Following a successful pilot project in East Perthshire plans are in place to roll out the AFYD programme throughout Dundee, Angus, and Perthshire over the next 2 years.
By April 2008 the Angus Pilot will be in operation in Arbroath with a view to establishing further AFYD programmes around the County over the following year. In Perthshire AFYD are establishing two more programmes in 2008, one in Highland Perthshire covering Aberfeldy and Pitlochry and the other in the Fair City itself.
Whilst the emphasis is working with young people and teaching them the finer attributes of the sport, AFYD instructors and assistants have the opportunity to progress their own skills and obtain their Level 2 Coaching and Instructors qualifications through their involvement in the programme.
Steve Kelly, a member of Tayside Fire & Rescue and Angus Project Leader, says “At present I have an instructional team of 8 people to assist in the delivery of the programme in Angus. We are continually looking for more people from the County to become engaged in its operation. The more volunteers we can train and work with, the more youngsters we can get back into the sport and get off the streets or from behind their computer screens.
In the modern world where child protection issues are daunting many people shy away from getting involved in youth work as it is so complicated to get the approvals and insurances in place, the beauty of AFYD is that it is all taken care of by us. All we need is people to sign up with us and lend a hand”
Stephen Gill, former Captain of the Scottish Disabled Angling Team and Senior East Perthshire AFYD Instructor said “Both Angus and Perth & Kinross Councils are very keen to see AFYD operating in the communities throughout their areas by the end of 2009. We are already working with schools in East Perthshire and Dundee and we hope to be in a position to deliver the course elsewhere in Tayside over the next 2 years.
This project engages people of all backgrounds and abilities within a community and helps break down the perceived social barriers between both young and old. The East Perthshire AFYD has received a great deal of support and help from many different people and our instructional team now stands at 20 instructors and assistants. Whilst most of the team is composed of anglers we have attracted 2 or 3 volunteers who are happy to generally assist us and they are learning to fish along with the kids. The great thing about our instructional team is that not only do they fish but amongst them they have a wide range of other skills and expertise that we can tap into and use to the benefit of the Programme and the kids we instruct”
If you are interested in volunteering as an AFYD Instructor or Helper please contact Grev Humphrey at Blairgowrie Police Station Ericht Lane, Blairgowrie, PH10 6AL, telephone 01250 872222.
Iain Riley
