The charity provides three main services – Supported Living, Adult Placement and Family Support Services. Positive Futures provides services across Northern Ireland and - like Mencap - wants to see a world in which people with a learning disability are valued equally, listened to and included. See www.positive-futures.net.

Mencap in Northern Ireland works in local communities with people with a learning disability and their families and carers. It fights to end discrimination and prejudice and provides a range of advice, information and support services. Mencap fights to change laws and services and to provide better access to education, employment and leisure facilities, supporting thousands of people with a learning disability to live their lives the way they want. See www.mencap.org.uk.

Click here for information about fundraising for the Going for Goal charities.

MENCAP