Young people aged between 15-24 have a new opportunity to help shape and develop the future of local grassroots football by joining the Essex County FA Youth Forum for the 2023/24 season, with applications being welcomed until Friday 29th September.

The Youth Forum is a team of passionate individuals with a drive to influence change within football from a youth perspective, and recruitment is underway for new members to get involved. The aim of the forum is to give a voice to, and engage with, children and young people, leading on their own projects as well as assisting with key Essex County FA initiatives.

Formed in 2014 with a mixture of knowledge and experience throughout the members across the county. The Youth Forum’s aims are drawn from the County Development Plan, with the group having an impact on increasing the number of children and young people playing and volunteering in football as well as developing a network.

All roles with the Youth Forum are voluntary, but travel expenses are covered to and from meetings and events. Successful candidates will be expected to attend Bi-monthly Youth Forum meetings throughout the season. In addition, the team will have opportunities to get involved in many worthwhile and educational events.

These include: FA Leadership Academy, Grassroots Football Awards, Essex County FA Cup Finals, Grassroots Environment Working Group, Inclusion Advisory Group, Encouraging Youth Volunteering/Player Councils, Soccability League, Coach Development Support, Futsal Competitions. Applications are welcome from all parts of the community.

Sian Hillis, Youth Forum Chairperson, explained: “The Youth Forum is a unique opportunity to positively impact football for children and young people in Essex. I’ve enjoyed working with other passionate young people to create safe and inclusive environments whereby everyone can thrive. Personally, I have noticed a massive growth in my confidence through being on the Youth Forum and have been able to network with, and support, the wider County FA staff.

One piece of advice if you’re thinking of applying for the Youth Forum is... go for it! This is the perfect environment to throw yourself in and push yourself out of your comfort zone!”

If you have any questions about the Youth Forum, please E-Mail karl.sear@essexfa.com. The deadline for applications is Friday 29th September 2023. See below for application details, follow @EssexCountyFA on Twitter and search for ‘EssexFootball’ on Facebook. A completed ‘Application Form’ and ‘Section 12 Equality and Monitoring Form’ are required.