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SDS Awarded Continued Funding For Anti-Discrimination Work

Supporters Direct Scotland are pleased to announce they’ve been awarded continued funding from the Scottish Government for their much celebrated Colours of our Scarves anti-discrimination programme.

The Community Safety Minister Annabelle Ewing announced funding of £1m to tackle sectarianism and support community organisations dealing with the issue with other organisations Sense Over Sectarianism will get £100,000, Nil by Mouth £85,000, Citizens Theatre £80,000 and Youthlink Scotland £61,995 also awarded funding.

Now in it’s fourth year, Colours of our Scarves works with key stakeholders within Scottish sport to provide athletes, coaches, organisers and volunteers with a support mechanism, an educational tool and a opportunity for self-reflection and development with a focus on community impact and improving the learning and developmental environment for everyone involved.

The project consists of a variety of workshops, focus groups and mentoring schemes for sports participants, Sports coaches and organisers alike, with workshop and delivery projects tailored to the specific needs of the individual, club or association.

With this continued funding, Supporters Direct Scotland will work in partnership with the Scottish FA to build on work conducted with Braidhurst High School School of Football over the last two years. With this, the offer of a 2 hour delivery workshop for the players and coaches will be extended to remaining 27 Schools of Football across Scotland.

Annabelle Ewing said: “The effort to eradicate sectarianism from Scottish life has been underway for a very long time yet too many people are still facing discrimination in our communities.”

Colours of our Scarves Project Manager Mark Reid said “We’re delighted to be developing the Colours programme and reaching more stakeholders within the game. We feel this latest confirmation of funding demonstrates the faith in our work to tackle all inequality within Scottish sport and the Government’s commitment to ensure everyone can accessible sport without fear of judgement or discrimination”.

Grant Ralston, Sports Lecturer at Forth Valley College who worked with SDS in the delivery of the Colours of our Scarves’ “Equality through sport” pilot project in 2015 said the experience had been a very fruitful experience for the coaching students at Forth Valley College.

“The awareness this has created around sectarianism and equality issues with these coaches has installed a new belief and highlighted the important role they have in creating working relationships within the local communities. This has led to furthering their understanding regarding the role sport has in generating and creating a better society. This awareness of the role sport would not have been embedded into these potential role models if it was not for the involvement with Supporters Direct Scotland. This initiative should be part of the college framework for coaching students. I fully encourage each college’s involvement with Supporters Direct and the Colours of our Scarves programme and I look forward to continuing the work into 2016.”

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