One of the most significant insights was the big role coaches play in delivering inclusion programmes, not just through football sessions, but through emotional labour.

I also found that while outreach programmes often show short-term success in reducing anti-social behaviour or increasing engagement, their long-term effect is harder to track. Coaches described examples of sustained community ties and personal development, but also voiced concerns about the lack of structural support, funding, or collaboration between clubs, which echoed critiques from Nichols (2007) and Parnell et al. (2012).

What stood out to me most was how much inclusion work depends on the personal commitment of coaches. Emotional roles like mentorship or behavioural support are rarely acknowledged in training, yet they shape the outcomes of outreach in many ways.

Overall, this section helped me reflect on the hidden labour involved in delivering outreach and the need for more formal support structures if professional clubs are to make a lasting impact on inclusion.

From the feedback, the most helpful thing was to restructure my review on 3 themes that I identified through my reading. I felt frustrated by the idea of rewriting such a large section, but breaking it into these themes made the review much easier to write. It also helped me see where there were gaps in my reading. For example, I realised I needed to include more critical perspectives on the role of coaches and the challenges of sustaining inclusion.

I was also reminded to think more critically about the strengths and limitations of the studies I was referencing, rather than just describing them.

Looking back, the feedback pushed me to turn my literature review from a list of sources into a more structured and meaningful discussion. It made my work and me stronger.

After the first month or so, I had little to no work done other than big ideas in my head. After slowly recovering, I made a start on my work, and at first it was hard due to pain and discomfort; I wanted to give up. As I slowly started making progress, the drive to complete this project took over, and I have never been so determined to complete something to the best of my ability.

Now, fast forward to the final week before my dissertation is due, and I’ve never been so excited and nervous to submit a piece of work. This injury affected my dissertation, but it will only make me more proud once I’m at graduation, knowing I’ve overcome something so difficult.

Action: At the start of the project, I may not have worked as effectively as I could have; potential reasons may have been procrastination, fear, laziness, cluelessness - the list could go on. I also had a huge barrier put in front of me with the breaking of my hand in late January. Over time, I took ownership of this project and put my all into it, I dedicated my life to it. I challenged myself to stay organised, following the timeline I had created for myself, which helped tremendously. I also made space for critical reflection at every stage, even when it meant rewriting or restructuring sections.

Results: I've grown significantly in terms of critical thinking, writing, independence, resilience, and academic confidence. I now trust in my ability to analyse qualitative data and make reasoned arguments. I've become more disciplined with time management by breaking tasks into manageable sections to keep myself on track. One big shift was realising that research isn’t just about the findings; it’s about how I handle challenges, make decisions, and reflect along the way.

Transfer: The skills that I have developed over this project will stay beyond my time as an undergraduate student. I now approach research (and tasks in general) with more resilience and confidence in myself. My discipline when completing work has also improved greatly, which will transfer to other areas of my life, where working hard and to the best of my ability is key. I've also learnt how crucial reflection is, not just to improve academically, but personally too. Whether I continue studying or not, these skills will transfer to various parts of my life and I express my gratitude for being allowed to complete this project.