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Funding
To support the development of Rugby within Ulster, the
IRFU (Ulster Branch) continues to work hard to identify
and secure additional sources of funding to grow its
own programmes as well as support our affiliated clubs
and schools.
The IRFU remains the largest financial supporter of the
Domestic Game through the provision of an annual
Service Level Agreement which contributes to the
deployment of a significant number of development
officers across the province. In addition funding
has also been received from a number of other
organisations to support the deployment of specific staff
including:-
—
—
Sport Northern Ireland
– ‘Performance Focus’
programme which supports two posts within the
Domestic Game and two within the Ulster Rugby
Academy. This programme came to an end on the
31st March 2017. At the time of writing a decision
is pending in relation to Sport NI’s next four year
programme (Sporting Clubs and Sporting Winners)
which would see funding continued through until
2021.
—
—
Department for Communities
– ‘Home for Lifelong
Volunteering Programme’ which has delivered
its fifth successful year of club and volunteer
development focussed activity in conjunction with
the Irish FA and Ulster GAA. Funding to the value
of £58,000 contributed to the employment of two
dedicated roles up until the 31st March 2017. At the
time of writing an application is being considered by
the Department for the continuation of the project.
In addition, other funds have been accessed throughout
the year to support the delivery of specific projects.
These have included:-
—
—
The Executive Office Programme
– ‘Central Good
Relations Fund 2016/17’. £42,279 was awarded
to the IRFU (Ulster Branch) to deliver the ‘Inclusive
Rugby’ programme which was aimed at forty
mainstream schools from the extended schools
programme and twenty Special Educational Needs
schools.
—
—
Department for Communities
–£40,000 was
awarded to deliver a project that aimed to provide
sporting and educational opportunities to young
females and people with disabilities, utilising the
upcoming Women’s Rugby World Cup in August
2017. The project engaged with thirteen primary and
three special educational needs schools. Activities
included an interactive tour of the Nevin Spence
Education Centre and Kingspan Stadium, values
based rugby sessions and celebration events at
local clubs. The IRFU (Ulster Branch) also partnered
with the sport for social change charity, Sported,
to get more young females physically active and
playing sport. Three rugby clubs; City of Armagh,
Larne and Carrickfergus benefitted from one to
one training and insight on removing barriers to
female participation. Each club was supported by
a Sported volunteer mentor to develop a ‘Women
and Girls Engagement Plan’ to put the training and
insight into practice.
—
—
Public Health Agency
– £15,000 of funding was
secured to run a number of pilot programmes health
and wellbeing initiatives between October 2016 and
March 2017. These programmes engaged over
five hundred participants with ages ranging from
fourteen to seventy plus and included:-
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‘Health and Wellbeing Programme’ for five
schools which was hosted at the Kingspan
Stadium.
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IRFU ULSTER BRANCH
ANNUAL REPORT & STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS 2016/17