Scotland Group Highlight - Glasgow All Nations Sport Arts and Recreation (ANSAR)
By Sported | 17th August 2021
One of the biggest benefits of being a Sported member is joining a network of like-minded people all wanting to ensure young people reach their full potential. We want to recognise our groups who are doing great work in their local communities and give them the opportunity to inspire others with what they do. Our Scotland team spoke to Shazia from Glasgow ANSAR to hear more about their group and their future plans.
Glasgow All Nations Sport Arts and Recreation (ANSAR) are a volunteer-led community charity group based in the southside of Glasgow, working with young people from the Glasgow region and beyond. Their main goal is to create a space in the community where young people – particularly ethnically diverse young people – can feel confident in accessing both sport and the arts whilst connecting with other people like them in their community.
ANSAR offer a host of activities all aimed at providing different experiences for their participants. They have weekly football and netball academies, with opportunities for young people to compete in league games. ANSAR also offer a Sports Volunteering programme, allowing young people who have benefitted from their activities to learn coaching and leadership skills in order to give back to the group.
For Shazia, the volunteering programme is one of the most impactful activities the group provides:
“It allows young people to learn and develop a portfolio of skills that can ulatimately be used in any walk of life. From leadership, to communication and management, to goal setting”
Most recently, ANSAR have run a successful summer camp providing taster sessions of different sport through sporting governing bodies such as Cricket Scotland and promoting positive health and wellbeing throughout. This year’s summer camp proved particularly popular with participants and young volunteers alike:
“The ANSAR summer camp has been amazing. I have made so many new friends and trying out different sports and art activities. This is just what we needed after 15 months of COVID restrictions. I feel happier”
-11-year-old participant
“I have loved the ANSAR summer camp and I can’t wait to see the girls further develop their netball skills with the ANSAR netball club every Friday! This has been a great opportunity for me to meet new people and develop my coaching skills”
– 16 year-old volunteer
Being volunteers with full-time jobs and family commitments, the committee behind ANSAR has appreciated the support they have received from Sported. Between ease of access to resources (including webinars), being part of a community of like-minded people, and staff being readily available to talk through different problems, it has helped ANSAR to be ambitious and continue to expand their reach within their local community and beyond.
Moving forward, ANSAR are focused on celebrating their 20th anniversary – and then ensuring they are sustainable enough to last for another 20 years. Increasing the amount of funding coming into the group and growing partnerships to help develop their established football and netball academies are amongst their key focuses: “We believe partnership working is instrumental as we continue to grow and establish ourselves as an organisation which is positively impacting the lives of young people from diverse backgrounds.”
Ultimately though, the most important thing for ANSAR is making sure that young people have a space to reconnect with their community, make new friends, and have positive experiences of the arts and sport.
Want to find out more about ANSAR and what they do? You can find them on both Facebook and Instagram.
