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News

From Pittodrie to PSG

17 April 2018
Author Aberdeen FC Media Team

 

Before joining AFC Community Trust around 18 months ago as young volunteer Caitlyn Irvine never thought she would be as confident as she is now. Since joining AFCCT & attending a trip to Nijmegen in 2016 with NEC Nijmegen, Everton, and Tottenham Hotspur, Caitlyn’s story of how her life has been changed for the better was shown at the closing ceremony of the latest European Football for Development Network (EFDN) conference at the Parc des Princes in Paris last month.

 

Caitlyn (16), began her involvement with AFCCT as a primary 6 participant at Footy Tea – a programme that involves football drills with an evening meal at the stadium for young people from Seaton Primary.

When she joined St Machar Academy and was too old to attend Footy Tea, Caitlyn proactively knocked on the Players Entrance at Pittodrie to ask if she could help and from there, she started volunteering at Footy Tea after school on a Tuesday.

Impressed by her dedication to helping others, AFCCT put Caitlyn through the Protection of Vulnerable Groups scheme and supported her passion to work with people in her area by offering in-service training and on-the-spot coaching and feedback.

Having developed into a great role model and being the first female volunteer at Footy Tea, the number of young women attending the programme has grown.

In 2016, AFCCT chose Caitlyn to join their EFDN Eurotrip to Nijmegen in the Netherlands as a reward for her devotion to volunteering each week and putting young people ahead of her own social life.

Caitlyn has built strong relationships with the team and young volunteers at AFCCT and on this trip, Caitlyn’s desire to help other young people from Aberdeen came to life.

Caitlyn said: “Six of us were chosen by the Trust to go to Nijmegen where we met three other football clubs – Nijmegen FC, Liverpool and Tottenham.

“This was a great opportunity to meet people from different cultures where we played football and cooked our own dinner. We had a Scottish night, London night, Liverpool night and a Nijmegen night.

“After we did teambuilding exercises it was less scary and we all started to make friends. I made many friendships and value the chance to meet new people because if you don’t, you won’t know how to understand people from different backgrounds.

“My experience was phenomenal and I would definitely go back and do it again.”

Before Nijmegen, Caitlyn’s openness and ability to communicate was almost non-existent and the skills she has gained through volunteering and taking the opportunity to go abroad has had a long-lasting effect on her development.

Caitlyn added: “A year ago, I wouldn’t have been able to speak to someone I didn’t know or take a phone call. I would have been too shy but everyone at AFCCT has helped me to become a more confident individual.”

Senior community projects officer at AFCCT, David Smith, said: “Caitlyn has attended many In Service nights, helped at numerous events, voluntarily worked for two weeks over Easter and seven weeks over summer at the Food N Fun project.

“Everyone at AFCCT is so proud of Caitlyn and her willingness to put herself out of her comfort zone to help others is inspirational. She has completed more than 200 hours of volunteering and is now a Youth Ambassador for AFCCT.”

Ally Prockter, AFCCT Chief Executive added, “Caitlyn is a shining example of what happens at AFCCT. Having been given the chance to take part in our community programmes, the team has then supported her to work hard to become an outstanding volunteer and excellent ‘local’ role model. Caitlyn’s progress is a credit to her commitment and positive attitude, and I’m delighted to have her as part of the award-winning AFCCT team.”

Caitlyn has now completed nearly 400 Hours of volunteering and continues to develop, grow, and inspire other young people to be involved in sport, physical activity, and their own community.

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