Rare Innovation Proudly Sponsors GBAFC Football in Schools — Sparking Joy, Growth, and Belonging Through the Beautiful Game and Beautiful Tech

At Rare Innovation, and speaking from lived experiences, we truly believe and know about the power of purposeful connection — between people, ideas, communities, and futures.

Golden Bay Association Football Club

That’s why, as part of a fuller programme of partnership, we’re thrilled to be supporting Golden Bay AFC’s inspiring “Football in Schools” programme for Term 3, 2025.

That being - as part of a long-term commitment to the club and region, with shared values and developmental objectives on and off the paddock, this isn’t just about kicking a ball around the playground. It’s about creating memories, strengthening community ties, and empowering the next generation of kids to build confidence, collaboration, and character — all through the joy of the beautiful game and in their broader lives.

For us, the heartbeat of real innovation lies in people — and there’s no better place to invest than in the energy, spirit, and potential of young people through the beautiful game. By bringing real and high calibre football sessions directly into our local primary schools, this initiative ensures every child, regardless of background or ability, gets the chance to participate, to play freely, to laugh deeply, and to belong.

Golden Bay AFC’s clear commitment to community stands out and is refreshingly authentic. Their vision to create “heaps of fun” for kids through football is matched with thoughtful coordination and a genuine passion for inclusion and aspiration. With experienced coaches stepping into schools each week and the club managing the equipment and logistics, this unique programme is an example of what happens when grassroots organisations lead with heart-on-sleeve purpose. We’re deeply proud to stand behind them.

In that - the benefits of this go far beyond the final whistle of each session. Football — when done right — is one of life’s greatest teachers and enablers (all digital puns, intended). On the field, kids learn more than just passing, shooting, and teamwork. They discover how to support one another, how to handle wins and losses with grace, how to listen, communicate, and contribute toward shared goals. In often helping to confront confidence, interaction skills and cooperation - these are life skills — the sort that shape good humans, resilient leaders, team players and lifelong learners.

Football, organised well, has long-term ripple effects on physical wellbeing, mental health, and personal development. In an age where screens are often the dominant influence, bringing children together in real space to move, play, and engage socially is not just good — it’s essential. Football teaches rhythm, flow, patience, creativity, and fosters dignity, self-confidence and peer-to-peer trust. It unites children of different personalities and abilities in a shared, and what can be life changing and uplifting experiences – and Rare can talk to those.

And it reminds us — and them — of what the infusion of community, teamplay and personal aspiration truly looks like.

With Chris Thurston - President and the GBAFC committee working to develop the club, we also applaud the collaborative spirit of this initiative. The potential for growth and outcomes is terrific. With schools playing an active, and authentic, role in arranging session times and maintaining open communication with parents, the model reflects the kind of joined-up thinking that real community progress relies on. It’s an elegant partnership between club and school — and essential cocktail for local outcomes in this day and age - each doing their part so the kids can do theirs: play and build futures. Thus, at Rare Innovation, we talk a lot about and deliver real design-led digital outcomes and transformation, future-focused thinking, and systems that enable people to thrive – whether that be an individual seeking to succeed, a small business needing a leg up digitally and technically – in plain speaking terms, help or a sizable organisation grappling with digital direction.

However, for us - it always starts locally; digital outcomes in, gouge and fluff, out.

Our support of GBAFC’s Football in Schools is a reflection of the world we want to live in — one where communities really invest in their young, where play is seen as powerful, and where aspirations, goals, outcomes and togetherness is not just a slogan, but a lived way of operating. That being - to every “R9”, “CR7” or “Messi-esque” child lacing up their boots, to the coaches bringing energy to every drill, and to the schools embracing this opportunity with open arms — thank you. We, at Rare, see you. We support you. And we believe in the wonderful magic that can happen when a kid discovers they can run, pass, laugh, smash the back of the net, thread that pass or stop it going in at the other end – yet grow with others.

For those in the Bay, get involved and let’s play.

— The Rare Innovation Team; partners in digital, partners on the field.

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