Cashback for Communities

Football’s transformative impact on the lives of young people in Scotland take centre stage through the CashBack for Communities programme.

This initiative, introduced by the Scottish Government, channels funds confiscated from criminals into providing free activities and programmes for youth across Scotland, with a focus on underprivileged areas.

A longstanding partner in this endeavour, the Scottish FA have been working alongside the Scottish Government to deliver life-changing projects for the past fifteen years. The 2024 report, which can be read here, includes compelling case studies showcasing the positive impact on communities across the nation.

The 2024 annual report completes the first stage of phase 6 of the partnership between the Scottish FA and the Scottish Government's CashBack for Communities project, where a transition from the previous phase allowed for an updated structure of programme. Phase 6 was another very successful delivery phase and allowed the Scottish FA to deliver this new structure effectively, setting the foundations for the remaining years in phase 6, all while strengthening relationships with clubs, schools and other stakeholders to help deliver these transformational projects.

Working closely with partner clubs and schools, the programme has been able to reach approximately 3,000 young people in Scotland in the last year alone – across the three main strands of the programme which had been developed for phase 6, building on the effectively delivery of previous phases.

These three strands that were designed and delivered for phase 6 were based on the structure from previous phases, allowing for a focussed approach to ensure target demographics were reached. With this being the first year of this new structure for phase 6, learning was taken throughout the year to enable continues improvements throughout the next 2 years of this phase to ensure the maximum impact is achieved in line with the programme’s outcomes. The programme was broken into the following elements:

• Alternative Football
  • Providing 300 plus free ‘Alternative Football’ opportunities to over 6000 young people to help encourage more young people to participate and become less likely to take part in antisocial behaviour. The opportunities will be tailored to the needs of the 12 communities providing activities for young people aged 10 to 25 years and holiday hunger projects during the school holiday period.
    
    
• Alternative Education
  • A tailored alternative education programme delivered in the 12 identified communities targeting 1980 young people in areas of social deprivation and possible on the verge of becoming involved in antisocial behaviour. The Scottish FA Regional staff and key stakeholders will provide educational projects based at the local targeted schools with routes into other related activity projects:​
    
    
    • Primary Schools – 12 weeks ‘Football Champions’ project for P5-P7 young people to gain skills in leadership, confidence and football skills.
      
      
    • Secondary Schools – 12 weeks ‘Football Leaders’ project aimed at S3-5 young people who will work on leadership, introduction to football coaching and other skills.
      
      
  • Volunteer Inspire Programme

The programme will deliver a targeted volunteer project to over 270 young people offering four mandatory workshops and opportunity to gain formal qualifications.

Please find links to the Scottish Governments pages and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) here.

An Introduction to Children's Rights: training tool.

Scottish FA CRWIA