Players celebrate.

Inclusion Advisory Group

The NFA's Inclusion Advisory Group reflects the diversity within the county and it meets formally a minimum of four times each year.

The Inclusion Advisory Group will play a crucial role in working to support the Association in achieving greater diversity across football and ensuring that football is a game for all. As a result, the interview panel must be convinced of the individual’s passion, inspiration, and professionalism for the role.

The IAG members are also there to support victims of discrimination and offer advice and support to under-represented groups. 

Northants FA are currently recruiting for new members to join the Inclusion Advisory Group, to apply please see application pack below: 

IAG Application Pack

IAG Application Form 

Contact

Rosie Brown 

Head of Safeguarding & Compliance & Designated Safeguarding Officer

(E) Rosie.brown@NorthantsFA.com

 

meeting minutes & Summary

iag members

I work for BT as a Regional Technical Manager in the Security Alarming Industry where I work very closely with Alarm Receiving Centres (ARC) and Installers. I provide technical training and remote service access for the Installers and manage accounts and contracts with ARC’s. 

In January of 2016 I set up a football team called Northants United FC with a couple of others where we wanted to be able to set up a team where all are welcome but with a high interest of getting the BAME players more interested and more involved in a structured club and team, with also another focus to get the young individuals to focus on something more positive and hopefully eliminate any negative involvements relating to drugs or anti-social behaviour. I am also a Level 1 qualified coach where I coached at a youth academy. 

I hope to be able to add value to the IAG board by helping and assisting where possible to ensure inclusion is at the heart of any and every club, with also a scope to raise the awareness of Inclusion across to a broader level.

I am a lecturer in sport and fitness at The Open University in Milton Keynes, having previously worked at University of Northampton where I focused my teaching on equalities in sport. I have undertaken lots of research projects related to inequalities in sport, particularly at the grassroots level. I have worked previously with The FA and several County FAs, and have been involved with Kick It Out for many years, most recently as Chair of the KIO Grassroots Guidance Group.

Football is my passion, formerly as a player, then as a fan and now as a footy Dad. I hope I can bring some of my knowledge of equality issues in grassroots football to the NFA IAG to help the organisation find ways to promote the equality agenda in football across Northamptonshire.

I am a Development Planner by profession. I have been in construction project management a lot longer sandwiched between roles in the voluntary sector and in local government.

As founder and former chair of the Northampton Bangladeshi Association and roles in various other multi-agency community and faith forums, I have supported engagement through sport, particularly football, for over 15 years.  

The beautiful game is a great leveller and I hope to use my contacts and access to communities across Northamptonshire to raise awareness of the IAG and help more people engage with NFA and make it the standard bearer for inclusion and access for all here in our county.

I work for Northampton Borough Council in the Housing/Homelessness department. My role can be extremely challenging, frustrating and demanding; however it has its rewards.  It enables me to get to know people from the community of Northampton. Often it is a time when they are trying to navigate through one of their most difficult times. Being able to guide, empower and support young people, families and older people into suitable housing and a brighter futures gives me a great deal of satisfaction.

Away from work I enjoy running, volunteering and supporting my local football team Northampton Town FC.

My first football experience was Cobblers v Coventry in the FA Cup 3rd round on Jan 6th 1990. I knew nothing about football (some would say nothing has changed). The only reason I went along to the game was because Coventry was the City where I was born and grew up and secretly I wanted Coventry to win, that changed the moment Cobblers scored their winning goal in the 42nd minute of the game, from that moment I forgot I had ever been a Coventry Kid and felt an endearing connection towards both NTFC and their supporters. I have supported NTFC since and continue to hold a season ticket.

I am married and have three sons. All my sons have played grassroots football from around aged 4 until aged 18 with one moving into a professional coaching role. I have had many years’ experience watching grassroots football. Whilst supporting my sons and their respected clubs I decided I did not only want to sit on the side-lines watching without giving back. As a family, football has been a huge part of our lives which is why I wanted to be part of the grassroots set up and make a difference where I could. I have covered many roles within grassroots football as a coach’s support assistant/fund raiser/organiser and welfare officer. I believe we all have to work together in making football a safe, inclusive place; this has always been my reason for wanting to be part of NFA’s IAG.

Inclusion, equal opportunities and being united against any form of hatred is something I strive towards, not only in football but in life.  I have a strong belief that each and every one has something to offer and all people should be valued for who they are.

My name is Kate Davidson and I joined the Northants IAG board in late 2019. I work for a local authority as a leisure and sport infrastructure professional and as a project manager. This involves delivering strategic sports facilities such as 3G pitches and playing fields, and managing the local playing pitch strategy. 

I am proud to be on the Women's Euros Legacy Board for Milton Keynes, and on the Women's Recreational Football steering group.

In my spare time I coach a U11 girls team, and I work as the Girls Football Development Officer for Roade FC on a voluntary basis. Early on in my career I coached football in the USA for four years, and this gave me valuable experience working at various levels of the game.

I am passionate about helping to grow girls and womens football, and I believe that football should lead by example and help to make sport in general more inclusive. I am keen to learn more about diverse groups in our county who need more support from the IAG.

I am an FA qualified referee currently in my 10th season, officiation at Step 4 level (one step away from National League (still referred to as the Vauxhall Conference by those of us who grew up in the Nineties)). I only took up refereeing when I was involved in the running of the Northampton Bangladeshi Association Football League in the mid Noughties, being in charge of appointing referees I was finding it a struggle to get enough cover on a Sunday afternoon so felt if I qualified it would be one less to find.

That league was set up in order to encourage young BAME players to play football in an organised manner as opposed to “jumpers for goalposts” and was a great success for a number of years. As part of my involvement with the IAG that is something I would like to see replicated once again.