The Irish Football Association has launched a new programme aimed at boosting football administration in Northern Ireland.
The aim behind the Inspire initiative is to identify, train and equip future club, league and divisional association officials to contribute positively to the growth and sustainability of football here.
It will provide participants with a blend of theoretical knowledge, practical experience and networking opportunities, developing a cohort of skilled professionals within the football ecosystem.
And, in collaboration with Ulster University, the programme will also award a Level 5 Advanced Certificate to those making the grade.
Supported by the FIFA Capacity-Building for Administrators programme, this initiative aims to equip those working on the ground with the knowledge and training needed to strengthen their day-to-day work and contribute to the long-term growth of women's football.
Inspire will deliver an annual calendar of masterclasses that will offer comprehensive training in key areas of football administration and governance. The sessions will draw on internal Irish FA expertise, input from Ulster University and insights from guest speakers.
Irish FA President Conrad Kirkwood is the driving force behind the initiative. He said he wanted to leave a legacy which would help to improve football administration in the future.
He explained when he started out as a football administrator almost 30 years ago there was very little or no guidance on administrative roles within clubs and what it took to run a club plus where clubs fitted in to the football ecosystem.
The President said he hoped the programme would encourage younger people and more females to get involved in running the game.
He pointed out football administration is becoming more complex, with issues such as safeguarding, GDPR and social media coming to the fore.
The President further said it was important to expose people to the various principles involved in football administration and how football is structured and governed.
“Clubs and divisional associations are crying out for new people with new ideas and who can help, and all we need to do is to give them a little background in football to open that level of skill set to us,” he added.
The Inspire programme is set to kick off next month with an introduction to football administration. It will provide an overview of football governance, an in-depth look at the framework governing football here and financial management, including budgeting, financial reporting and securing sponsorship and revenue.
Following that there will be an administrative skills development masterclass in December which will cover human resources, administration, communications and the Irish FA board’s strategic and operational processes.
Next year the masterclasses will look at development and governance, including building leadership skills, fostering grassroots involvement and ethics and integrity, event management and operations, marketing and stakeholder engagement plus safeguarding and legal responsibilities in football.
Internships at next year’s UEFA Under-17 Women’s Euros, which are being staged in Northern Ireland, and attending a football collective conference in November are part of the mix, too.
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