Over the last couple of months, our East Representative, Harvey Newstead, attended three local RA meetings in Norfolk. Harvey attended the meetings of Norwich RA, Central & South Norfolk RA and the Great Yarmouth RA on behalf of the RA-FA Youth Council.
In these meetings, a presentation of who and what the RA-FA Youth-Council are, and what we do to support Local RAs was delivered to the members. Harvey explained how Referee Development Fund works and how this would enable Norwich RA, Central & South Norfolk RA and Great Yarmouth RA to further develop their younger members and to aid any projects they may have.
He also discussed the RA-FA Development Programme, and how RA members can attend this to aid their development days and network with colleagues up and down the country as to good practice, different ideas and a general relaxed and enjoyable catch up day, these events such as RA-FA National Development Day, and the RA Development Weekend are the perfect platform to give referees the platform to improve their skills in any pace they want.
Harvey also spoke about how within the RA-FA Development Programme, the Norfolk FA Youth Council achieved tier 1 status and the Norfolk FA YRG achieved tier 2 Status last season, and how this is something that local RA’s could also benefit from. It was also great for Harvey to be joined by three of the Norfolk FA YRG Committee members, delivering the Youth-led evening at Norwich RA as this enabled Harvey to speak about the development opportunities available to young referees in Norfolk.
Across the three evenings, Harvey said “it was great to see so many young referees attending their local RA and give them information on how we can support their development”. Harvey will continue to work closely with the referees, Referee Development Officer & local RA’s in Norfolk and he would like to thank all three Local RA’s for the invitation to their monthly meetings. The RA-FA Youth Councils looks forward to working with them across the season and is also looking forward to visiting other counties across the East during the season.