Moving the Goalposts (MTGP) targeted the area of Blantyre due to a high number of incidents involving gang related disorder between Blantyre and Halfway, Cambuslang. Many incidents were not reported to the police or local authority.
Gangs would travel between areas due to the relative ease of a short train journey. The target area was also a local thoroughfare leading to the Main Street and shopping centre.
Blantyre was an extremely difficult area to target due to a total distrust of authority and established partners by attendees and residents.
Due to an array of complex issues affecting the area, MTGP decided to extend the normal 12 week activity period to 15 weeks. This would assist MTGP to break down stubborn barriers and build important trust levels.
Throughout this period 666 young people attended for a minimum of 1 hour each night with an average of 45 attending each night. 69% were male and 31% female.
One evening early into the activity period, as MTGP was working with a high number of attendees, a large group of gang members from the Halfway area arrived at the pitch. They were armed with weapons and were clearly agitated, wishing to fight and seeking restitution for a previous incident.
The coaches immediately positioned themselves between the 2 factions in an attempt to defuse the situation. They made the decision not to contact the police at this time, as such an action would immediately destroy all the previous hard work carried out and lose the trust built with the community. MTGP knew some of the Halfway gang members and utilised this and their training to actively defuse the situation.
After what appeared to be a long time, the Halfway gang agreed to return to their area. As a result of MTGP’s intervention there was no longer a desire to fight. MTGP coaches escorted them to the nearby train station until they were able to board their train.
It is the opinion of MTGP that if they were not present then a large scale disturbance would have taken place. As weapons were being carried this would no doubt have led to serious assaults or worse.
Several adults observed the incident and thanked MTGP for their actions as they feared serious injury would have happened if they did not. They praised them for successfully defusing such an aggressive and volatile situation. All were of the opinion that no other organisation would be able to do this.
The incident had a positive effect on attendees and residents and subsequently seen as a ‘eureka moment’ allowing MTGP to make significant strides towards building trust and removing barriers.
What they say…
I was at Moving the Goalposts one night watching the kids play. That night a really scary thing happened. A gang from Halfway showed up looking to fight. They were very aggressive and tooled up looking to fight with the kids from Blantyre. This happens a lot between the 2 areas. I thought someone was going to get really hurt or worse.
I was really scared about what was going to happen but what did was absolutely amazing. The coaches intervened between the 2 gangs and calmed everything down. They talked to the Halfway kids whilst also keeping our kids from becoming involved. Halfway insisted they were here to fight as a result of something that had happened earlier.
The coaches stood their ground and eventually persuaded the Halfway gang to stop and after what seemed an age, they actually escorted them back onto a train to Halfway.
I was frightened for my daughter who loves the football and never misses a night. The coaches deserve a medal for what they did. I really believe that if they weren’t there, someone would have been seriously injured or killed.
I’ve never seen anyone do what they did that night before and it shows how much they care about what they do.
What happened that night really highlighted how good they are, not only as coaches but that they were prepared to put themselves right into the mix to help our kids. I can’t thank them enough’. K, Parent
Area Foot Patrols: Community Assistance.
MTGP coaches regularly carry out foot patrols of the surrounding area to meet with young people who have yet to attend at MTGP and encourage them to attend. On patrol they can be met with aggression and hostility but usually following discussions, individuals choose to attend at MTGP to see what it has to offer. Many remain and return on future nights.
These patrols prove invaluable to MTGP in assessing local opinion and removing barriers. Whilst on patrol they can be met with a wide array of circumstances and utilise their training and expertise to successfully deal with every circumstance.
During one night in Blantyre, two of the MTGP coaches were patrolling the surrounding area when they approached a large group of males and females who were loitering under a bridge. All had been drinking and there was obvious signs of cannabis consumption. The coaches observed that one of the females was in a semi-conscious state and unable to stand unaided. She had been vomiting and no one in the group was fit to look after her.
Unable to communicate with her, the coaches placed her in the recovery position and her mother was contacted who attended immediately. She decided to take her home.
Her mother approached MTGP the following week and informed them that her daughter had made a full recovery. She was now being fully supported by her family and seeking specialist advice. She was concerned regarding what may have happened to her daughter without MTGP intervention and thanked the coaches for all that they did.
Moving The Goalposts 