Glasgow Alphas sign 3-year agreement with LGBTYS
Glasgow Alphas RFC has signed a three-year agreement with LGBT Youth Scotland to promote participation for young people in rugby.
The agreement, signed this week, commits both organisations to engage and encourage LGBT+ people to be fully involved in rugby union. It also requires them to work together to encourage government, sports organisations and other public and private bodies to develop policies that are inclusive of the LGBT+ community.
On signing the agreement for the Alphas, Club Chair, Adam Harrison, said:
“This is an historic day for the Alphas. Many who join the club do so because it provides them with a safe space to play the sport they love. This agreement with LGBT Youth Scotland will help us to build on this and allow more LGBT+ people to realise that who they are shouldn’t stop their ability to play and enjoy rugby.”
The Alphas will also assist LGBT Youth Scotland in the running of educational programmes to raise awareness of inclusive sports. “Inclusive rugby is expanding rapidly here in the UK and around the world,” he added. “There are now over 100 teams that affiliate to International Gay Rugby (IGR), the worldwide body of inclusive rugby.
“Working with LGBT Youth Scotland will allow us introduce more people to an ever-growing family of inclusive rugby and be embraced by a community that welcomes everyone.”
Signing the agreement on behalf of LGBT Youth Scotland, Head of Partnerships, Jane Griffin, said: “We're excited to be partnering with the Alphas for the next three years. Providing role models in sport for LGBTI young people is an important step in encouraging participation and we look forward to working with the team.”
Note for Editors:
- Glasgow Alphas (often referred to as The Alphas) is Glasgow’s only inclusive rugby union team.
- The team trains at Clydebank Committee Sports Hub twice a week and plays games at the weekend.
- The club is part of the IGR UK North League and competes against other clubs in Scotland and the North of England.
- It also takes part in international competitions including the European Union Cup and the Bingham Cup (often referred to as the Gay Rugby World Cup).
- LGBT Youth Scotland is Scotland’s national charity for LGBTI young people, working with 13–25 year olds across the country.
- It delivers the LGBT Charter programme to schools, organisations and businesses.
- Its goal is to make Scotland the best place to grow up for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex young people.
For further info contact, Bobby Rae on media@glasgowalphas.com
Main points of the agreement are included below:
The Glasgow Alphas Rugby Football Club (hereafter known as the Alphas) and LGBT Youth Scotland agree to work together in pursuit of the following goals:
- Support LGBT+ people being able to engage and be fully involved in rugby
- Support young LGBT+ people in accessing sports and using it as a tool to realise their full potential
- Work together to encourage government and other public and private bodies to develop policies that are inclusive of LGBT+ people
To achieve these goals, the Alphas shall strive to deliver the following:
- Support LGBT Youth Scotland in fundraising campaigns and organising events to help fund its activities
- Assist in education programmes which will help raise awareness among LGBT+ young people about the availability of inclusive sports
- Assist with promotion via social media of events and campaigns LGBT Youth Scotland is running
To achieve these goals, LGBT Youth Scotland shall strive to deliver the following:
- Provide tools to the Alphas to assist in fundraising for the charity
- Help with policy writing and to work with the Alphas to develop an inclusive policy in Scottish rugby as a whole
- Help to promote Alphas events on social media and assist in any ways that may be appropriate
