Wallsend Boys Club - Shining a Spotlight on.....

Despite the huge numbers of children and young people that play grassroots football each week, little is known about the impact this has on their lives, the lives of their families, and the lives of the volunteers and officials involved in the game. Grassroots football has not been researched nearly as much as other elements of the sport, or other aspects of children and young people's lives. This event will highlight some of the work that grassroots and community football clubs do, share emerging findings from some research that is taking place at Wallsend Boy’s Club, and provide an example of youth-led research involving Northumberland FA and NE Youth. The North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness, will open the event and share her passion for grassroots sports clubs, and we also hope to hear the views of a range of stakeholders involved with grassroots football, including researchers, policymakers, volunteers, and funders. The event will be part of the Economic and Social Research Council's (ESRC) Festival of Social Science which encourages the sharing of academic research with public audiences. Ultimately, we hope to evidence and highlight the value of grassroots football clubs to a wide range of individuals and communities.