The Old Firm Alliance Programme uses football coaching as a vehicle to influence the attitudes and behaviour of young people with respect to issues such as healthy lifestyles, combating anti-social behaviour and challenging racism and sectarianism.
 
It involves a programme of football coaching delivered by coaches from Celtic and Rangers football clubs in primary schools within the most deprived areas of Glasgow. This is supported by a range of additional activities, including evening football centres, holiday programmes, classroom sessions, parents/guardians evenings, opportunities for parents/guardians and teachers to undertake football coaching education and a range of “rewards” for participants including fun-days, match-day tickets and stadium tours.
 
Since 2004, the old firm clubs have benefited from over £630,000 of funding from the Scottish Executive’s Social Justice Resources fund (via the Glasgow CPP). This investment has been complemented by in-kind investment from the clubs of £412,000 (giving a total investment in the programme of £1,045,000).
 
The Old Firm Alliance programme is best thought of as a partnership between the Clubs and Glasgow Community Planning Partnership (CPP). The Clubs bring the intangible assets of their brand identities to the programme, along with tangible contributions in relation to management of the programme and related costs, the input of the coaches at less than market rates, marketing costs and necessary equipment, incentives and other practical support.