Hansard

I add my congratulations to those that have been offered to Andrew Welsh and to the young people of the CAFE project—not only for the work that they do, but because they are probably unique in having two motions relating to them lodged in the Scottish Parliament in the space of two months. I lodged my motion following a presentation that the project made in November last year to the cross-party group in the Scottish Parliament on children and young people. In fact, that was not the first contact that the cross-party group had had with them, as we used the CAFE project premises for a very successful consultation event that we carried out with young people in Angus.

My motion in November was specifically about street football for all, which, as Andrew said, is now a national project. It seeks to promote sport, health and active citizenship through football. It has brought together young people from Scotland, Germany and about 15 other countries. In doing that, it also hopes to increase understanding and tolerance.

The cross-party group was also very taken by the imaginative rules of street football. Teams are of six, with no more than four on the pitch at one time. We applauded the fact that each team must include a girl. Penalties are taken from under one's own goalposts into an empty net and games can be no shorter than four minutes and no longer than 10. Most important, goals are deducted for unfriendly behaviour. It was clear throughout that the really important thing is that people have a lot of fun.

The presentation to the cross-party group was at a meeting on physical activity for young people. Indeed, we had Mary Allison and John Beattie from the physical activity task force at that same cross-party group meeting. They outlined how very difficult it is to get young people involved in sport or physically active at all. When they heard about it, they commended the street football initiative, not least because the young people said that it was estimated that approximately 4,200 young could be involved in and benefit from the project.

The young people noted the time scales that the physical activity task force has set to improve the situation in Scotland. Some of the time scales are quite extended—up to five or 10 years, in some cases. They confidently predicted that, with the right motivation and drive, they would be able to have a meaningful impact on participation in sport within one year. That is something that the minister might like to note.

Like other members, I simply want to wish those involved every success with their excellent initiative. It meaningfully embodies equality and social inclusion, and I wish them all the best for the wider work of the CAFE Project.