More Than Football: making positive change
Big Hearts, the charity of Heart of Midlothian FC, are once again supporting #MoreThanFootball Action Weeks which take place from 18th March to 24th April 2024.
More Than Football was initiated by The European Football for Development Network (EFDN) and is a global campaign for the European football community to showcase the impact of their community and social responsibility activities and programmes.
Big Hearts’ Switching Play is a 6-week programme which offers support to 13–16 year-olds who are looking for a fresh start to build a better path going forward. The programme is aimed at young people who are feeling isolated and not fully engaging in school and offers the opportunity to work with our charity’s expert partners on topics which include: drugs, vaping and alcohol awareness, gambling awareness, racism, fire safety and mental health.
Since it’s launch in 2023, Big Hearts have supported 66 young people, helping them to increase confidence, learn new skills and build positive relationships.
A group of pupils from a local High School recently completed the course and their Curriculum Leader provided the following feedback:
“Big Hearts’ Switching Play programme is incredibly generous with time and resources. We are impressed with the empathetic and proactive support offered weekly by staff. This allows their staff to develop relationships with pupils, spending one-to-one time with them throughout activities and downtime – this is key to success as pupils need reassurance, safety and ability to feel listened to and welcomed to the programme to be able to have a go at tasks, feel part of the group and allow a platform for better engagement.
Pupils attempt group tasks which they have previously found difficult and are noticeably developing abilities to form new relations and friendships. There has been a reduction in poor behaviours in class and so far, the evidence from the intervention is that they are more socially aware as the weeks go on as they are more likely to engage in the tasks with each passing week.”
– March 2024