FC United DSA - Level Playing Field - FC Disability Team

FC United DSA - Level Playing Field - FC Disability Team

As a club we have now joined Level Playing Field and as you will probably know the FC Disability Team is in training, managed by Tom Conroy. This is all excellent news and shows how the club wishes to enhance the facilites and experiences on offer to our supporters. Now some hard work is ahead of us in setting up a Disabled Supporters Association which will enable us to join with other DSA’s nationally under the LPF unbrella.



To set up a DSA we require people to fill certain committee positions, namely Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and a Nominated Representative to attend LPF meetings on behalf of the DSA. These positions are open to all our members and of course they will all be voluntary. If anyone wishes to express an interest in any of the positions, or you wish to support the DSA in any form, please contact us at tom.conroy@fc-utd.net (team coach), royswilliamson@hotmail.com (Chair of DSG) or adamwood180@hotmail.co.uk (board member)



LPF has issued the following advice for setting up a DSA, please think about joining us and lets get an active and productive group going so the matchday experience for our supporters with disabilities can be enhanced for the future.




Setting up a Disabled Supporters Association (DSA)

If you are interested in setting up a Disabled Supporters Association at your club, you might want to consider the following guidelines.
1. Sound out other disabled supporters
2. Hold a meeting (ask the club if you can use their facilities)
3. Elect a steering committee (3 or more members) – people who are going to have the time and resources to oversee the creation and ongoing development of the association until it is ready to elect a permanent committee
4. Decide what your main aims are - this will vary, according to existing facilities at your club, the needs of fans and so on
5. Set up a meeting with representatives of the club – make sure you’ve prepared an agenda which reflects the realistic aims and aspirations of the association
6. Ask the club to recognise the association, and arrange for space in the clubs official publications and website
7. Set up a schedule of regular committee meetings to discuss issues affecting disabled supporters – and use this forum to enhance your influence within the club
8. Recruit new members – create a leaflet and membership form for other fans at the club (and maybe a news letter)
9. Set up regular meeting between representatives of your committee, and club officials – put forward your ideas and suggestions
10. Keep local media informed of developments and, when applicable, make sure your football club and your newly formed disabled supporters association are praised for any positive steps they make together – you will find that more people will be willing to join your cause if they see harmony between club and fans
11. Organise regular sociable events – and invite players and other club staff
12. Contact other disabled supporters association, and LPF – being part of a national network will help you at a local level
13. Look at adopting a governing document (constitution) - either the LPF model or one that suits your needs