Goals Extending Beyond the Pitch with ClassForKids
AR26 Charity is a Glasgow based football charity founded by Scotland Captain and Liverpool FC left-back Andy Robertson. From football sessions to mentoring to life-changing experiences, the charity is on a mission to bring positive change to communities throughout Scotland. And in the space of six months, it's exactly what they've done.
Running in 11+ Scottish locations, AR26 coaches around 250 children every week. But with such rapid growth, success has been a two-pronged approach.
Providing Young People with a Chance
Andy Roberston's passion for football extends beyond the pitch. It spreads into the heart of communities, too. Many children playing on pitches across Scotland with AR26 suffer from health struggles or experience adverse circumstances.
But the charity is determined to give children equal opportunities, regardless of their circumstances. And while coaches focus on improving football skills, they also teach valuable life skills and give children the chance to have fun.
"We want to try and get these kids off the streets and playing football... we create a good environment for them to be in!" Ronan Gillies, Project Coordinator
With a great ethos and passion for young children, football sessions at AR26 have been in high demand from the get-go. But as demand for sessions grew, so did the hours of admin.
What started as manageable processes turned into a nightmare. Overseeing cash flow, managing payments and bookings, organising waiting lists and day to day tasks became unmanageable. And that's when the search for a new team player began.
A New Addition to the Squad
Fast forward a few months, AR26 and ClassForKids have been working together to improve day to day tasks so the charity can focus on the big picture details. With views to expand sessions and introduce camps across Scotland, the ClassForKids club management software has revolutionised the charity's processes.
Waiting lists now play a pivotal role in the charity's day to day running and expansion. With limited capacity to 35 players a session, having instant access to waiting lists is a game-changer. Now coaches can offer spaces to children quickly and conveniently, helping the charity do more for children across the country.
"With ClassForKids, everything is done at the click of a button! Everything is so much easier for us and gives us more time to plan our sessions... It's a massive help!" Ronan Gillies, AR26 Charity
But it's not just capacity management that's improved. Updating parents has become easier too. Whether sessions need cancelling at the last minute because of bad weather or location changes, communication is now done at the touch of a button.
A Bold Vision for the Future
As the aspirations of the charity grow, the ClassForKids football club software will play a crucial role in its future. With the day to day tasks like registers, payments and bookings now managed with ease, the team at AR26 can now focus on achieving their goals.
With plans to expand sessions across the country and set up holiday camps, the future at AR26 is going to be exciting.
