While the nation is hooked on Euros 2024, a Dorset-based charity is scoring success by offering some of its clients special access to football training to help improve their well-being and confidence as well as gain employability skills.

The SAMEE Charity, (Support and Mentoring Enabling Entrepreneurship,) which aims to help enable disabled people and those who are marginalised or disadvantaged to start their own businesses, has teamed up with the FA’s Ability Counts football format.

Ability Counts is a pan-disability football format, so-called because the focus is on ability, not disability and is fully inclusive for both adults and children. Most county FA’s run Ability Counts leagues, and many grassroots football clubs have Ability Counts sessions.

Participants have a wide range of disabilities or impairments – including many with hidden disabilities. Teams can be made up of people with epilepsy, neurodiversity, learning difficulties, Down’s Syndrome, heart problems, sight or hearing impairments, Cerebral Palsy (CP) and many other complex issues.

Rob Amey is a mentor for the SAMEE charity and the Dorset County FA disability football ambassador.

He explained: “At the SAMEE charity, we support a number of people who now participate in grassroots football, both on and off the pitch.  Currently we are supporting and mentoring Anton and Tom, who play football. We’re also supporting Jordan, who is qualified as a level 4 referee and refereeing is now his business along with Connor, a trainee coach with AFC Bournemouth Community Trust.”

On the football touchline, the charity is supporting two blossoming sports photographers, Lewis and Ewan. Ewan, also a nature and still-life photographer, is on a SAMEE/SEND4 internship, which helps support people with special educational needs or disabilities into self-employment.

Rob said: “These young men are gaining great experience photographing our matches, training sessions and football festivals.”

He added: “For many marginalised people, life is lonely. Football combats that social isolation, helps to build confidence, team skills, discipline and a sense of community. The most important thing is to ensure opportunity and a safe, welcoming environment.”

Samee’s CEO Sam Everard said: “We are blessed not only to have Rob Amey as a skilled mentor in our organisation but also to be able to utilise his football expertise to support some of our clients through sport and its wonderful benefits.  It’s a definite win for everyone!”

SAMEE client, Anton, who has been attending the grassroots football sessions for two years and is also a SAMEE ambassador said: “Football has really increased my friendship groups, my fitness and my confidence.”

Rob addded: “Essentially, anyone with an impairment, condition, learning or physical disability and who can’t participate in, or is uncomfortable playing in mainstream football will find a home within the Ability Counts community.

“We’re also aiming to provide more opportunities for the visually impaired to participate and increase provision for children. This is being facilitated with funding available for clubs from the FA’s ‘Comets’ programme.

“There are also impairment-specific pathways to national or international level for certain impairments such as blind, deaf, CP and amputee participants.”

Some funding for the running of the league comes from the county FA, but trying to ensure that it is always accessible, regardless of personal finances is a challenge.

Rob concluded: “Each club tries to keep the costs to a minimum. Ability Counts is usually amongst the cheapest football to participate in. To help keep it at a reasonable price, the organisation is always looking for league or team sponsors.”

If anyone is interested in either participating in, sponsoring, or having some form of involvement in Ability Counts football, contact rob.amey@sky.com, or  find local provision at Disability Football | England Football