The Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT) is to launch a new sport for change initiative in former mining communities across Scotland, with the aim of improving lives by addressing issues such as health and employment through sport and physical activity.

‘Game On’ will encourage sports participation within local communities and work to support local clubs.

The initiative will include Football 5ives, ‘Game On’ Girls, which will help bridge the gap between grassroots and other parts of the game, and ‘Game on Gear Grant’, which aims to get more young people from Scottish coalfield communities playing sport by reducing any potential barriers.

CRT’s annual tournament, the Coalfields Community Cup, will also continue as part of the initiative.

It is hoped that ‘Game On’ will address the findings of ‘The Scottish Coalfields in 2020’ report which examined socio-economic conditions

in former coalmining communities.

The report unveiled some disheartening statistics, namely that Coalfields communities have higher rates of 16 to 19-year olds not in education, employment or training and that there is significantly less employment in the coalfields (287 jobs per 1,000 people) compared to Scotland as a whole (467 per 1,000).

Rates of child poverty are also higher, with just over a fifth of children living in low-income families in mining communities.

Development manager Sean Laird has been appointed by CRT to lead ‘Game On’ in Scotland.

He graduated in sports studies from the University of Stirling and has several years experience in sport and coaching.

Sean said: “I’m really pleased to be bringing my sports experience to CRT’s ‘Game On’ initiative.

“I’ll be working in partnership with others, including local authorities, the Scottish Football Association and Police Scotland, to develop regionally specific programmes.

“We’ll be researching what is already available to avoid duplicating what is being done.

“We hope ’Game On’ will help address issues in coalfields communities identified in the report published this year, including those around health and wellbeing and the participation gap in sport.”

CRT is currently researching what is currently on offer in coalfields communities before rolling-out ‘Game On’ to meet specific local needs.

For more information, visit @gameonscotland on Twitter.