New Member: Ross County FC
The European Football for Development Network is happy to announce Ross County FC as a new member. The Foundation seeks to further discover the best practice across the industry and connect with other EFDN affiliates who can provide insights and successes that can be learning points for its organisation.
The Ross County Foundation shows on a daily basis that Scottish Premiership club Ross County is ‘More than just a football club’. The Foundation aims to be a participative and identifiable organisation working effectively with others in order to primarily improve health & wellbeing, education, equality and enhance social cohesion. They constantly strive to impact positively on communities and individuals to improve and enhance life choices.
Based in Dingwall, they cover the Highlands & Islands such as Orkney, and the Western Isle, and therefore face relatively different challenges to big city clubs who have a mass audience in a small geographical area. In addition, the Ross County Foundation also has a widespread age group so learning and understanding of such a wide demographic are also important and helpful.
CSR activities of Ross County Foundation:
Football Fans in Training
Football Fans In Training is a health and wellbeing initiative targeting male & female fans aged 35-65 that are keen to lose weight. FFIT covers healthy eating, portion control, drinking and increasing physical activity through various practical and classroom sessions delivered by Ross County coaches.
Primary Schools Programme
The Ross County Foundation takes pride in its thriving school programme. In the 2020/21 school year, they delivered to over 20 schools and over 2000 pupils per week. They aim to work with targeted pupils to close the poverty-related attainment gap through our health and wellbeing interventions with the hook of football to achieve this. Their presence in schools has shown to increase pupil attendance, pupil engagement in their own education and participation in their local community beyond the school day.
Personal Development Programme S1-S3
The PDP aims to encourage pupils to consider class attendance, timekeeping, how to cope with behavioural or emotional issues and assist in engaging and delivering valuable life skills such as working together and communicating in and out of school. Pupils are asked to think about confidence and self-esteem through thought-provoking classroom sessions that will discuss their future and life after school. Other topics that will be touched on are diet & nutrition, health & wellbeing, personal development through improving confidence and football.
Walking Football
Walking football is a slower-paced version of ‘the beautiful game’ for participants aged 50+. It enables people to return to a sport they once loved or to try out a new activity that suits their fitness levels while ensuring the key principles of activity, participation and social inclusion.
Hubert Rovers, CEO of EFDN, “We’re pleased that with Ross County FC another Scottish Premiership club joins the network. As EFDN, we will provide the club and their foundation support to reach their goals and to further increase the impact of the community programmes and activities.”
Ross County FC: Primary School Programme
