TheFA.com tells you how to get involved in the administrative side of grassroots football.
Playing by the book
By Matt Butler. Monday, 23 August 2004.
Ask almost any company director, and they will tell you running a business is difficult. But imagine how hard would be if you are not being paid for it.
Officials at football clubs across the country come up against this exact problem every day of the week, prompting the question: why get involved in club administration?
The simple answer is that it can be immensely satisfying to run a club efficiently. But to do that is extremely difficult, especially when money is tight and much of the staff is there on a voluntary basis.
To make administrators' lives easier, The FA runs workshops in association with Sport England specifically designed for clubs at grassroots level.
The eight workshops, part of a programme called Effective Football Club Administration (EFCA), which touch on all aspects of running a grassroots club, from volunteer management to looking after finances.
The first two workshops in the EFCA scheme are designed for club secretaries and treasurers respectively, while the third in the series is for people involved in developing youth teams.
The fourth workshop is for those looking to gain expertise in marketing, and the fifth helps officials develop a charter and forward plan for their club.
The sixth and seventh workshops look at volunteer management and ideas for working parents, and the eighth helps officials learn to make their club accessible to all members of the local community.
Apart from the obvious benefits, the workshops also offer the chance for officials to meet those from other clubs in the area.
Past participants say that the contact with other clubs and the opportunity to share problems and ideas were invaluable - particularly because many of the problems had been experienced by at least one other person, who had since found a solution.
For more details on workshops in your area, please contact your county FA. A list of County FAs can be found by clicking here.
GET INVOLVED - YOUR GUIDE
The FA is responsible for the governance and development of football in England, and core to its work is the belief that everyone should have the chance to be involved in the national game.
In 2001, The FA launched a five-year Football Development Strategy to develop our national game, seeking to shape and develop innovative programmes to support and develop young people, teachers, coaches, leaders and parents.
The FA also recognises that sedentary lifestyles and obesity are a problem for this country, and is committed to working with the government and other partners to promote healthy lifestyles, and to use the power of football to achieve this wherever possible.
GET INVOLVED - Your guide on how to play your part