A scheme for local football clubs to help families facing poverty is to have its funding doubled, First Minister John Swinney has announced.
The Scottish Government is to increase the support if gives to the Extra Time initiative – which is run in conjunction with the Scottish Football Association (SFA) – to £4 million for this financial year.
The First Minister said the scheme provides “really valuable” support, with free before and after school care, as well as holiday clubs for youngsters from low income families.
By giving about 3,000 children each week free access to sport and other activities before and after the school day, the additional funding will help more parents to take part in either work or training.
Mr Swinney announced the funding boost during a visit to Glasgow club Pollok United’s after-school activity club, where he heard about the contribution such schemes can make in the fight against child poverty.
The First Minister has already set out how eradicating child poverty will be the number one priority for his administration – with the funding announcement coming before a debate in Holyrood on Tuesday on the topic.
Mr Swinney said: “We know funding from the extra time programme is enabling football clubs and trusts to provide really valuable childcare options, particularly for families from low-income households who are most at risk of living in poverty.
“By removing barriers to affordable and accessible childcare, we will contribute to the eradication of child poverty.”
While he said he would “shortly set out further views on this crucial issue in Parliament”, the First Minister said that parents had told Pollok United how the clubs helped them with food and childcare costs, “relieving pressure on stretched family budgets”.
The funding announcement also comes ahead of Scotland kicking of their Euro 2024 campaign with a match against host nation Germany on Friday, with Mr Swinney adding: “Like many others, I will be supporting Scotland at Euro 2024 when it gets underway in Germany this week.
“But the extra time programme is a reminder that local football clubs are supporting communities here at home – providing valuable services beyond matchday.
“They understand the value of that support for local families, and they are well placed to provide crucial facilities and services.”
SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell said: “We are delighted to announce this additional funding in conjunction with the Scottish Government to extend the extra time programme.
“The benefits have been clear to see and it’s vital that we continue to offer support for families to allow children and young people to access as much physical activity as possible.”
Mr Maxwell added: “As well as the thousands of children who will engage with the game, clubs are often the heartbeat of their local communities and it’s just as important that we offer more opportunities for parents and carers too.
“This programme is a great example of how impactful the power of football can be.”
Pollok United community engagement and funding lead, Deborah McCabe, said the extra time scheme had allowed them to “provide a service that not only supports families during this cost of living crisis by offering free childcare provision, it also demonstrates that grassroots football organisations are well placed to deliver successful wider socio-economic support within communities, resulting in meaningful outcomes for those involved”.