My name is Alice McDonagh, and I was part of the FA Leadership Academy (FALA) 2023. After being in the 22/23 cohort of the BUCS Women’s Leadership Programme, I saw the opportunity to further develop my leadership skills and knew it was an opportunity I couldn’t miss. This blog is looking at my FALA journey and project.
A bit about me, I’m currently in my third year studying Football Coaching and Management at UCFB Wembley and coaching at Bloomsbury Football. When not in London, I spend a lot of time working with my local grassroots club, Rugby Town Girls & Women FC – this is where my passion for football and volunteering started.
FALA is a 12-month learning and development programme for Youth Leaders aged 16 – 24 which starts with a 4-day residential in July where thought-provoking workshops are delivered that adequately prepare you to deliver a project to make a positive influence in your local community. Another big part of FALA is the networking, I have made great connections and have had opportunities presented to me, such as being an event guide at Your Game Swindon and Millwall and joining the Regional Youth Network this season.
When participating in FALA I wasn’t sure of my project, the workshops, and conversations I had throughout the residential helped me understand and develop my ‘why’ – essentially, why do you do what you do? I want to give meaningful opportunities to females involved in football and be a female role model to others, one that I didn’t have growing up.
The opportunity came up to join the committee at Rugby Town Girls and here lead the Young Leaders Programme at the club. From this I delivered an initial evening to introduce myself to the group and find out what they want from this season. I then started looking for the best way to develop them, in which my role at Birmingham County FA comes in.
I had the opportunity to join the youth section at my local county FA for this season. The Aspiring Club Coordinator programme is aimed at individuals between the ages of 16-24 who want to make a positive impact within their club. This got me in contact with the volunteer coordinator, Jim, and he presented me with the chance to run an England Football and Premier League supported course, the Active Leaders Course for Girls. I recruited 8 players from the club, new and current young leaders, aged from 13 to 17 to take part in this course delivered by myself and Jim from Birmingham FA through three days at the start of 2024.
They’ve developed their leadership skills, knowledge, and confidence through a series of workshops and practicals. They will now use the skills they’ve developed to volunteer within the club, helping increase the quality of sessions within our youth teams.
So now the course has been delivered, I want to carry on the momentum. I plan to continue my project with the Young Leaders Programme and continue to ensure youth voice is an essential aspect of the club moving forward.
Giving the players who represent our club a chance to step up and give back has been very rewarding. It wasn’t long ago I was a Young Leader at Rugby Town Girls, so to be given the responsibility of evolving this programme has been a privilege!
Are you going to apply for the FA Leadership Academy?
What would your project be?
What could you do to prepare for FALA?