Trustees Report Immaculata Junior Football Club
(covering period of 01/04/2022 to 31/03/2023)
This report was prepared for the AGM of the Immaculata Junior Football Club covering the period of 22/23 year.
Immaculata Junior Football Club is entirely run on a voluntary basis and sustained by volunteer efforts from the charity trustees to coaches and players.
The organisation is run by a set of rules and procedures set out in our inaugural governing constitution formally adopted on 29[th] June 2008. This document is reviewed each year alongside our collection of policies and procedures as part of an annual review of our governing processes. The constitution has been reviewed this year and will be circulated in advance of and discussed at the annual general meeting (AGM).
Vision and Public Benefit:
The Aims and Objectives of the Football Club are to promote the fitness and to advance the education and facilitate the social development of young people from 5 years through to 15 years through participation in football.
The charity trustees (club committee) are satisfied that the Public Benefit requirement has been met across 2022/23;
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The direct benefits flowing from the purposes include improved physical fitness, education and social development of young people from 5 to 15 years within West Belfast achieved through healthy participation in sports and football.
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Further, the benefits include an awareness of health through:
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workshops, active engagement in football training programmes,
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Increase participation
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Encouraging belonging within the wider community,
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an experience of teamwork and skills,
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and improved opportunities to participate in local, national and international competition.
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The benefits can be demonstrated through:
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physical fitness and skills tests or assessments,
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the gaining by volunteer coaches of professional accredited qualifications,
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measured levels of physical activity
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and overall feedback on improvements within the local community.
We do this through:
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increasing the levels of participation in football,
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increasing the levels of physical activity in order to help prevent early onset of illnesses such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
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It helps to improve emotional wellbeing in young people and allows them to divert their energies into the positive activity of sport rather than engaging in anti-social behaviour.
We work in partnership with other organisations to increase opportunities for participants. Much of this cooperation and collaboration comes about in the form of a voluntary arrangement under a banner of a Falls Partnership Initiative.
Specifically, this reporting year we have:
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facilitated 45 weeks of football which included 5 nights training per week with competitive matches Saturday and Sunday.
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We currently have 7 teams with 92 children participating in football each week.
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Through our partnership arrangements and running alongside training the young people were offered workshops for health and wellbeing.
COVID-19 Response and Recovery
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Followed all NI Executive and IFA health guidelines.
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Continued sanitizing equipment and providing hand sanitizers at training.
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Phased return to indoor training sessions, with ventilation measures.
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Supported players affected by COVID disruptions through flexible scheduling.
We also have been successful in recruiting volunteers in coaching, transporting young people to matches, fund raising and providing club administration. We acknowledge support from local organisations across the Falls Partnership Initiative in this regard.
We have encouraged all volunteers to take part in training and have been able to offer the following courses.
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Volunteer development
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Safeguarding
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Child Protection
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Grassroots Training
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Level 1 Coaching
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Level 2 Coaching
We currently have 13 volunteers who are all Access NI checked through a registered local umbrella body.
Finance and Administration:
A statement of income and expenditure has been verified for us by the finance officer of Divis Joint Development Committee covering April 1st, 2022 to 31st March 2023 and is attached to this report.
Again, we wish to thank both the Maureen Sheehan Centre in relation to ongoing financial and administrative support to the Trustees.
Additionally:
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We had teams in 3 local tournaments this year and 2 national tournaments in Silvia in Cumbria North-west England.
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Our younger team play in the IFA development league which is no pressure playing. There is no focus on scores until 12 years of age.
We continually work to attract young people within our community to become team members of our club giving them the opportunity to develop not only football skills but practical lifeskills
Martin Voyle Trustee and Head Coach
Immaculata Junior Football Club c/o the Heart Project Maureen Sheehan Centre 106 Albert Street Belfast BT12 4HL
Appendix 1
Active Trustees (as at 31[st] March 2023)
Gerard Fusco
Bobby Quinn
Martin Voyle
Danny Power
Elizabeth McShane
Jim McKee