Hi guys, my name is George Dartnell. I am a coach at Maidenhead United Juniors, Vice Chair of the Berkshire and Buckinghamshire FA Youth Council, and a participant of FALA25. In this blog, I wanted to share with you my experience of the FALA25 residential and highlight my biggest takeaway from it all. 

The FA Leadership Academy (FALA) is a 12 month learning and development programme for Youth Leaders aged 16 - 24 which starts with a 4 day residential. I was lucky enough to have been selected as a participant for FALA25 and so on the 28th of July I set off for Walton Hall in Warwick (where the residential was being held). I was nervous when I arrived as the first few people I spoke to were all studying “x sports related degree” at “y amazing university” and I was a random 16 year old who had never been away from his parents for more than a night. However, quickly the FALA team made me feel at home. We took part in 6 workshops over the 4 days, as well as a day session with a company called “Two Seven Seven” focused on mental fitness. These workshops were amazing as they reminded me that the youth volunteering space is not a competition but instead a community. Going into FALA I expected to learn lots about leadership within the workshops but was truly surprised by how much each workshop also taught me about myself. The FALA residential also allowed me to grow my network, leaving with hundreds of new contacts, inspirations and hopefully some lifelong friends. 

I was lucky enough to have been given a fantastic opportunity to speak at the FALA24 graduation on the second day of the residential in my role as Vice Chair of the Berks and Bucks FA Youth Network. The Youth Network had been shortlisted for the Youth Leadership Team award at the event and so were given the opportunity to present some of the fantastic work we’ve been doing over the last 12 months at the graduation ceremony. The Chair of the Youth Network offered me the opportunity to join him on stage and talk a little about the two Young Referees Conferences I had co-delivered just a few weeks prior. I was extremely proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone and presenting on stage in front of participants, graduates, mentors and other senior figures within the youth leadership space. 

I am a true believer that being open to trying new experiences creates an environment where more new experiences get offered to you. If I hadn’t joined the Berks and Bucks Youth Network I would have never known about FALA. If I hadn’t said yes to co-delivering two Young Refereeing Conferences I would have never have been given the opportunity to speak on stage at the FALA24 graduation. If I hadn’t had said yes to Ethan Scott (an inspiring member of the FA National Youth Council) when he asked if I wanted to write a blog on my FALA experience I wouldn’t be doing this now! 

My biggest takeaway from the FALA residential is an understanding that sometimes, when you step just that little bit outside of your comfort zone and say yes to the unexpected, great things can happen! Who knows what may come my way just from writing this blog? Whatever opportunity it is, hopefully by reading this, you now know what my answer would be. Yes!